Munster SHC First Round/Loughmore 2-11 Erin's Own 0-14:The Tipperary champions may be novices in the Munster arena but they have taken to this winter competition with admirable composure. Loughmore responded to a strong second-half push from Erin's Own to deservedly claim victory in an enjoyable game played on an immaculate field in Semple Stadium.

They were forced to live dangerously deep into this match and the key moment came when Kieran Murphy, after a quiet afternoon, struck a clean and venomous shot through a crowd of players that looked to be the stuff of one of those late, killing goals.

In a moment that will go down in local lore, however, captain and goalkeeper Johnny Gleeson stretched to make a brilliant, instinctive save and the Cork side had to be content with a point from Eoghan Murphy.

They kept pressing and when substitute Fergus Murphy struck again for Erin's Own to leave the score at 2-9 to 0-14 with two minutes remaining, it seemed the Tipperary team might buckle at the close. They had enjoyed staunch performances all over the field, but in those charged last two minutes it was their youngest player who showed the way.

The minor prodigy Noel McGrath was eligible to play in this competition only by a couple of weeks and will not turn 17 until December. All through the match he had looked comfortable and assured, rarely playing a thoughtless ball, but as Erin's Own began to ask questions his fearless free-taking ability came to the fore, and when Loughmore most needed a score, he won a huge free on the stroke of full time and then calmly nailed it.

"Ah, Noel was great; he banged over the frees and he won some tough ball in the tight as well," enthused Frankie McGrath, the team manager and godfather of the wing forward. "But our spirit really came out there and our big men all came good."

Centre back David Kennedy was peerless, and at the attacking end big Michael Webster's eye-catching form continued.

Webster ruled the sky for the first 20 minutes. The tall forward has not featured quite as prominently for his county in the two years since his startling Munster performance against Clare, but as he has shown with his club this year, he has tremendous ability under a dropping ball. What is more, he held possession cleverly, playing Eddie Connolly through with a hand pass after just two minutes and assisting in Loughmore's next four scores before landing a point himself.

"The ball was working and I was winning the few breaks," he said. "We probably should have got a few more scores off it. That is the game I like - lads coming off me getting the breaks. And there was super ball coming in. In the second half, it mightn't have been coming in as nicely but everyone just fought and we knocked over some superb scores."

Such was Webster's dominance the Erin's Own manager, PJ Murphy, decided to move Cian O'Connor from midfield to fullback after his team had fallen into a minor hole, trailing by 1-4 to 0-2 after 16 minutes. Pat Fitzgerald, who appeared uncertain as to whether it would be wisest to compete with Webster or merely shadow him, looked more at ease in the corner, and the changes served to quieten the forward line. But it was a match the Corkmen never got to grips with.

Though outhurled in the first half, they must have been reasonably happy with a three-point deficit at half-time. Certainly, they were livelier in the third quarter, Seán Kelly's speed from midfield facilitating a couple of smart scores and the defence coming to terms with the Loughmore threat.

The second home goal came just as Erin's Own looked poised to wrest control of the game. After Shay Bowen made a spectacular save off Johnny Campion's well-struck shot. David McGrath was perfectly placed to clip the ball over the line. From being two points behind, Loughmore were back in front and would not trail again.

But Erin's Own might have got something from this game. When Kieran Murphy was eventually moved from midfield into the forwards, he won two tough balls and made things happen around him. But in the end, they were forced to lob a free into a desperately congested goalmouth in the hope of a smash-and-grab raid.

Such an outcome would have been tough on Loughmore, a club that looks to have the ambition to keep on training through the winter. Certainly, the fire in Webster's eyes suggested he was delighted to be able to showcase his potential through this club run.

"I am mad to get back, " he said of the county scene. "Last year was tough with injuries and maybe coming in after the Limerick game I didn't get the chance I deserved. Hopefully with games like today I am proving a point."

His next outing will be against the Limerick champions.

LOUGHMORE/CASTLEINEY: J Gleeson; A Stapleton, D Bourke, P Ormond; E Ryan, D Kennedy, T King; C McGrath, G Sweeney; E Sweeney (0-1), D McGrath (1-0), N McGrath (0-5, 4 frees); E Connolly (1-3), M Webster (0-1), R Stapleton (0-1). Subs: J Campion for R Stapleton (41 mins), J Egan for D McGrath (53 mins).

ERIN'S OWN: S Bowen; P Fenton, P Fitzgerald, S Murphy; S Cronin, P Kelly (0-1), B Clifford; C O'Connor, S Kelly (0-1); M O'Connor (0-2), K Murphy, M Murphy (0-2); C Coakley (0-1), I Quinlan, E Murphy (0-4, 3 frees). Subs: R Carroll (0-1) for Quinlan (half-time), A Bowen (0-1) for Coakley (44 mins), F Murphy (0-1) for M Murphy (49 mins), K Murphy for B Clifford (53 mins).

Referee: S McMahon (Clare).