The Premier beat the All-Ireland champions in the Dillon Quirke Foundation challenge game.

Dillon Quirke Foundation Senior Hurling Challenge, FBD Semple Stadium, Tipperary 28/1/2024

SUN, 28 JAN, 2024 - 19:00

STEPHEN BARRY, FBD SEMPLE STADIUM

Dillon Quirke Foundation challenge: Tipperary 3-27 Limerick 1-20 

Liam Cahill sounded one casual note of caution before this Dillon Quirke Foundation challenge: “Don’t be expecting a whole lot from John (McGrath) today, he’s not long back with us.” 

Albeit up against a scratch Limerick side, the Tipperary marksman put 2-9 to his name (1-3 from play) for his hour’s hurling, which could’ve been more but for a handful of wides.

Another four assists, including a brilliant crossfield sideline cut, underlined his sharpness from centre-forward.

“That’s John McGrath, he’s doing it for years,” reflected Cahill between signing autographs and obliging photo requests at full-time. “He’s a naturally talented player.

“That kind of game-time is invaluable this time of the year. John had a long club campaign, he took a little break there before Christmas, so he’s really only had the proper month of January under his belt.

“This is going to give him a great shove on again and I’m delighted how sharp he was.” 

McGrath’s seasonal reappearance was the star turn in a 13-point victory, which raised vital funds for the Dillon Quirke Foundation and honoured the memory of their former Tipperary teammate who tragically passed away at Semple Stadium in August 2022.

The Foundation’s work aims to raise awareness of sudden adult death syndrome and deliver life-saving cardiac screenings for young people between 12 and 18 involved in sport across Ireland.

An attendance of 3,218 watched on as Quirke’s first cousin Jack Ryan, the son of three-time All-Ireland winner Declan, captained Tipperary to lift the Dillon Quirke Cup.

“Today was a massive day for us all in that Tipperary dressing room. We really love this game,” said Cahill.

“Last year was emotionally a bit tougher. It was still very raw. Today, we’re starting to come to grips with it some bit in relation to Dillon’s passing.

“As a group, it gives us a great bond and we had great pride and honour in playing this game in aid of the Dillon Quirke Foundation.

“We’ll always do our best to do whatever we can for the foundation but also to keep Dillon’s memory alive for as long as we’re here.” 

There were 55 players given game-time at Semple Stadium (29 for Tipp, 26 for Limerick). Some were battling for panel places, others warming up for the summer ahead.

Goalkeeper Barry Hogan was the only Premier player to stay the duration, while Jamie Power, Emmet McEvoy, Ethan Hurley, and captain for the day Conor Boylan did so for Limerick.

The stronger Tipp selection appeared further along in their preparations throughout, with all four goals coming in the first half.

Andrew Ormond was centrally involved in Tipperary’s three, feeding Mark Kehoe to win a 10th-minute penalty for McGrath to dispatch before finding the Loughmore-Castleiney man’s run to skittle home the second in the 28th minute.

He tapped home a goal of his own four minutes later after Eoghan Connolly’s half-hooked shot was saved.

Ormond laid on another chance for John Campion but he, like Connolly, Jake Morris, and Patrick Maher, would be denied by Power.

Limerick’s goal came in the 11th minute when Adam English located Donnacha Ó Dálaigh to produce a wonderful finish. That duo would total 1-7 from play (1-3 for Ó Dálaigh and 0-4 for English).

It was 3-13 to 1-13 at half-time and though the scoring rate slowed amid a raft of replacements, Tipp added six points in a row late on to conclude with 14 different scorers.

“We’re delighted to be here and be a part of the game,” said Limerick manager John Kiely. “It’s perfect timing coming into the League next week as well.

“A huge amount of work has been done by those involved in the fundraising activities over the last 12 months. Over €1.1m has been raised already. That’s a significant achievement and hopefully the revenue streams will keep coming on board as they move forward.

“Today will hopefully be another good boost to the funding that’s there already.

“It’s only 12 months in. I’m sure this is a long-term project and it’s going to take a lot of time to get the kind of impact that they’re looking for.

“But every person they can pick up with the screening who’s got an issue and can be given treatment for that and avoid the situation that unfortunately the Quirkes have had to endure, all the better.” 

Scorers for Tipperary: J McGrath (2-9, 1-0 pen, 0-6 frees); A Ormond (1-2); J Morris (0-3); A Tynan, G O’Connor (1 free) (0-2 each); R Maher, E Heffernan, E Connolly, Jack Ryan, M Kehoe, C Bowe, W Connors, J Fogarty, S Ryan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Limerick: D Ó Dálaigh (1-3); P O’Donovan (2 frees), A English, D Reidy (4 frees) (0-4 each); O O’Reilly (0-2); C Coughlan, A O’Connor, L Flynn (0-1 each).

TIPPERARY: B Hogan; D Slattery, R Maher, Johnny Ryan; M Breen, R Byrne, E Heffernan; E Connolly, J Campion; Jack Ryan (capt), J McGrath, A Tynan; A Ormond, M Kehoe, J Morris.

Subs: C Morgan for Slattery (34, inj), C Bowe for Heffernan (h-t), P Maher for Kehoe (h-t), W Connors for Campion (h-t), B Seymour for Jack Ryan (53), S Ryan for Morris (53), P Cadell for Connolly (56), B Heffernan for Byrne (60), G O’Connor for McGrath (61), G O’Halloran for Tynan (62), J Fogarty for Ormond (68), P Campion for Breen (68), B O’Mara for Johnny Ryan (68), C O’Dwyer for R Maher (69).

LIMERICK: J Power; E McEvoy, F O’Connor, R Lyons; E Hurley, R Connolly, C Barry; M Houlihan, C Coughlan; A O’Connor, P O’Donovan, C Boylan (capt); D Ó Dálaigh, O O’Reilly, A English.

Subs: D Langan for Barry (31, inj), B Murphy for Houlihan (h-t), J Fitzgerald for Coughlan (h-t), D Reidy for O’Donovan (h-t), G Hegarty for A O’Connor (h-t), M Keane for Lyons (50), D Fitzgerald for Connolly (55), L Lynch for O’Reilly (55), L Flynn for Ó Dálaigh (55), D Coughlan for English (55), E O’Leary for F O’Connor (59).

Referee: K Jordan (Tipperary).