Clare break Limerick hearts once again

Clare 3-13 Limerick 2-9

For the sixth season in a row at this grade, Limerick have failed to defeat Clare and now must face a losers’ play-off game if they are to advance, while Clare are through to the semi-final as a result of last night’s victory.

“I’m very pleased,” said Clare manager Maurice Walsh.

“The lads worked very hard for the last couple of months and it showed out there today. I think our style of football opened Limerick in the first half. We got ahead and we stayed ahead.”

The hosts dictated the opening half and took an 11-point lead to the dressing room at the interval. A 2-9 to 0-4 scoreline was well deserved.

Yet, it was Limerick who grabbed the opening goal-chance in the first few minutes. Full-forward Eoin Murphy burst through the Clare defence and offloaded to John Hayes but Hayes’s attempt was cleverly smothered by goalie Michael Garrihy.

Clare’s Mark McInerney opened the scoring in the third minute with a point from play and moments later he was on hand to flick to the Limerick net, following a fine delivery by team captain Cillian Rouine.

Banner full-forward Shane Meehan proved to be a handful for the Treaty County defence and a first-half tally of 1-5 proved his worth. He kicked three pointed frees and at the end of the half grabbed an opportunistic goal after Limerick keeper Kevin Walsh fumbled in the square.

Limerick did press after the break, pushing up the field, and their forwards created scoring chances.

However, their accuracy in front of goal left a lot to be desired. A succession of wides was their lot in the early part of the half.

They finally breached the Banner defence in the 48th minute, when corner-forward Paul O’Shaughnessy was in for a goal, but Clare struck back minutes later with a Mark McInerney goal to leave the home-side 3-11 to 1-5 to the good.

Limerick team captain and midfielder John Hayes managed to raise a green flag with seven minutes remaining, but Clare had the groundwork done in the opening half.

Scorers for Clare: M McInerney (2-3), S Meehan (1-6) 0-2 f’s, E McMahon (0-2) f’s, C Okoye and C McDonagh (0-1) each.

Scorers for Limerick: P Gallagher (0-4) all f’s, D Maloney (0-4) 0-3 f’s, J Hayes (1-0), P O’Shaughnessy (1-0), C Carew (0-1).

Clare: M Garrihy, J Reidy, D Connelly, J Murphy, C Carrig, C Rouine (Capt.), A O’Connor, C Okoye, E McMahon, T Kelly, C McDonagh, P O’Donoghue, K Keane, S Meehan, M McInerney.

Subs: G Daurio for O’Donoghue (55),L Gammell for Gallagher (56), M Shanahan for O’Keeffe (58).

Limerick: K Walsh, S Bradshaw, C Carew, M O’Hanrahan, L Scannell, T Lyons, D O’Keeffe, J Molyneaux, J Hayes (Capt.), K O’Kelly, L Gleeson, B Foley, P O’Shaughnessy, E Murphy, P Gallagher.

Subs: D Kearns for Scannell (21), D Maloney for Gellson (37), K Guinea for O’Kelly (48), R O’Connor for Lyons (52), S Keane for K Keane (58)

Referee: P O’Driscoll (Cork).