Grogan arrives in nick of time to save Tipp
Tipperary 2-13 Limerick IT 3-8
ACE marksman Barry Grogan came off the bench to ease Tipperary into the quarter-finals, where they will meet Waterford.
Grogan was introduced in the 49th minute of yesterday's preliminary-round tie against Limerick IT at the Clonmel Sportsfield and kicked four unanswered points to ease Premier County nerves.
Tipp had trailed by two points in the second half, having led by eight twice before half-time, but, once they drew level, Grogan opened up some breathing space with four successive points in the space of 12 minutes.
The Aherlow clubman, last year's captain, illustrated his importance to manager John Evans on an afternoon when Michael Quinlivan, full-forward on last year's All-Ireland minor winning team, made his senior debut.
In the first half, goals from Conor Sweeney and Philip Austin, from a penalty, had Tipp in cruise control and leading by 2-5 to 0-3, before Eoghan O'Connor and Seamus Carroll brought LIT right back into the game.
The stage was then set for Grogan's vital input.
SCORERS -- Tipperary: P Austin 1-2 (1-0 pen, 1f), B Grogan 0-4, C Sweeney 1-0, P Acheson 0-3, H Coghlan, S Carey, B Fox, M Quinlivan 0-1 each. Limerick IT: J Dowling 1-1, E O'Connor, S Carroll 1-0 each, J Burke 0-3f, D Heffernan, S Malone, M Hallissey (f), K Larkin 0-1 each.
TIPPERARY -- M O'Donnell; A Morrissey, P Codd, D Lynch; J O'Callaghan, T Ryan, L Egan; E Ryan, H Coghlan; S Carey, P Acheson, B Fox; C Sweeney, M Quinlivan, P Austin. Subs: B Jones for Carey (h-t), B Grogan for O'Callaghan (49 mins), B O'Brien for Sweeney (58), D Butler for E Ryan (60), E Connolly for Morrissey (69).
LIMERICK IT -- D Clohessy (Clare); S Bolton (Clare), B Hartnett (Clare), N Gaughan (Sligo); S Malone (Clare), D O'Sullivan (Cork), C Talty (Dublin); T McCarthy (Limerick), D Heffernan (Offaly); M Hallissey (Kerry), K Larkin (Clare), J Dowling (Clare); E O'Connor (Limerick), J Burke (Clare), S Carroll (Limerick). Subs: E Lenihan (Kerry) for Hallissey (60 mins), G O'Gorman (Clare) for Burke (60), S Leneghan (Cork) for Bolton (68).
REF -- J Lynch (Kerry)
- Jackie Cahill
Irish Independent
