Sport

Callanan tops the bill for Tipp in a Gaelic Ground gala display

Séamus Callanan was in irresistible form on Sunday as Tipperary thrashed Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds 
Séamus Callanan was in irresistible form on Sunday as Tipperary thrashed Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds  Séamus Callanan was in irresistible form on Sunday as Tipperary thrashed Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds  (seamus loughran)

Munster SHC semi-final: Limerick 1-16 Tipperary 4-23

TIPPERARY sparkled when trouncing Limerick before a packed Gaelic Grounds and, long before the final whistle, disappointed home supporters were heading for the exits.

It was, by any standard, a super show by Tipperary, whose forwards, inspiringly led by Séamus Callanan, tore the Limerick defence to shreds.

Winning manager Éamonn O’Shea watched his side win in this competition for the first time in what is his third year in charge.

“We have worked very hard over the last nine weeks and we got our reward," he said. 

"For the last two years, we were in a bit of a transition and things worked well today. Limerick are a very good team and I told TJ Ryan afterwards that it was very early in the season."

Limerick trailed by six points, 2-12 to 0-12, at halftime but, helped by a penalty goal from Shane Dowling, they got back to within a point within nine minutes of the resumption when a controversial decision went against them. 

Graeme Mulcahy’s shot was deemed to have gone wide by an umpire and Tipperary went on to pick off the next four points which killed off Limerick. A well struck goal by Jason Forde ended the game as a contest and sent Limerick into the Qualifiers.

Tipperary’s two first half goals, scored by Callanan in the 9th and 22nd minutes, showed weaknesses in Limerick’s defence and they relied mainly on Shane Dowling for scores.

Tipperary fell two points behind early on, but once Callanan’s first goal came it tied the game. A pointed 65 by Callanan put Tipperary in front for the first time and they never relinquished the lead, although a slight worry for them was a 14 minute spell in the second half when they failed to score.

Matters might have been a little different had Shane Dowling opted for points rather than trying for goals on two occasions in the second half, but by that stage Limerick urgently needed a spark and each time Gleeson blocked his efforts. That period was the only time Limerick had the edge, but with James Barry at full-back doing superbly on Dowling, the Tipperary defence was solid with goalkeeper Darren Gleeson making a number of superb saves.

Half-backs Kieran Bergin and the Maher brothers, Pádraic and Ronan, never flinched and with 10 players on the scoresheet, including two substitutues, it showed the accuracy of their strike rate. Patrick Maher was outstanding, while Callanan, Jason Forde and Joe O’Dwyer all picked off superb scores.

Limerick disappointed, but Gavin O’Mahoney, Seánie O’Brien and Dowling worked hard.

Tipp's star midfielder Shane McGrath said: “We are going to give it a big rattle this year. Our results in the past two years did not reflect the hard work we put in and I am delighted for the manager. We played as a unit and the lads up front did a great job”.




Tipperary: B Gleeson; P Stapleton, J Barry, C O’Brien; K Bergin, Pádraic Maher, R Maher; J Woodlock (0-1), S McGrath (0-2); J Forde (1-3), B Maher, Patrick Maher (0-3); J O’Dwyer (0-7, 0-1free), S Callinan (2-5, 0-2frees, 1 ‘65’), N O’Meara (0-1); Subs: M Cahill for P Stapleton (35), M Breen for S Callinan (52), Callanan for Breen (61), S Burke (0-1) for N O’Meara (68), M Breen (1-0) for Callanan (68); Yellow cards: P Stapleton (5), M Cahill (39).


Limerick: B Hennessy; S Walsh, R McCarthy, S Hickey; T Condon, G O’Mahoney (0-1), S O’Brien (0-1); J Ryan, P O’Brien; D O’Grady (0-1), D Hannon (0-3), D Breen (0-1); G Mulcahy (0-2), S Dowling (1-7, 1 pen gl, 0-4 fs, 0-2 ‘65s), C Lynch; Subs: P Browne for Breen (h-t), K Downes for O’Grady (49), J Fitzgibbon for S O’Brien (59), W McNamara for R McCarthy (59), D Reidy for J Ryan (66); Yellow cards: J Ryan (64).


Referee: B Gavin (Offaly).