Limerick secure Tailteann Cup progression with stunning victory over Westmeath
Limerick's James Naughton. Pic: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Limerick booked their spot in the Tailteann Cup quarter-finals following a dramatic 0-19 to 0-18 win over Westmeath at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise.
Westmeath had kicked seven points on the trot to reverse a five-point deficit they faced with 20 minutes to go but Limerick fought back to earn a stunning win with Emmet Rigter’s score proving decisive.
It was a cagey opening five minutes of the contest, with Luke Loughlin and Darragh O’Hagan both missing the target from the respective opening attacks.
Limerick did hit the front on six minutes with James Naughton landing the first of five scores in the opening half.
Westmeath hit back through Loughlin and Karl O’Sullivan but a Naughton free squared the game up once more.
Naughton fired Limerick in front with a second from play that Nigel Harte cancelled out, before Emmet Rigter saw Jimmy Lee’s men 0-4 to 0-3 clear.
Naughton then put daylight between the teams, only for Loughlin and an excellent Sam McCartan score to level the game for a fourth time.
Ray Connellan put Westmeath back in the ascendancy with a two-pointer that was quickly followed up by a smart Lorcan Dolan score.
Limerick didn’t panic and were soon level for a fifth time with Naughton, Paul Maher and Tommie Childs seeing the score at 0-8 apiece in the lead up to half time.
Rigter’s second of the half and a fine Danny Neville effort from play saw put Limerick 0-10 to 0-8 up at the end of an entertaining opening stanza.
A Naughton free increased Limerick’s advantage to three points in the early stages of the second half but two Loughlin efforts had Westmeath to back to within one with 40 minutes played.
Naughton again hit the target to restore a two-point advantage but Westmeath missed out on a golden opportunity to go in front after Ronan Wallace and Loughlin combined. Still, the final pass went astray close to the Limerick goal.
Limerick then enjoyed a period of dominance with Neville, Peter Nash and substitute Darragh Murray all registering scores to see them 0-15 to 0-10 ahead on the 50-minute mark.
Tadhg Baker was then denied a goal for Westmeath after a smart Josh Ryan save, but Westmeath scores from Stephen Smith and Wallace kept Dermot McCabe’s charges in touch heading into the final quarter.
Conellan, Wallace, McCartan and two from Loughlin then brought Westmeath into a two-point lead, looking good for victory.
However, Limerick fought back through Naughton and Bob Childs to level and then Ryan popped up with a score to put them ahead once more.
A Loughlin free squared the game up for an eighth time but Rigter found a winner for Limerick to send them into the Tailteann Cup quarter-final.
J Naughton 0-8 (2f), E Rigter 0-3, D Neville 0-2, P Maher, T Childs, P Nash 1f), D Murray, B Childs and J Ryan 0-1 each.
L Loughlin 0-7 (1f), R Connellan 0-3, (1tp), S McCartan and R Wallace 0-2 each, K O’Sullivan, N Harte, L Dolan and S Smith 0-1 each.
J Ryan; J Hassett, D O’Doherty, M McCarthy; P Maher, I Corbett, T McCarthy; T Childs, D O’Hagan; J Naughton, E Rigter, C Fahy; P Nash, D Neville, K Ryan.
D Murray for Fahy (47), R O’Brien for Maher (56), B Childs for T Childs (56), A Meade for Neville (70).
C McCormack; D Giles, S Smyth, J Gonoud; J Moran, R Wallace, S McCartan; R Connellan, E McCabe; M Whittaker, K O’Sullivan, N Harte; L Loughlin, S Smith, B Kelly.
B Cooney for McCabe (26), T Baker for Harte (34), D Scahill for Giles (h-t), B Kelly for Dolan (52), S Allen for Connellan (70).
K Eanatta (Tyrone).
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