Anthony Daly: When Limerick get a grip they just don't let go
Limerick can turn a game on its head in the blink of an eye, just like they did on Sunday against Waterford. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
When Kevin Mahony got the Waterford goal in the Gaelic Grounds yesterday, everybody was wondering if the shock of the season was on, especially given how well Waterford were playing. And then in a flash, it emphatically wasn’t on.
Limerick have always had that potential to turn a game on its head in the blink of an eye, but they needed more than a slice of luck. There were hints of fouls for both goals. Mark Fitzgerald was possibly fouled for the first while Aidan O’Connor definitely dropped the hurley before making the pass to Gearóid Hegarty for the second.
In fairness to Hego, it was a brilliant finish, like something you’d see in a soccer shootout where he delayed for a split second and waited for goalkeeper Billy Nolan to commit before calmly striking the sliotar to the net.
Read More
Waterford can feel aggrieved but they’ll also have regrets. Mark Fitzgerald could have cleared the ball up the line before being turned over, while Waterford looked to be in an advantageous position in the middle of the field before Aidan O’Connor won the ball and raced through the centre to set up Hego’s strike.
As soon as Limerick got that oxygen, it was just a procession. Before Waterford got that late penalty, they’d been outscored by 2-8 to 0-0 over 12 minutes. Limerick can just do that to you.
It's been the story of Waterford’s year with more heartbreak and disappointment. They did a lot right throughout this campaign but still lost three games and were lucky to draw one. Still Peter Queally and his management have done so much right that it must be devastating not to be able to get out of Munster. Again.
I was in Pearse Stadium on Saturday evening with RTÉ Radio for the Galway-Dublin game, and I headed straight for Dublin afterwards to be in Montrose for yesterday – so I had to listen to Clare-Tipperary on Clare FM before watching the match back in full when I landed in Dublin. And, even knowing the result, there was nearly tears running down my face as I watched it all unfold.
Read More
Initially, when I heard Clare won the toss and were taking the wind, I wondered if it was the right decision, and whether we might lose ten minutes trying to settle into the match. I needn’t have worried because the boys were right at it from the first whistle.
These warriors just keep responding. It was a huge performance, much of which was down – not just to the defensive structural change – but the return of massively experience personnel, John Conlon at centre-back and Davy McInerney returning to full-back. Their presence alone gave the Clare defence a whole new look.
The old warriors stepped up, as you’d expect, but the most pleasing aspect was how the younger crew drove it on. Niall O’Farrell and Seán Rynne were outstanding while Diarmuid Stritch was supremely outstanding.
I was so proud of Brian Lohan and the lads. There will come a day when the older brigade won’t be able to do it anymore but Saturday evening was a very positive image of the future. Tony Kelly, Mark Rodgers and Ryan Taylor (who was outstanding) all came off injured, Shane O’Donnell didn’t score, and yet Clare were still able to win with real comfort.
The Clare crowd were immense too, nearly outnumbering the Tipp support in a 32,000 attendance. The Limerick game was a real concern but the supporters never doubted this group. After the U20s win on Wednesday, it was a brilliant end to a magic week.
Clare still have an outside chance of a Munster final but at least they’re out of Munster now. As I used to often say to the Dubs when I was their manager, and I was trying to get them to think bigger than just outside of Leinster, I would use that analogy of putting the €2.50 into the bucket on the western toll bridge on the M4, where the road slopes down and country opens up in front of you. That came to my mind last night – the whole thing has opened up for Clare again.
It’s all closed down though, for Tipp. It’s been a hugely disappointing championship for them but, after our experience in Clare last year, it just brought home to me how hard it is to retain an All-Ireland – and how good the Kilkenny and Limerick teams of the last two decades have been to win four-in-a-row.
Saturday evening in Salthill was a really poor game in the first half before a good match broke out. Galway played way better into the wind but never threatened to breach Eddie Gibbons’ goal. For the second successive weekend, Dublin didn’t concede a goal, which is no coincidence now with Liam Rushe back.
Everything has looked more secure since Liam returned but Niall Ó Ceallacháin tactically got it right too by bringing on John Hetherton and Ronan Hayes with the breeze. When Galway found their rhythm, Dublin broke it by going long and direct into Ronan and Hedgo, with fellas like Brian Hayes and Cian O’Sullivan working off them. When it looked like being a draw, the Hayes brothers created the opening before Brian went for broke and stuck it in the net.
This is a really improving Dublin side, especially in defence. That half-back line of Chris Crummey, Rushe and Conor Burke were incredible, with Chris and Conor driving forward with every chance, and Liam minding the house. The Dubs have a chance now to nail down their place in a Leinster final and knock out Kilkenny in the process. What a tantalising prospect that is for the Dubs on Saturday.
Saturday was another massive day for Offaly, and another step in them potentially emerging from Leinster for the first time in an age. The hard work, from Michael Duignan at board level, to Leo O’Connor with the minors and U20s, to keeping Johnny Kelly as senior manager is really paying off.
Charlie Mitchell is a huge loss but Eoghan Cahill has stepped up in his absence, Brian Duignan is a massive threat up front, Adam Screeney is Adam Screeney, getting a vital goal on Saturday, Dan Bourke and Shane Rigney looked dangerous, Ben Conneely was masterful in defence again. This is a good side now and we could be about to witness a new force in the province again.
Kilkenny did what they had to but you do feel sorry for Kildare, who are relegated with a game still to play. They were always fancied to return to the Joe McDonagh after one season but that yo-yo-effect is always going to be damaging for counties trying to establish a foothold.
Are those counties that come up from the Joe McDonagh entitled to a two-year stay of grace to try and stabilise? That would turn Leinster into a 7-team province, which would inflate the competition even more when Munster is only five. It’s not ideal, but I don’t think anybody in Leinster would complain about one extra game.
It's not an ideal scenario but I think hurling counties outside the top bracket need every help that is going.
I know I addressed the GAA+ topic on Saturday but I feel I have to bring it up again. The more I thought about a game between the last two All-Ireland champions being behind a paywall, the more angry it made me. It’s even more infuriating when RTÉ requested the game and the GAA turned them down.
Croke Park really need to take a long hard look at themselves. The GAA is built on volunteerism but what happened this weekend is a complete smack in the face to volunteers. If volunteers are paying their club membership every year, they should be some arrangement made where that also guarantees them access to GAA+.
On the other hand, what good is that to an older generation that are not tech savvy? It’s all wrong. And the GAA need to get their act together to sort it out.
