Limerick make a statement by hammering Clare

Clare 1-18 

Limerick 2-30

ANY DOUBTERS AS to Limerick’s championship vitality were emphatically dismissed as they issued a real statement victory over Clare in a capacity 20, 751 in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg, Ennis.

For Limerick to pummel their Shannonside neighbours on their own home patch despite being shy of two former Hurlers of the Year in Aaron Gillane and Cian Lynch made the feat all the more impressive, as this was Clare’s heaviest defeat home or away in the provincial round-robin era.

In truth, the result was never in doubt once Peter Casey drove through the heart of the Clare defence in the fourth minute and played the ball through Barry Nash to pick out Aidan O’Connor to finish to the net at 1-1 to 0-2. It almost seemed a release for the visitors who raided for seven of the next nine points through Shane O’Brien (2), Barry Nash, Diarmaid Byrnes, Tom Morrissey, Gearoid Hegarty and Aidan O’Connor to ease 1-8 to 0-4 clear by the end of the opening quarter.

One would have been forgiven for thinking that Clare were the ones off the back of a defeat last weekend as the hosts were surprisingly stuck to the ground and physically dominated. Limerick ruthlessly exploited the Banner’s woes as Shane O’Brien was hauled down for an 18th-minute penalty that also saw Adam Hogan sinbinned as Diarmaid Byrnes rifled the ball to the right corner at 2-8 to 0-5.

Aside from a late Mark Rodgers shot that was superbly tipped away by Nickie Quaid, there would be no redeeming feature for a lacklustre Clare as nine different Limerick players got in on the scoring action to power to a 2-15 to 0-08.

Any assumption that the only way was up for Clare would be foolhardy once more as Aidan O’Connor stretched the gap to 14 on the restart while down the other end Tony Kelly had a shot deflected for a ’65 while a subsequent glorious chance for Mark Rodgers was once more foiled by a brilliant full-length save by Quaid.

Clare did eventually have more luck over his crossbar as a four-point unanswered rally through Rodgers (2), Diarmuid Ryan and Niall O’Farrell offered a glimmer of hope at 2-18 to 0-14 by the turn of the final quarter.

However, the door of opportunity would be emphatically shut by a relentless Limerick as Shane O’Brien (2), Diarmaid Casey, Peter Casey and Cathal O’Neill hit the next five points to soar to their biggest lead of the afternoon at 2-23 to 0-14.

That buffer was required as Adam English was dismissed for a second yellow card in the 57th minute while Tony Kelly earned and finished a penalty to initiate the repair work and cut the chasm to twelve entering the final ten minutes.

It would only be a temporary reprieve as a 14-man Limerick emptied their bench and got
the desired shot in the arm, with Shane O’Brien (2), Aidan O’Connor (2) and debutante Fintan Fitzgerald putting the icing on the cake to canter to their first victory ahead of back-to-back home ties against Waterford and Tipperary.

Clare, meanwhile, have a winner-takes-all encounter with Tipperary in a fortnight’s time in what is essentially now a redemption derby.

Scorers for Limerick: Aidan O’Connor 1-9 (6f); Shane O’Brien 0-6; Diarmaid Byrnes 1-2 (1-0 Pen, 1f); Peter Casey, Cathal O’Neill 0-3 each; Gearoid Hegarty, Barry Nash 0-2 each; Tom Morrissey, Darragh O’Donovan, Fintan Fitzgerald 0-1 each

Scorers for Clare: Mark Rodgers 0-10 (7f, 1’65); Tony Kelly 1-2 (1-0 Pen, 1’65); Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy, Diarmuid Ryan, Niall O’Farrell, Jack O’Neill, Ian Galvin 0-1 each

Limerick

1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)

Advertisement

2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
3. Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
4. Barry Nash (South Liberties)

5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh)
7. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)

8. Adam English (Doon)
9. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)

10. Cathal O’Neill (Crecora-Manister)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
13. Gearoid Hegarty (St. Patrick’s)

15. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
11. Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown)
14. Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock)

Subs

25. David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca) for O’Brien (23-27, BS)
25. Reidy for Morrissey (54)
22. Dan Morrissey (Ahane) for Finn (59)
21. Ethan Hurley (Newcastle West) for O’Donovan (63)
18. Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret St. Paul’s) for P. Casey (69)
20. Hugh Flanagan (Garryspillane) for O’Neill (72)

Clare

1. Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)

2. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)
3. Conor Cleary (St. Joseph’s Miltown/Kilmaley)
4. Adam Hogan (Feakle)

5. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
6. Niall O’Farrell (Broadford)
7. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)

8. Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones)
9. Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin)

12. Sean Rynne (Inagh-Kilnamona)
11. David Reidy (Éire Óg)
10. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)

13. Mark Rodgers (Scariff)
14. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin)
15. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)

Subs

22. Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara) for Kelly (6-7, BS)
21. Jack O’Neill (Clooney-Quin) for Rynne (HT)
19. David McInerney (Tulla) for Cleary (42)
22. Stritch for Reidy (42)
24. Ian Galvin (Clonlara) for Rodgers (63)

Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary)