Ger Collins hits the spot as Limerick see off Antrim

Limerick 3-11 Antrim 0-15

Antrim manager Liam Bradley was furious after his side crashed out of the All-Ireland qualifiers in Limerick on Saturday.

The main focus of his wrath was the awarding of the first of two penalties to Limerick in the second half.

He claimed that a Limerick player had fouled Kevin Niblock and that a free should have gone to his side rather than play moving upfield to lead to the penalty.

Neutrals would not have given Limerick much of a chance when they trailed 0-8 to 0-6 at half-time having played with the aid of the very stiff breeze.

But Antrim had three wides inside as many minutes on the resumption and this seemed to have an effect on their confidence.

The first score of the second half was the first of the brace of penalties slotted home by Ger Collins. It came after 41 minutes and followed a quickly taken short free by Ian Ryan to John Galvin, who was hauled down.

The sides were level after 50 minutes and it seemed Antrim would push on but points by Killian Phair and Gearoid Hegarty had Limerick motoring again.

Antrim brought in Ronan McGrady after 44 minutes and with his first touch he put over a splendid point.

They were level with Limerick 1-7 to 0-10 with Paddy Cunningham keeping Antrim in contention. He finished with eight points, six from frees, but ultimately Antrim paid the price of over elaboration in front of goal.

The game was held up for10 minutes in the first half when Justin Crozier received a suspected dislocated elbow and was stretchered off and was replaced in the 27th minute by Martin Johnson.

Cunningham was the key man for Antrim in attack with Paul McCann also doing well and scoring a pair of points.

LIMERICK: B Scanlon; M O'Riordan (0-1), J McCarthy, S O'Dea; I Corbett, P Browne, P Ranahan; T Lee (0-1), J Galvin (0-2); G Hegarty, D Neville, S Buckley; G Collins (2-0, two penalties), K Phair (0-2), I Ryan (0-5, four frees).

Subs: D Tracy (1-0) for Lee (43 mins), S Lucey for Corbett (45 mins), E Hanrahan for Phair (63 mins), M Brosnan for Neville (65 mins), J Mullins for Hegarty (69 mins).

ANTRIM: P Flood; K O'Boyle, S McVeigh, N Delargy; T Scullion, J Crozier, D Lynch; M McCann (0-1), N McKeever (0-1); P McCann (0-2), K Niblock, M Sweeney (0-1); P Cunningham (0-8, six frees), B Hasson, T McCann.

Subs: M Johnson for Crozier (27 mins), R McGrady (0-1) for Hasson (46 mins), P McBride (0-1) for P McCann (53 mins), R Johnson for T McCann (65 mins).

Referee: M Higgins (Fermanagh).