My squad remains open: Ryan
Tipperary 2-11 University of Limerick 0-12
TIPPERARY manager Declan Ryan insists that his squad remains open to any player showing good form at club level, despite his decision to cut seven players from an extended squad last week.
Ryan admitted that letting players go is the "tough" side of inter-county management, but promised that impressive club displays won't be ignored.
"The squad is open at the minute -- if people are showing form, you're going to be interested in them," said Ryan.
Tipp set up a Waterford Crystal Cup semi-final clash with Cork in Clonmel next Sunday with a comfortable victory over University of Limerick in Nenagh on Saturday.
This clash could, in fact, serve as a dress rehearsal for a Munster semi-final in June and Ryan is relishing the prospect of an early season joust with the Premier County's old rivals.
"It'll be a good test. Cork are trying out plenty of players as well. They're getting ready for the league, the same as ourselves," he said.
Former team captain Eoin Kelly staked his claim for a starting place with an impressive haul of three points from play after coming on as a 52nd-minute sub.
Tipp had raced into a 2-4 to 0-0 lead by the 17th minute, with Pa Bourke goaling from a 20-metre free in the 13th minute before impressive full-forward Brian O'Meara netted four minutes later.
But Tipp fell asleep from there until half-time as UL, inspired by the free-taking of Clare's Conor McGrath, halved the deficit and went in at the break 0-5 to 2-4 adrift.
The second half was something of a stalemate with Tipp doing just enough to stay ahead.
SCORERS -- Tipperary: P Bourke 1-3 (1-2f), B O'Meara 1-0, E Kelly 0-3, A Ryan, J O'Neill, G Ryan, J O'Brien, J Woodlock 0-1 each; UL: C McGrath 0-7 (6f), P Kelly 0-2, L Ryan (f), M Heffernan, P Walsh 0-1 each.
TIPPERARY -- D Gleeson; D Maher, P Curran, M Cahill; S Maher, C O'Mahony, J Coghlan; D Young, B Maher; G Ryan, A Ryan, P Bourke; J O'Neill, B O'Meara, J O'Brien. Subs: C O'Brien for D Maher (h-t), J Woodlock for Young (46), T Stapleton for Coghlan (46), E Kelly for A Ryan (52), S Curran for G Ryan (64).
UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK -- T Lowry; P Stapleton, Michael Walsh, K Fox; L Ryan, B Bugler, Martin Walsh; S Golden, L Markham; B Beckett, J Gallagher, P Walsh; M Heffernan, P Murphy, C McGrath. Subs: P Kelly for Golden (h-t), T O'Brien for Murphy (43), C Fogarty for Heffernan (52), P Flanagan for Beckett (57), M Boran for P Walsh (63).
REF -- C Lyons (Cork)
Irish Independent
