Ryan and Rigter lead Limerick past neighbours Tipperary

A late Emmet Rigter goal secured Limerick’s progress to a Tailteann Cup quarter-final with an eight-point win over neighbours Tipperary.

The Treaty held a one-point lead after playing into a strong wind as a storming Paudie Feehan goal kept Tipp in touch.

The key moment was Feehan’s shot to level rebounding off the crossbar with a dozen minutes to play. From there, Limerick ensured they would advance to a last-eight tie against Fermanagh, Kildare, or Sligo.

The hosts snapped a 13-game losing streak against Offaly last month and are now building confidence and momentum with three successive wins.

Despite being named to start for Tipp, Steven O’Brien wasn’t fit enough to tog out as he joined Conor Sweeney on the sidelines. In attack, Paul Kelly handed a full debut to O’Brien’s Ballina clubmate Eoghan Power.

They had a strong crossfield breeze backing them in the first half but it was Limerick who dominated from the off; Cillian Fahy, Peter Nash (free), Iain Corbett, and Danny Neville with the first four points.

Tipp kept in touch with a Peter McGarry brace helping to cut the deficit to two. All the while, Limerick were creating chances but they couldn’t connect the final pass for a couple of goals and dropped five shots short into the wind.

Tipp took their one goal opening in the 33rd minute to level. After a Seán O’Connor free, they pushed up on the Limerick kick-out and Feehan pinched the ball on the 45. He took off to the 21 and unleashed a bullet to the top corner. A second spectacular goal in two games for the defender.

Evan Comerford produced a brilliant double save to deny Paul Maher and Neville at the other end although a second 45 of the day from opposition keeper Josh Ryan sent Limerick in ahead, 0-08 to 1-04.

They pressed further in front with three points within three minutes of the resumption from James Naughton, Rigter, and Ryan’s third.

Tipp battled back with scores from Feehan and an O’Connor brace to make it 0-13 to 1-08 but they lost a series of important figures to knocks.

There were last-gasp blocks from Shane O’Connell and Conall Kennedy to deny Nash and Corbett before Feehan smashed a shot off the crossbar from close range.

Limerick would outscore Tipp by 1-05 to 0-02 in the sprint to the finish line. Rigter accounted for 1-2, his goal arriving in the 68th minute from Neville’s pass to put seven in the difference.

Brian Ahern was also denied a goal while Neville chose to chip over two close-range chances in stoppage time. Tipp finished with 14 men after a late black card for captain Feehan.

Limerick: J Ryan (0-03, 2 45s, 1f); P Maher, S O’Dea, C Woulfe; B Coleman, C Fahy (0-01), T McCarthy (0-01); T Childs (0-01), I Corbett (0-01); E Rigter (1-03, 0-01m), C Downes, J Naughton (0-02); D Neville (0-04), R Childs, P Nash (0-02, 2f).

Subs: B Ahern for Nash (54), J Liston for Woulfe (62), C McSweeney for T Childs (65), B Nix for Naughton (68), D O’Doherty for Maher (70+1).

Tipperary: E Comerford; E Moloney, P Feehan (1-01), J Feehan; S Grogan, M Stokes, L Boland; J Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), C Kennedy; P McGarry (0-02), J Morris, K Costello; S O’Connor (0-05, 3f), S Quirke (0-01), E Power.

Subs: S O’Connell for Morris (10, inj), C Cadell for Stokes (31, inj), T Doyle (0-01) for J Kennedy (40, inj), R O’Dowd for Boland (53, inj), M Russell for McGarry (59, inj).

Referee: S Mulhare (Laois).