Tipperary 3-12

Limerick 1-16

Tipperary are through to next month's Munster SHC final against Waterford, despite playing most of this afternoon's semi-final against Limerick at a wet Semple Stadium with 14 men.

John 'Bubbles' O'Dwyer is set to miss the decider after receiving a straight red card for striking out at his marker Richie English in the 14th minute. But Tipp - who were boosted by a brace of early goals from midfielder Michael Breen - made light of the dismissal to go into the break leading 3-5 to 0-11. With Seamus Callanan posting 1-6 and Noel McGrath grabbing three second half points, they extended their advantage after the restart before sub Tom Morrissey's injury-time goal proved to be a case of too little, too late for a disappointing Limerick side.

A Shane Dowling free gave Limerick an early lead before they were rocked by those two Breen strikes in the space of three minutes. The midfielder, who also found the net in last year's corresponding fixture, scored his first in the sixth minute before beating goalkeeper Nickie Quaid for a second time after reacting quickest to a rebound.

Barry Nash replied with a much-needed point for the Treaty before O'Dwyer received his marching orders from referee James McGrath. Deploying Gavin O'Mahony as the 'spare' man at the back, the visitors grabbed the next three points to reduce the deficit to the minimum, 0-6 to 2-1, after 18 minutes.

As the rain eased, Tipp regained the initiative when Seamus Callanan crashed a low shot to the net in the 28^th minute. But Dowling, who helped himself to 0-6 in the first half, had TJ Ryan's men within a point before Callanan replied to leave the Premier three up at the break.

Noel McGrath became only the third Tipp player to get his name on the scoresheet with the opening score of the second half, only for Dowling to reply at the other end. Limerick then had three wides in-a-row, including one from Diarmuid Byrnes after Hawkeye had adjudicated. The score detection technology was called upon once again a short time later to rule on a Callanan '65', which was awarded to the delight of the home support in the 25,531 attendance.

John McGrath's first point extended Tipp's lead to 3-8 to 0-12 before Declan Hannon replied with his second in the 50^th minute. Noel McGrath scored two more points either side of Dowling's eight as a hungrier Tipp team continued to exert dominance.

Callanan brought his tally to 1-6 from a 63^rd minute free as the holders stretched their lead to six points, 3-11 to 0-14. Dowling replied with yet another free before Padraig Maher drove forward to score an inspirational point at the other end.

Just when the result seemed done and dusted, Limerick were handed a late lifeline when a John Fitzgibbon point was followed by a Tom Morrissey rasper to the roof of the net in the second minute of injury-time after Darren Gleeson had blocked Kevin Downes' initial shot.

But it would have been a travesty if the visitors - who will be in the bowl for tomorrow morning's first round qualifier draw - had taken anything from this game.

Tipperary - D Gleeson; C Barrett, J Barry, M Cahill; S Kennedy, R Maher, Padraic Maher (0-1); B Maher, M Breen (2-1); N McGrath (0-3), Patrick Maher, D McCormack; J O'Dwyer, S Callanan (1-6, 0-3f, 0-2'65), J McGrath (0-1). Subs: N O'Meara for D McCormack, D Maher for R Maher, J Forde for Patrick Maher, K Bergin for B Maher, D Quinn for M Breen.

Limerick - N Quaid; S Hickey, D Morrissey, R English; D Byrnes, G O'Mahony, T Condon; J Ryan (0-1), P Browne; G Hegarty (0-1), S Dowling (0-9, 8f), C Lynch (0-1); B Nash (0-1), D Hannon (0-2), G Mulcahy. Subs: T Morrissey (1-0) for J Ryan, K Downes for B Nash, J Fitzgibbon (0-1) for G Hegarty.

Referee - J McGrath.

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