Limerick defeated Tipperary by 1-17 to 0-17 at Thurles to progress to the Munster MHC final.

The result means that Limerick's seniors and minors will both be on duty on provincial final day, having seen off Tipperary in both grades.

A crowd of 3,314 people turned out to watch an excellent match played out in great conditions on a superb surface tonight as Brian Ryan's charges got the better of the defending Munster and All-Ireland champions to book a minor final appearance for the first time since 2005.

At the end of an entertaining opening half-hour, Tipp led by 0-12 to 0-10.

Tipperary's Josh Keane opened the scoring from a second-minute free but David Dempsey equalised before a run of points from Tom Fox, Colin O'Riordan and Keane put the hosts ahead by 0-4 to 0-1 after six minutes.

Willie Connors added another from the middle of the field for the rampant Tipp men before Cian Lynch and Sam Conlon traded points. A Ronan Lynch free from 60 metres brought the Treaty men back within three, 0-6 to 0-3, but another O'Riordan point increased Tipp's lead again.

Lynch, from play, and Dean Coleman narrowed the gap again and Keane and Lynch traded frees before Dempsey and O'Riordan exchanged points from play.

Conor Lanigan and Ronan Lynch also fired over points at either end of the pitch and Limerick's Pat Ryan made it a one-point game after 23 minutes, 0-10 to 0-9. Dempsey tied the scores up on 26 minutes but Tipp moved ahead again with scores from O'Riordan and Keane - 0-12 to 0-10 at the short whistle but the visitors would have the aid of a stiff breeze after the restart.

Mark McCarthy and Keane added to Tipp's tally after the restart and it took Limerick nearly ten minutes to register their first point of the second half - a Lynch free. But superb scores from Barry Nash and Dempsey had them back within a point again after 43 minutes, 0-14 to 0-13.

Coleman, Tom Morrissey and Cian Lynch made it six points in succession for Limerick as they lead by 0-16 to 0-14 but Keane replied with a free eight minutes from the end.

The winners were awarded a penalty in the 53rd minute when Morrissey was fouled and Ronan Lynch drilled the sliothar to the net to all but book their place in the provincial final - 1-16 to 0-15.

Donnacha Quinn and Keane pointed for the hosts, who refused to give up, but Lynch (1-7) sent over the sealing free from the middle of the pitch in injury time as the Treaty County booked their place in the July 14th Munster final, where they'll be seeking silverware for the first time since 1984.

Limerick - C Ryan; J Porter, R English, S Finn; S Ryan, A La Touche Cosgrave, S Flanagan; J Butler, D Donovan; B Nash (0-1), R Lynch (1-7), C Lynch (0-2); D Coleman (0-1), D Dempsey (0-4), P Ryan (0-1). Subs: G Whelan for Butler, T Morrissey (0-1) for P Ryan.

Tipperary - B Hogan; R Mulcahy, J Ryan, D Peters; T Fox (0-1), R Maher, B Heffernan; W Connors (0-1), T Kirwan; C Lanigan (0-1), C O'Riordan (0-4), S Conlon (0-1); M McCarthy (0-1), J Keane (0-7), S Ryan. Subs: T Nolan for Conlon, D Quinn (0-1) for Lanigan, A Tierney for Peters, F O'Sullivan for Connors.

Ref - D Fox. Tweet

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