TUS Gaelic Grounds

Limerick v Clare

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Limerick v Antrim

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Mungret St. Paul’s v Roanmore

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Adare v Newcastle West

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Cork 1-14 – 1-11 Mayo

Sherlock Inspires Cork To Stunning Win Over Mayo

Courtesy of a spine-tingling second half recovery, and Stephen Sherlock’s match-transforming impact, Cork defeated Mayo by three points to finish second and earn a home knockout tie.

Mayo, table toppers at the start of play, scored early with Ryan O’Donoghue accurate off the mark. 

Their visitors, however, calmly came into the contest and showcased their ability with a trio of well-worked points, defender Rory Maguire, Brian Hurley, and late inclusion, Eoghan McSweeney with the scores that put 0-3 to 0-1 ahead eleven minutes in.

Colm Reape lashed over a piledriver to make it a one-point game, O’Donoghue’s side then mustering the Mayo men back on par.

There followed a seesaw end to the first half with a repeated exchanging of scores, Cork coughing up their slender lead twice.

Points by Colm O’Callaghan and Maguire’s brace cancelled out by Jordan Flynn and O’Donoghue’s third fine strike.

Yet the hosts finished stronger and when Tommy Walsh wellied one over, that restored the Cork lead, 0-6 to 0-5, how it stayed until half time.

It nearly wasn’t though when Cork’s Ian Maguire cantered through on goal but saw his shot repelled by Reape.

With their tails up, Mayo moved the score in their favour, first levelling through O’Donoghue before Flynn fired them into the lead.

Hurley heaved his second point over the bar but quickfire points from Flynn, replacement Tommy Conroy and O’Donoghue’s fifth put Cork under the cosh, suddenly behind by three points, 0-7 to 0-10.

Up stepped home replacement Stephen Sherlock who reduced the gap to two but Flynn’s fantastic fourth restored Mayo’s goal cushion.

A cushion which became comfier thanks to Conroy plundering a goal in the fifty-sixth minute, Mayo six points up and seemingly in control entering the final fifteen.

From there though, Cork and Sherlock shone to shift the tie on its head. 

Initially, Sherlock struck from close range to cancel out Conroy’s goal, restoring the home crowd’s hope.

He then miraculously and wondrously, pinged over four unanswered scores in four minutes of each other to transform the match, Cork now back in front, 1-12 to 1-11.

It was a siege that Mayo melted under, fellow replacements John O’Rourke and Chris Og Jones completing a cracking late turnaround with late points, as it finished 1-14 to 1-11.

All that toing and froing means that Mayo, despite falling from their first placed perch rather spectacularly, are still well set to qualify as one of the best third placed group teams whilst Kerry, after dismantling Louth, top the group with Cork content in second.

A home knockout tie now beckons for Cork, no doubt abounding with confidence now!

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Limerick 0-14 – 1-14 Laois

Laois Leave It Late To Down Treaty Men

Laois booked themselves a Croke Park date, when progressing to the last four of the Tailteann Cup. A final 25 minutes where they outscored their hosts 1-5 to no score saw Billy Sheehan’s men dump out Limerick.

The Treaty will be kicking themselves, as well as failing to score in the closing stages of this clash, Mark Fitzgerald’s men gifted Laois a goal which ultimately decided this contest.

Laois, buoyed by a deserved win away to Fermanagh last weekend, appear now to have momentum heading to Croke Park, where they will likely be underdogs once again.

There was little to separate these sides early on, with Laois ahead 0-4 to 0-3 by the tenth minute. This was despite a fast Limerick start where they’d sprinted three points ahead. On target were Cathal Downes, Barry Coleman and James Naughton (mark). Back came Laois, with efforts from Mark Barry (free), Kieran Lillis and Patrick O’Sullivan. Captain Evan O’Carroll had them ahead for the first time.

There was a three-point lead for Laois by the 28th minute, as James Finn tapped over a point. But Limerick, relegated form Division Two, enjoyed a purple patch either side of the interval. Four points from Naughton was part of eight on the bounce with Laois held for 20 minutes of action.

Leading 0-14 to 0-9, the Munster men were in a good position, but they struggled to find their form late in the clash. Indeed, no score in the final 25 plus minutes of action tells its own story.

Instead, Laois found their scores, 1-5, and galloped to victory. The goal, on 67 minutes, arrived when a back-pass to Donal O’Sullivan was intercepted by Colm Murphy. He finished to give Laois a two point buffer. There was an insurance point from ‘keeper Killian Roche who kicked a ’45’.

Limerick hunted a goal which would have forced extra-time, but in a crowded goalmouth they were thwarted. Laois head for Croke Park, Limerick re-group over a long off-season.  

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Limerick 2-16 – 1-16 Longford

Limerick victorious over Longford in Round 1 clash

Limerick started life in the Tailteann Cup with a tight, but deserved victory over Longford at the Gaelic Grounds. This, their first ever game in this competition, saw them win thanks to a goal in either half. Cathal Downes and Brian Donovan on target for a side who were looking for a first win since a McGrath Cup victory in early January.

It was a game that the home side lead the majority, and despite conceding a late goal from Daniel Reynolds, they held on to give them the perfect start to Group three.

After relegation from Division Two, Mark Fitzgerald’s took heart from a narrow Munster semi-final loss to Clare.

Limerick got their first score after five minutes, as Cathal Downes curled beautifully to the top corner. This made it 1-0 to 0-1, after Ryan Moffett finished a fine team move for Paddy Chirstie’s side inside the opening minute.

There was plenty of scores from Longford’s full-forward, Dylan Farrell, including a free from around 50 meters, off the deck. He also landed a long-range effort from play. His overall contribution keeping Longford in touch.

Peter Nash and James Naughton (frees) helped Limerick stay in control, while Paul Maher kicked a nice point, though the goal may have opened up with a neat pass.

The Treaty led 1-8 to 0-7, at half-time. The visitors got closer thanks to Oran Kenny early in the second-half, but there disaster struck when they conceded a 45th minute penalty. After a scramble, Mickey Quinn picked the ball off the deck, inside the square. Brian Donovan, the Monaleen man, fired to the net to open a five point gap.

The late goal from Reyonlds, in stoppage time, put just two between them but another sub, Tommy Griffin, had the final say, as Limerick took the spoils.

Longford host Carlow next weekend, while Limerick travel to Carlow. Two sides are guaranteed to progress from this group.

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Kerry 5-14 – 0-15 Clare

Kerry Cruise past Clare to secure 3 in a Row Munster Title

Kerry were crowned Munster Champions on the 84th occasion, as the Kingdom showed their class to complete a three in a row in a commanding performance over Clare at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

In what was a day where sport took a backseat to life elsewhere, the Clifford boys lined out to play the sport they loved for years, a wish of their family and no doubt their late mother Ellen.

The Clifford boys bossed proceedings, David with 2-6 and Paudie notching a goal, the Kerry side took command of the game and never looked troubled.

An opening half dominated by the Kingdom’s scoring ability to get three goals to put Clare to the sword, David Clifford shining as he always does, a difficult day for him but on the field he was leading by example.

The second two further goals added, both Clifford brothers getting in to hit the back of the net, Kerry sauntered home in the second half, prevailing by 14 points, as the job to defend Sam comes next.

The Kingdom started bright, some quick hand passing and movement allowed them build an early lead, Dylan Casey marauded up from the back, with Dara Moynihan and David Clifford also getting scores for a three point lead in the 4th minute.

Goalkeeper Stephen Ryan came up to score a free for the Banner to get them on the board, but Kerry replied through Gavin White. Clare did cause threat to the Kerry backline but they were composed to deal with the danger, in a quick counter movement they went up to the city end and Tony Brosnan was found in space and the Dr Crokes man raised the green flag after 15 minutes.

Emmet McMahon added a second point for Clare but they were wayward with their scoring and their passing overall wasn’t going to the intended man, Kerry punished them with a lovely move, starting with a crossfield ball, passed back inside Moynihan had time and space to ripple the Banner net for the second Kerry goal.

Clifford pointed his second free in the 21st minute as Kerry moved ahead 2-5 to 0-2, Keelan Sexton got the first Clare score from play after 23 minutes, as Clifford and Cleary both exchanged frees.

Cleary added a second in succession to make it 2-6 to 0-5, but the Kingdom came back as Brosnan and Clifford raised the white flag, before the Fossa forward rolled the ball past Ryan after the half hour mark, goal three, the writing on the wall.

Clare finished the half with a flurry as Ryan pointed another free from the ground, before Emmet McMahon was given too much space by the Kerry defence and made it a ten point margin at the interval.

It was almost a magical start to the second half for the Banner, half time substitute Ronan Lanigan fired at goal but Shane Ryan produced a super save to deny him, McMahon had pointed for the Banner but that would have changed the dynamic early.

Instead at the other end Kerry were putting more daylight between the teams, David Clifford hit goal number four with a piece of basketball skill to get space before hitting the net, he then added a point before brother Paudie was played in behind by Sean O’Shea for the fifth.

Clare through Sexton and Cleary reduced the gap to 14 points after 49 minutes, but Kerry still had control as Clifford notched his sixth point, but at the other end another Cleary free had them back on the board. Sean O’Shea and Cleary both swapped scores as the excitement was starting to die out.

Cleary added his sixth point with five to go, but Kerry ahead 5-12 to 0-14, cruised home, O’Shea and Killian Spillane adding scores, McMahon would hit a consolation for Clare but it was Kerry who headed down the road the happier.

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Limerick 0-16 – 1-16 Clare

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Limerick 2-7 – 3-10 Kildare

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