Munster SHC Semi-final/Limerick 1-19 Tipperary 1-19:As long as there's only three points in a match, hope springs eternal. Yesterday, the home side proved as much when clutching at the last straw of a match that at one stage had surely depressed their supporters' expectations to virtually nil.
The lead-up to this Guinness Munster hurling semi-final had been accompanied by peculiarly mixed opinions - Tipp's tight favouritism balanced by an underground buzz that Limerick were ready to record a first win over their neighbours in 11 years.
The frantic and furious chase that climaxed in Limerick bagging the goal that tied up the match was the culmination of a spirited and dogged performance from a team that had started in subdued form, shooting wides with abandon, and progressed to an even worse position with the dismissal of captain Damien Reale in the 22nd minute.
That blow had come within minutes of a John Carroll goal - a Benny Dunne free followed through with characteristic bullishness and clipped emphatically to the net - that had overturned a slender Limerick lead so the prospects looked bleak and the panicky, heedless behaviour that followed nearly caused the challenge to collapse altogether and the margin stretched to four by the 27th minute, 1-6 to 0-5.
But Tipp couldn't put the match away - for the entire second half the margin never got farther than three and, although Limerick equalised four times, they never recaptured the lead and so their opponents were never under seriously sustained pressure.
The rapid-fire sequence a few minutes after the re-start are indicative of the pattern. In the space of three minutes, between the 43rd and 46th, five points flew over the bar.
Twice Limerick equalised, through Andrew O'Shaughnessy and Michael O'Brien. From each puck-out Tipp restored the lead with points from Darragh Egan and Lar Corbett.
As expected, Michael Keating had to make changes and replaced Players' All Star full back Paul Curran with Declan Fanning as indicated earlier in the week. Corbett's starting place went to the promising Pa Bourke.
Other things weren't going well either. Eoin Kelly's hand injury didn't prevent him playing, but the duty of taking frees was handed to Willie Ryan, who was flawless in their dispatch, even if the opportunities presented weren't all major tasks.
Reale, who has plenty of experience marking Kelly and whose being spared the job last year caused controversy, this time removed himself from the equation. After he and his marker had been yellow carded in the 12th minute, a moment of madness 10 minutes later ended the Limerick captain's day.
There was no danger when Kelly off-loaded a ball, but Reale chopped at him with the hurl and was probably lucky not to get a straight red rather than the second yellow that frees him to play in next Saturday's replay.
Limerick needed to put points on the board at the other end, a necessity that has previously caused the side problems. On this occasion a tour de force by Ollie Moran, reminiscent of the sort of galvanic display that reeled in Waterford in another provincial semi-final six years ago, yielded five points from play and a vital assist for the equalising goal.
For a while he and his marker, Dunne, looked like they were playing tennis taking turns at service, but that's a bad game for a defender once the points start flashing over.
Moran had assistance in the form of scoring couplets from Barry Foley, Niall Moran and Michael O'Brien, whose focus matched his work-rate in the second half plus a generally reliable if not flawless dead-ball contribution of five from Andrew O'Shaughnessy, who also added a flashy point after dribbling the ball down the right wing and cutting in for the score.
On a baking hot afternoon Limerick used their replacements more effectively, throwing in five players, most of whom helped to raise the tempo of the challenge. Pat Tobin in particular added dash to the forwards and increased the pressure.
After Tipp had apparently ridden out the final storm and patiently rebuilt their three-point lead to move in front by 1-19 to 0-19 with just five minutes left, it was Tobin who showed to take the high ball won by Ollie Moran and crash home the equaliser, but fellow replacement Michael Fitzgerald also scored a point nearly as soon as he had taken to the field.
Late chances came to nothing and the teams now meet at 7pm next Saturday in Thurles as the first act in what will be the GAA's biggest weekend of the year to date.
In the intermediate curtain-raiser, last-gasp points from Alan O'Connor and Paul Storan ensured a 0-17 to 0-15 win for Limerick against Tipperary.
LIMERICK: 1 B Murray; 3 S Lucey, 2 D Reale, 4 S Hickey; 5 M O'Riordan, 6 B Geary, 7 M Foley; 9 D O'Grady, 8 P Lawlor; 12 M O'Brien (0-2), 11 O Moran (0-5), 10 N Moran (0-2); 13 A O'Shaughnessy (0-6, four frees), 14 S O'Connor, 15 B Foley (0-2). Subs: 30 P Tobin (1-1) for O'Connor (28 mins), 25 Maurice O'Brien for Lawlor (48 mins), 20 M Fitzgerald (0-1) for O'Grady (56 mins), 28 D Ryan for B Foley (62 mins), 26 P O'Dwyer for M Foley (66 mins). Yellow cards: Reale (12 and 22 mins), Lucey (26 mins), Geary (38 mins). Red card: Reale (22 mins).
TIPPERARY: 1 B Cummins; 2 E Buckley, 21 D Fanning, 4. D Fitzgerald; 5 E Corcoran, 6 B Dunne, 7 C O'Mahony; 8 S McGrath (0-1), 9 J Woodlock (0-2); 10 J Carroll (1-1), 11 R O'Dwyer (0-1), 12 D Egan (0-3); 17 P Bourke, 13 E Kelly (0-2), 15 W Ryan (0-7, six frees). Subs: 14 L Corbett (0-2) for Bourke (half-time), 23 H Maloney for Dunne (61 mins), 26 M Webster for O'Dwyer (64 mins), 19 L Cahill for Ryan (71 mins). Yellow card: E Kelly (12 mins).
Attendance: 26,246.
Referee: D Kirwan (Limerick).
