*Peter Duggan is outnumbered by Tom Morrissey and Peter Casey. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE’s senior hurlers fell to their heaviest championship defeat in Brian Lohan’s seven year tenure when going under to Limerick by a resounding fifteen points.
Limerick 2-30
Clare 1-18
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis
Limerick roared into life in the Munster championship to record their first win in their second outing while Clare struggled to lay a glove on their neighbours with a most disappointing display.
All over the field, Clare struggled resoundingly. Defence didn’t support attack and vice versa. Oceans of space left the Banner backline completely vulnerable while the distribution of route one high ball into the Clare forward line was hoovered up by the Limerick defence with aplomb.
Very little was done on the sideline to change Clare’s approach. The move of Tony Kelly to full forward in the final quarter brought about some improvement but for the panel at their disposal and the manner at which they were cut apart, the call to make only one half-time substitute and to leave John Conlon out of the heat of championship was very surprising.
Rubbing further salt into the wounds is the fact that Limerick got over the line so convincingly without two of their best players, the suspended Cian Lynch and the injured Aaron Gillane. So for Limerick to win without them is an achievement and to prevail by such a massive margin is very impressive from their perspective.
Losing by 15 points was the biggest defeat of Brian Lohan’s tenure as manager and the second heaviest loss since losing by 12 to Kilkenny in the 2022 All-Ireland semi-final. It’s Clare biggest loss to Limerick and in the Munster SHC since 2019 when 18 points separated the sides in the final year of Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor’s three-year stint in charge.
From the off it appeared that Clare were a team off the back of a four week run rather than a side who have been out of championship action for a fortnight, they were leggy and flat footed which combined with the huge space in the Limerick attack saw the visitors gain a strong foothold.
Shane O’Donnell put Clare ahead inside 60 seconds, this was followed by a Mark Rodgers free but it was the only time in the contest that the hosts were in front. Peter Casey opened Limerick’s account after Cathal O’Neill caught a puckout, recycled back to Diarmaid Byrnes who played inside to Casey.
Gallery of photographs by Ruth Griffin.
With three minutes on the clock, Limerick punished an unorganised Clare. Saffron and blue bodies got as the ball was thrown in, a huge gap presented itself in the heart of the Clare defence which Barry Nash ran through, playing a 1-2 with Peter Casey before popping to Aidan O’Connor who pounced for the opening foal of the game.
David Reidy responded at the other end for Clare but Limerick hit back with three points on the bounce. John Kiely’s side were constantly threatening for scores, Darragh Lohan did well to track Adam English and get his hurley in at the right time when danger loomed. From this interception, Adam Hogan gave away a soft sideline cut which gave Limerick a chance to score and they did via Gearoid Hegarty.
Seán Finn intercepted a Tony Kelly handpass to Shane O’Donnell in the next play as Clare tried to spur some bit of life into their attack. Finn’s vision inspired his players who again tacked on another three points without reply.
Goal number two for Limerick arrived when Diarmuid Byrnes struck a penalty to the net, Adam Hogan picking up a black card for his foul on Shane O’Brien but referee Michael Kennedy didn’t apply the same rule of thumb to William O’Donoghue in the second half when he took down Tony Kelly and conceded a penalty.
In front of an attendance of 20,751, Limerick hit five of the last six scores of the opening half and led 2-15 0-8 at the break.
Widespread changes could have been made to the Clare team at half-time, Seán Rynne was unlucky to be the only hurler called ashore, movement was lacking in the forward line and to his credit he tried to make himself an option with his run but unfortunately the sliotar didn’t stick.
As confusing as making only one change was that Clare didn’t come out all gunz blazing on the restart, it took ten minutes for their first score, another placed ball from Rodgers. Limerick didn’t set the world alight in this spell and only had a point of their own.
David McInerney was sprung from the bench and added some bite when getting acquainted with Shane O’Brien.
Clare’s best run saw them hit four points on the bounce at the two thirds mark, Diarmuid Ryan, Niall O’Farrell and two from Rodgers bringing the deficit back to ten points. The scores emanated from Clare winning breaking ball on Limerick puckouts and battling with their men in the air and ensuring someone was on hand to clean the spillage.
To completely wipe this out, Limerick went on to score five points in succession, two in a row from Shane O’Brien. They were reduced to fourteen when Adam English picked up a second yellow card on fifty eight minutes.
By right, they should have been down to thirteen for the final ten but no black card was issued to Will O’Donoghue when he brought down Tony Kelly. The resulting penalty was fired to the roof of the net by Kelly to create a twelve point gap.
Having demonstrated their abilities to mount comebacks on so many occasions, this one never materialised leaving the strong Clare support silent in Cusack Park.
For the winners, Barry Nash, Seán Finn, Cathal O’Neill, Diarmaid Byrnes, Shane O’Brien and Aidan O’Connor all excelled. Regrettably, there was no standout Clare displays and though there is huge disappointment with the display, there is every chance that they can emerge from Munster, that is well within their grasp and ability but the journey back starts in Thurles in two weeks against the All-Ireland champions.
Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Scorers Limerick: A O’Connor 1-9 (0-6 f), S O’Brien 0-6, D. Byrnes 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-1 f), P Casey, C O’Neill 0-3 each, G Hegarty, B Nash 0-2 each, T Morrissey, A English, F Fitzgerald 0-1 each.
Scorers Clare: M Rodgers 0-10 (0-7 f, 0-1 65), T Kelly 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-1 65), S O’Donnell, D Reidy, D Ryan, N O’Farrell, J O’Neill, I Galvin 0-1 each.
Limerick:
1: Nickie Quaid (Effin)
2: Seán Finn (Bruff)
3: Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
4: Barry Nash (South Liberties)
5: Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6: Will O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh)
7: Kyle Hayes (Killdimo-Pallaskenry)
9: Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
8: Adam English (Doon)
13: Gearoid Hegarty (St Patrick’s)
10: Cathal O’Neill (Crecora)
12: Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
11: Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown)
14: Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock)
15: Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
Subs:
25: David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca) for Morrissey (53)
22: Dan Morrissey (Ahane) for Finn (58)
21: Ethan Hurley (Newcastle West) for O’Donovan (62)
18: Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret St Paul’s) for P Casey (69)
26: Hugh Flanagan (Garryspillane) for O’Neill (72)
Clare:
1: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
2: Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)
3: Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown)
4: Adam Hogan (Feakle)
5: Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
6: Niall O’Farrell (Broadford)
7: Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
9: Ryan Taylor (Clooney/Quin)
8: Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones)
12: Seán Rynne (Inagh/Kilnamona)
11: David Reidy (Éire Óg)
10: Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
13: Mark Rodgers (Scariff)
14: Peter Duggan (Clooney/Quin)
15: Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)
Subs:
21: Jack O’Neill (Clooney/Quin) for Rynne (HT)
19: David McInerney (Tulla) for Cleary (41)
22: Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara) for Reidy (42)
24: Ian Galvin (Clonlara) for Rodgers (62)
Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary)
