John Kiely happy with Limerick's 'incremental improvements'

Goalkeeper Nickie Quaid made his 171st Limerick appearance against Cork, breaking the record of his father Tommy.

John Kiely: "I'd be very happy with our progression through the last four games in particular." Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor

National Hurling League Division 1A: Limerick 3-19 Cork 0-20

During the first four minutes of Saturday evening’s fare, three clean deliveries were sent in Brian Hayes’ direction. Of the two he won, the Cork forward was off target and then on target for a white flag.

No clean delivery, or indeed any sort of delivery at all, was sent in Hayes’ direction for another 12 minutes. There was then another gap of 17 minutes before Hayes was again properly fed.

He assisted a point on both occasions, but the point we’re attempting to make is that the incredibly sparse supply into the more established member of Cork’s inside duo was indicative of how congested the middle third became as the half wore on. Limerick's power paralysed Cork’s early precision.

The abrasive Tommy O’Connell and his Cork teammates in no way stood back from the relentlessly physical exchanges, but the crowding and combativeness was more tailored to Limerick’s liking. Where Cork picked up yellow cards - four by the 33rd minute - amid the rising needle, Limerick picked off points. They outscored their guests 0-5 to 0-1 between the 17th and 33rd minutes to move from two behind to two in front. They never trailed again.

Limerick’s selection being much closer to a championship cast than a Cork line-up containing just five outfield players from last year’s All-Ireland final meant there was no surprise in the hosts displaying greater street smarts when we finally got a League fixture of proper intensity and prickliness.

There was none smarter in the congested streets than Cian Lynch. The midfielder twice won frees in the middle of a first-half scrum. He assisted three first-half points.

And with John Kiely reporting post-match that Darragh O’Donovan (shoulder) has made an “incredible amount of progress in a very short space of time” and should be back training in a couple of weeks' time, their middle-third championship line-up will be fascinating.

Cork goal openings falling from 10 at Nowlan Park to two at the Gaelic Grounds was another marker as to the extent of their supply lines being spoiled. Nickie Quaid was sharp and alert to deny Shane Kingston and Barry Walsh on the evening of his record-breaking 171st Limerick appearance. It's a record he takes from his late father Tommy.

“It's an absolutely wonderful achievement, nobody deserves it more than Nickie. He’s earned it,” said Kiely. “I know he'll spend about two seconds thinking about it because that's the way Nickie is.” 

Behind by the minimum at the break, Cork faded in the second period. Heavy artillery rolling off the bench could not stem the tide.

After a first half of bite, the second period was bitty and lacked consistent quality. Tim O’Mahony was punished severely when he sought to table a moment of quality and silk on 57 minutes. His reverse handpass was intercepted by Shane O’Brien, the turnover finishing with a Cathal O’Neill goal and five-point Limerick lead.

Cork will still reach the League final if they take something from their final game against Offaly. Limerick will join them if they overcome Galway at home.

“I'd be very happy with our progression through the last four games in particular, in terms of the improvements that we're seeing, incremental improvements,” said Kiely.

Everyone else sees a reinvigorated Limerick side that has just whipped the two All-Ireland finalists by an aggregate total of 24 points in the space of a fortnight.

Scorers for Limerick: A O’Connor (1-11, 1-0 pen, 0-7 frees); C O’Neill (1-2); S O’Brien (1-0); A English (0-2); C Lynch, A Gillane, H Flanagan, T Morrissey (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: T O’Mahony (0-7, 0-5 frees, 0-1 ‘65); T O’Connell, B Hayes (0-3 each); B Walsh, S Barrett (0-2 each); E Downey, S Kingston, A Walsh (0-1 each).

LIMERICK: N Quaid; S Finn, M Casey, B Nash; D Byrnes, W O’Donoghue, K Hayes; A English, C Lynch; G Hegarty, A O’Connor, C O’Neill; A Gillane, S O’Brien, D Reidy.

SUBS: C Coughlan for Hayes (temporary, 11-12); T Morrissey for Hegarty (51); H Flanagan for Reidy (58); D Langan for Finn (60); O O’Farrell for Gillane, D Ó Dálaigh for O’Brien (both 65).

CORK: P Collins; E Roche, D O’Leary, G Millerick; M Mullins, E Downey, D Cahalane; C Joyce, T O’Connell; B Walsh, T O’Mahony, S Kingston; S Barrett, A Walsh, B Hayes.

SUBS: S Harnedy for Kingston (40); N O’Leary for Roche (47); D Fitzgibbon for Mullins (53); S O’Donoghue for O’Leary (60); D Dalton for Walsh (65).

REFEREE: S Stack (Dublin).