Hurling & Camogie

Munster SHC: Limerick into final as Tipperary fall to Waterford

A Séamus Flanagan goal helped Limerick past Cork at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday
A Séamus Flanagan goal helped Limerick past Cork at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday A Séamus Flanagan goal helped Limerick past Cork at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

Limerick 3-25 Cork 1-30

LIMERICK showed true grit at the Gaelic Grounds to book their place in the Munster hurling final and, in turn, put an end to Cork’s Championship summer.

Darragh Fitzgibbon and Séamus Harnedy were in solid form as the Rebels established a 0-11 to 0-7 lead after 17 minutes, but the All-Ireland champions levelled via a Séamus Flanagan goal and then hit the front through a Cathal O’Neill major.

Patrick Horgan converted a brace of frees to leave it all square at the break, 2-12 to 0-18, but the Treaty struck the back of the net for the third time eight minutes after the restart with a Diarmaid Byrnes penalty.

Limerick threatened to pull away from the Rebels as they cantered into a seven-point lead, but a Horgan goal with 10 minutes to go breathed new life into the Cork challenge.

The Glen Rovers man added two frees to bring the deficit down to one, but John Kiely’s men managed to see the game out to set up a June 11 final date with Clare.

Tipperary 0-21 Waterford 1-24

TIPPERARY have a preliminary All-Ireland quarter-final to look forward to despite yesterday’s defeat to Waterford at Semple Stadium.

Davy Fitzgerald’s men travelled to Thurles with only pride to play for and duly took a large dollop of that home with them as their Championship summer came to an end.

Tipp had hopes of a Munster final berth at throw-in yesterday afternoon, but were blown away by Waterford in the first-half, the scoreline at half-time reading 0-17 to 0-8 in the Déise’s favour.

Matters didn’t improve for the home side on the restart as Dessie Hutchinson broke through to grab a major for Waterford and, although Tipp chipped away at the deficit, the visitors emerged with a six-point victory.

Tipp will now focus on their June 17 preliminary quarter-final tie against Offaly, with the winners playing the losing Leinster finalists in the All-Ireland quarter-final proper the week following.