If you’re an absolutely diehard Limerick hurling supporter, one of the dwindling few who were at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday for this NHL round four match, or if you were a Limerick county board official, or a member of the under-pressure management team, you could take the view that this defeat is actually a two-point improvement on the result of last August’s 24-point All-Ireland semi-final hammering by the same opposition, and you could suggest that Limerick hurling is still heading in the right direction.

YESTERDAY’S encounter in Fraher Field, Dungarvan, came with more angles than a bagful of squares: Justin McCarthy, formerly of Waterford, back in the Déise with Limerick.

DON’T be fooled by the scoreline above, especially if you’re a Limerick hurling supporter.

SPIRITED performances by two young teams in this entertaining Waterford Crystal hurling tournament quarter-final in Kilmallock yesterday, the students eventually out-pointing a plucky Limerick side by three points, thus qualifying to meet UL on Sunday next.

FERMANAGH manager Malachy O’Rourke has kept faith with the side that defeated Monaghan for Saturday’s Ulster SFC semi-final against Derry at Healy Park, Omagh (6pm).