Childs plays the hero as he drives Limerick to Division Four glory

Three goals help Treaty see off a Wexford side that enjoyed no shortage of possession and opportunities, but who lacked the same cutting edge at the business end of the field

SILVER LININGS: Limerick celebrate with the trophy after the game. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Allianz NFL Division Four Final: LIMERICK 3-11 (3-0-11) WEXFORD 0-18 (0-2-14)

Goals win games, and a tour de force from Limerick midfielder Tommie Childs saw the Galtee Gaels man set up two goals and put his name to another in Croke Park this evening, driving Limerick to league honours against a Wexford side that enjoyed no shortage of possession and opportunities, but who lacked the same cutting edge at the business end of the field.

Throughout their seven-out-of-seven league campaign prior to tonight’s final, Wexford had impressed observers with their mobility, their energy, their speed of transition and their physical strength when it came to winning primary possession.

All of those same attributes were on display this evening as, across the single-digit jersey positions, Wexford consistently held the upper hand. Up front however was a land of drought and poor harvest. Páiric Hughes registered two points in his role as the ground-devouring wing forward, while the other starting six forwards mustered just one score from play between them.

In the Limerick attack, James Naughton was nowhere near as effective as last week when he set a National League record by hitting 4-12 in a single game, however there was plenty of variety in the threat that was posed by the Munster county, with Childs frequently interchanging with Emmet Rigter to come forward and offer a physical threat at the edge of the Wexford square.

Missed chances were an issue for Wexford, particularly when Shane Pettit drove through the heart of the Limerick defence but crashed his low shot off the foot of the post, only to get a boot to the rebound and have that blocked by Colm McSweeney.

Limerick were more efficient and they took an early two-point advantage but when Wexford went into their first and only lead of the game, it was notable that it came from two points from their half-backs (Martin O’Connor and Eoin Porter), with O’Connor fouled for a free that Mark Rossiter converted to make it 0-5 to 0-4.

Three minutes later a perfectly-weighted handpass from Childs into Darragh Ó Siochrú seemed to set up the Monaleen attacker for a handy point, but instead he wanted more and jinked past Gavin Sheehan to open up a goal chance, which he duly fired past Darragh Brooks.

Porter and Childs traded points to leave that goal between the sides at half-time (1-6 to 0-6) but the first three points of the second half all went Wexford’s way, suggesting that the unbeaten Leinster side were about to turn the screw, building on some excellent fielding by Liam Coleman and Niall Hughes.

Then Childs again broke through, continuing his tour de force, setting up Peter Nash for the substitute’s first touch. He duly made it count. Showing patience and composure to sidestep the keeper and place a low shot through a crowded small square.

Against Wexford regathered their strength, and again they drew level, this time on the hour mark through a long-range Brooks free.

Once again Limerick had a green flag in their locker, once again Childs was centrally involved. This time he put his name to the score, blasting a low shot to the net to establish another lead, one that wouldn’t be reeled in.

It wasn’t that Wexford didn’t have the chance to do so. Seán Ryan blasted one shot high and wide from close range when he felt he was being impeded, then he did well to get a fist to a mishit Kevin O’Grady shot, only to see the ball miss the near post.

When the hooter sounded the lead was still two points, and Wexford had the ball and the chance to force extra-time.

They got their shot off, but it was a difficult effort from Niall Hughes, struck from nearly 50 metres out and a tight angle. A creditable strike flew within a few metres of the post, but not close enough to completely reel in Limerick’s final, decisive lead.

Scorers for Limerick: D Ó Siochrú (1-1), T Childs (1-1), J Naughton (0-4, 0-3f), P Nash (1-0), E Rigter (0-2), P Maher (0-1), T McCarthy (0-1), D Neville (0-1).

Scorers for Wexford: M Rossiter (0-4f), D Brooks (0-3, 1 45, 1tpf), E Porter (0-2), P Hughes (0-2),N Hughes (0-2), E Nolan (0-2, 1tp), M O’Connor (0-1), K O’Grady (0-1), G Cullen (0-1).

LIMERICK: J Ryan; C Woulfe, C McSweeney, F Cotter; M McCarthy, I Corbett, T McCarthy; D O'Hagan, T Childs; K Ryan, P Maher, C Fahy; Darragh Ó Siochrú, E Rigter, J Naughton.

SUBS: R Childs for McCarthy (29), P Nash for O'Hagan (43), D Neville for Ó Siochrú (53), A Meade for Fahy (60), D Buckley for McCarthy (60).

WEXFORD: D Brooks; L O'Connor, G Sheehan, M Furlong; M O'Connor, E Nolan, E Porter; Liam Coleman, N Hughes; P Hughes, S Pettit, T Byrne; K O'Grady, M Rossiter, C Hughes.

SUBS: S Ryan for Byrne (half-time), B Brosnan for C Hughes (half-time), G Cullen for Pettit (46), D Furlong for O'Connor (49) 

Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois)