GAA: Carroll comes up trumps to earn Garryspillane a replay

Garryspillane 1-16 Kimallock 3-10

Had new Limerick manager Padjoe Whelehan been present he would not have been encouraged with the forward talent on view-former county stars. Mike Houlihan and Frank Carroll accounted for a total of 3-14 of the 4-26 scored.

The Bouncers had been dominant in the opening 10 minutes and led 0-4 to 0-1, with scores from Carroll, TJ Ryan and Donie Ryan, to one in reply from Houlihan.

Kilmallock, without Andrew O’Shaughnessy, looked to Houlihan for inspiration and he provided the lift they needed with a goal direct from a free, taken from inside his own half, to leave it 1-1 to 0-6.

Seconds later, Houlihan raised another green flag, this time from a close in free, catching the Garryspillane defence off guard.

When not raising green flags, he was putting the ball between the uprights and it was mainly due to his accuracy that Kilmallock led 2-5 to 0-8 at the interval.

Garryspillane upped the tempo on the change of ends and the industrious Carroll brought them back into serious contention with a well-struck goal.

TJ Ryan knocked over a couple of points and Garryspillane were now in the driving seat at 1-14 to 2-10.

In 50 minutes, Eamonn Maguire turned it the other way with a goal, following good build-up by Mike Houlihan, putting the onus back on the Bouncers.

TJ Ryan, from a free, narrowed the gap and in a welter of excitement Carroll came up trumps with the equaliser.

Scorers for Kilmallock: M. Houlihan 2-6, E. Maguire 1-0, A Maguire, E. Ryan, D. Heffernan, J. Connery, 0-1 each.

Garryspillane: F. Carroll 1-8, T.J. Ryan 0-4, D. Ryan 0-3, J. Sheehan 0-1.

KILMALLOCK: T. Hennessy; J. Deady, N. Cronin, D. Carroll, A. Maguire, P. O’Dwyer, K. O’Mahony; M. Houlihan, D. O’Mahony; E. Maguire, K. O’Dwyer, G. O’Sullivan, E. Ryan, P. Connery, D. Heffernan. Sub. J. Connery for E. Maguire, E. Maguire for Heffernan.

GARRYSPILLANE: D. Hayes; G. McGrath, S. Burke, S. O’Donnell, B. O’Donnell, M. O’Brien, T. O’Donnell; M. O’Donnell, J. Sheehan;T. Harty, T.J. Ryan, D. Ryan, C. Hickey, F. Carroll, P. Tobin.

Referee: M. Meade (Ballylanders)