Limerick sub-goalie Jason Gillane saves Patrickswell with four late points to beat Adare

Gillane paved the way for this snatch-and-grab victory over Adare, who had led by three points in the penultimate minute of normal time

Patrickswell’s Tim O’Brien leads the charge against Adare in Sunday’s Limerick SHC quarter-final at the Gaelic Grounds. Picture: Brendan Gleeson

Limerick SHC: Patrickswell 0-20 Adare 0-18

Cian Lynch praised his Patrickswell and Limerick team-mate Jason Gillane as he saved Patrickswell’s blushes in Sunday’s Limerick SHC quarter-final.

Four late points in succession from the younger brother of Aaron and Limerick substitute goalkeeper paved the way for this snatch-and-grab victory over Adare, who had led by three points in the penultimate minute of normal time.

Lynch had been his typical excellent self but up to half-forward Gillane’s intervention it had not been enough as Patrickswell were out of sorts, hitting 15 wides, and Ronan Connolly had wrapped up Aaron Gillane.

Jason had missed a free but from the 59th minute his touch turned Midas, putting Patrickswell a point up in the second minute of additional time, and by the time substitute Cian Fitzpatrick sent over the final score of the game, Adare were in disbelief.

“We knew coming into it that it was always going to be a battle against Adare,” said Lynch. “It’s a local rivalry we’ve had down the years and we know each other quite well. We went in at half-time three points down and we couldn’t get that game going. It was only in that five or six minutes when Jason and Mark Carmody stood up and Tom O’Brien got a few scores and got us back into it.

“Jason is unbelievable. Obviously, he’s inside in Limerick in goals but he can do stuff like that in the last five minutes. I said it to him afterwards, ‘All you have to do is throw the ball up, hit it and it’ll go over.’ “He’s brilliant, he’s a great attitude and that goes for everyone. The lads who came on, Cian Fitz, Patrick Kirby, young fellas, that’s what you need pushing us on again because it’s a cycle and you have to keep that going. Great credit due to the lads but there’s no point getting carried away — we’ve a lot to work on.”

Much like the end of the first quarter and coming up to half-time, Adare had finished the third period better and lead 0-15 to 0-13 going into the final 15 minutes. David O’Mahony, Mark Connolly, and Charlie McCarthy had all opened their accounts to push Adare three ahead.

Jason Gillane struck with his first but they had been far too reliant on Lynch for ingenuity and scores in the third quarter. Lynch struck three points but there was little else going for Patrickswell.

Adare led by three points at half-time, 0-9 to 0-6, having scored the last four points of the second half. Sleepwalking for most of that period, Patrickswell only managed one point in the second quarter as they accumulated 10 wides in the first half.

The quick hands of Declan Hannon set up fellow county player Connolly for a 22nd-minute point. Calvin Carroll’s shot a minute later was easily negotiated by Adare keeper Bryan Curtin and then Aaron Gillane inexplicably sent an easy free opportunity wide.

Wayne McNamara and frees from John Fitzgibbon and Willie Griffin gave Adare a merited advantage although early on, it had all been Patrickswell — or Diarmuid Byrnes to be precise.

Byrnes sent over four of Patrickswell’s five first-quarter scores, his second free in the 12th minute putting them three ahead. However, Griffin sent over a brace prior to the first water break to put one between the teams, 0-5 to 0-4.

Lynch knows a similar display against Na Piarsaigh next weekend won’t do. “We’ve to go back and take a big, long look at ourselves. There are a lot of learnings in that for ourselves. Na Piarsaigh next Sunday, it’s another massive battle.

“We know the calibre of players they have and they have massive aspirations but for us it’s to focus on ourselves and hopefully we can get back together and drive on.”

Scorers for Patrickswell: D. Byrnes (3 frees, 1 65), J. Gillane (0-5 each); C. Lynch (0-3); T. O’Brien, A. Gillane (frees) (0-2 each); J. Considine, P. Kirby, C. Fitzgerald (0-1 each).

Scorers for Adare: W. Griffin (0-7, 5 frees); J. Fitzgibbon (0-3, frees); C. McCarthy (0-2); R. Connolly, J. Hannon, W. McNamara, D. O’Mahony, M. Connolly, D. Hannon (0-1 each).

PATRICKSWELL: B. Murray; J. Flynn, N. Foley, S. O’Brien; T. Nolan, D. Byrnes (c), J. Considine; C. Carroll, M. Carmody; J. Gillane, C. Lynch, J. Kelleher; T. O’Brien, A. Gillane, J. Kirby.

Subs for Patrickswell: K. O’Brien for J. Kirby (36); P. Kirby for J. Kelleher (44); C. Fitzgerald for C. Carroll (50).

ADARE: B. Curtin; D. Connolly, R. Connolly, D. Lyons; J. McSweeney, J. Fitzgibbon, J. Hannon; W. McNamara, D. O’Mahony; M. Keane, D. Hannon (c), C. McCarthy; M. Connolly, B. O’Connor, W. Griffin.

Subs for Adare: S. O’Connor for M. Keane (47); E. Ryan for W. McNamara (57).

Referee: E. Stapleton (Doon).