Limerick roared to an emphatic 3-17 to 2-11 provincial quarter-final victory over Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds tonight.

The 2013 Munster minor hurling champions cruised through to a semi-final meeting with Cork thanks to second-half goals from Cian Lynch and Barry Nash (2).

Featuring ten of last year's All-Ireland semi-final side, the Treaty County bossed the first half and led by double scores at the interval, 0-12 to 0-6.

With 2,811 spectators watching on, Patrickswell's Cian Lynch, Pallasgreen's Colin Ryan and centre back Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh) had them three points to the good in as many minutes before the Premier County opened their account via a fourth-minute Andrew Coffey free.

Home goalkeeper Eoghan McNamara did well to deny Paul Ryan a Tipp goal and Shane Hennessy lofted over the resulting '65' to close the gap to one. Nash and Hennessy (free) traded points and the favourites moved three points ahead inside ten minutes thanks to further efforts from captain Cian Lynch and Colin Ryan free: 0-6 to 0-3.

After Tommy Nolan raised a white flag for the visitors, Ronan Lynch thumped over an astonishing Limerick point from deep inside his own half. Ryan and Hennessy traded frees to leave three in it after twenty minutes.

Wing back Lorcan Lyons (Monaleen) stretched Limerick's advantage is the 24th minute but Tipperary responded with another Hennessy free. However, it was the home team who knocked over the last three scores of an entertaining opening period courtesy of centre forward Nash (South Liberties) and Colin Ryan (2).

Toomevara clubman Paul Ryan opened the second half with Tipp's second point from play but Brian Ryan's charges replied emphatically in the 33rd minute with the opening goal of the game: Colin Ryan picked out Cian Lynch and the No.12 made no mistake: 1-12 to 0-7!

But Tipp were back within four points of their opponents when Paul Ryan replied with a three-pointer for the visitors seven minutes after the restart. Limerick came back with a Colin Ryan over to lead by 1-13 to 1-8 with 20 minutes remaining.

Nolan pointed and goals were swapped in the 43rd and 45th minutes, Coffey on target for the away team to reduce the gap to one point before Nash replied to make it 2-13 to 2-9 going into the final quarter…

Coffey and substitute Conor Fitzgerald exchanged points before Ronan Lynch ('65') and Cian Lynch fired the defending champions back into a six-point lead, 2-16 to 2-10, with less than ten minutes left.

Five minutes from time, Hennessy clipped over a Tipp free from the wing but Ronan Lynch replied two minutes later with a majestically-struck long-range Limerick free. In the 59th minute, Nash sealed the deal with his second goal of the game … Colin Ryan providing his third assist of the night.

So, Limerick march on to face Cork (who beat Kerry last night), while Tipperary are not yet out of this year's Munster MHC. They will meet the winners of the losers play-off between Clare and Kerry in a semi-final play-off, with the winners of that one going on to face defending All-Ireland champions Waterford in the last four. You know it makes sense!

Limerick: Eoghan McNamara; Sean Finn, Darragh Fanning, Jamie Porter; Andrew La Touche Cosgrave, Ronan Lynch (0-4), Lorcan Lyons (0-1); Robbie Hanley, Cian O'Brien; Seamus Flanagan, Barry Nash (2-2), Cian Lynch (1-3); Tom Morrissey, Edward Doyle, Colin Ryan (0-6). Subs: Conor Fitzgerald (0-1) for Doyle (21); Thomas Grimes for O'Brien (42); Paddy O'Loughlin for Lyons (48); Shane O'Connell for Hanley (54).

Tipperary: Brian Hogan; Chris McCullagh, Jack Skehan, Darragh Peters; Billy McCarthy, Paul Maher, Conor Ryan; Andrew Coffey (1-2), Willie Connors; Alan Tynan, Willie Coffey, Shane Hennessy (0-5); Tommy Nolan (0-2), Stephen Quirke, Paul Ryan (1-2). Subs: Liam Fahey for Quirke (half time); Conor Floyd for McCarthy (half time); Pa Ryan for Connors (40); Ross Peters for Paul Ryan (60).

Referee: Joe Larkin (Cork). Tweet

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