In the NHL Division 1B, Limerick put up a score of 0-26 against Tipperary’s 3-16. The result may seem inexplicable, akin to tripping over an unseen sidewalk crack or watching your toast land butter side down. Nevertheless, it is something to disregard. Jake Morris landed the third goal for Tipperary in the final moment of the match, keeping them within reach of Limerick in terms of scores for most parts of the second half. Despite this, the reigning All-Ireland champions dominated the latter 40 minutes of the game leaving Tipperary with no fitting comeback.
Limerick’s performance in the initial half was haphazard and clumsy. They lagged behind by five points after 30 minutes, but regained footing and unleashed a scoring onslaught on Tipperary. There were instances in the second half where a substantial lead seemed feasible for Limerick.
Limerick’s coach, John Kiely, appeared bothered by the numerous “unforced errors” his team committed. He also expressed discontent over the three goals tipped in their favour. These goals were uncharacteristic of Limerick’s defence.
Jason Forde, who had an exceptional game, scored the first goal nearly 30 minutes in. Despite being surrounded by Limerick defenders, he managed to get hold of a sideline cut and eventually broke free. When confronted by Limerick’s Nickie Quaid, Forde produced a stunning finish. The remaining two goals in the second half resulted from turnovers. Colin Coughlan was robbed by Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher within the 20-metre line of Limerick and subsequently landed a powerful shot past Quaid. The final goal by Morris was a result of Tom Morrissey being stripped of possession because Limerick didn’t manage to pass the ball out from their defence effectively.
Even though Morris’s goal didn’t alter the game’s outcome, Limerick’s retaliation to the other two goals was potent. Each time, they answered back with four uninterrupted points.
Tipperary withstood a fluctuating, disruptive wind in the first half. Their narrow lead at halftime wasn’t indicative of the vim and vigor they demonstrated, particularly in the initial half hour.
They responded admirably to Limerick’s puck-outs, preventing them from developing a smooth play from the back and through the mid-third. Gearóid O’Connor maintained his strong early season performance, pocketing three points in the first half. Also noteworthy were Forde’s performance on the right flank and Morris’s threats on goal.
When Limerick decided to step up their game, they gained control in the third quarter. As per Liam Cahill’s post-match assessment, there wasn’t anything “particularly extraordinary” that Limerick did. They didn’t employ any crafty tactics or make drastic changes to their game week by week.
During the initial half, the main concern was execution; the variance in the latter half was precision. Their passing and shooting skills improved. Six points were scored in the third quarter prior to their first wide in the second half. Despite being five points down just five minutes before halftime, they managed to take a three-point lead midway through the latter half.
Cian Lynch’s impact became more apparent as the game progressed despite a lacklustre start in his first match of the season. Similarly, Donnacha Ó Dalaigh continued his impressive form that he displayed in Croke Park a couple of weeks prior, contributing a solid performance. He secured three commendable points and also helped score Lynch’s second goal.
Limerick consistently plays games in which they don’t even pose a threat of scoring a goal, and this was one such occasion. Barry Hogan’s only save came from an unimpressive 20 metre shot by Aaron Gillane. However, they surpassed their minimum expectation of 40 shots and in the latter half, their shooting opportunities came in quick succession.
For the majority of the latter half, Limerick held a lead of three to four points. Cahill, from the touchline, expressed that it “felt like more”- a feeling with which no one would disagree.
The composition of Limerick’s team was as follows: N Quaid; F O’Connor (0-1), D Morrissey, M Casey; D Byrnes (0-3, 0-1f), C O’Neill, C Coughlan (0-2); W O’Donoghue, B Murphy; G Hegarty (0-2), C Lynch (0-2), C Boylan (0-1); A Gillane (0-8, 0-7f), D O’Dalaigh (0-3), P Casey.
‘”T Morrissey came on for Boylan, and notched a point from a free kick, G Mulcahy was subbed in for P Casey (both at 59 minutes); S Flanagan joined the game for Gillane (at 65 minutes); A English came on for Murphy (at 70 minutes).
TIPPERARY’s lineup was as follows: B Hogan; C Morgan (scored 0-1), R Maher, M Breen; S Kennedy, B McGrath, C Bowe; E Connolly, P Cadell; A Tynan (scored 0-1), C Stakelum, G O’Connor (scored 0-3); J Forde (scored 1-7, including 0-3 from free kicks), J McGrath, J Morris (scored 1-3).
Substitutions included: B O’Mara coming on for B McGrath (half time); D McCormack replacing Kennedy (at 46 minutes); S Ryan (scored 0-1) subbing J McGrath, P Maher (scored 1 goal) for Tynan (both at 57); C Quinn in for Cadell (at 65).
The referee was Liam Gordon from Galway.
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