Limerick out of blocks quickly again

MUNSTER SFC SEMI-FINAL Limerick 1-13 Clare 1-9: FAVOURITES AS a result of their dismissal of Tipperary a fortnight ago in Thurles, Mickey Ned O'Sullivan's men were clearly the better side yesterday in Ennis, but at times had to cope with a battling Clare, who themselves were entering championship fray for the first time this season.

The visitors led by 1-2 to no score after just three and a half minutes. An Ian Ryan pointed free for Limerickon five minutes meant Clare trailed by six points and looked to be in deep trouble.

In fact, a hammering appeared to be on the cards, such was the dominance of Limerick in the opening moments. Stephen Lucey, a pivotal member of Justin McCarthy’s hurling squad for next weekend, opened the scoring for the afternoon inside a minute. Jim O’Donovan added another, following a good pass by the impressive Ger Collins.

Then, an out of tune Clare backline allowed roving Limerick wing-back Stephen Lavin an enormous amount of space. With ball in hand, the Adare clubman raced in on goal and got the better of advancing Clare goalkeeper Dermot O’Brien in a one-on-one situation to produce the tie’s first green flag.

Clare fans anticipated a white-wash after these early passages of play, but Frank O’Doherty’s men dug deep and responded in a resilient manner. Doonbeg man David Tubridy initiated the revival with a pointed free in the eighth minute and when Gary Brennan goaled two minutes later they were quickly back in the game.

The quick-thinking Tubridy gained possession on the left flank after a throw-in by referee McGovern and he hand-passed to the edge of the square where Brennan was loitering. The midfielder did his best to thwart Limerick goalkeeper Seán Kiely and he placed himself in good position to nudge the ball over the line.

Ger Quinlan followed with an inspirational point from distance and when the he added another on 17 minutes, the sides were level.

Tubridy gave Clare the lead with another placed ball effort. But Limerick didn’t panic. Well -taken scores from Ger Collins and Ian Ryan restored their lead by the 23rd minute, but from then until the end of the half there was little or nothing between the sides.

Impressive Clare wing-back Gordon Kelly grabbed an equaliser after some good support play by Laurence Healy and brother Gordon.

Then his colleague Enda Coughlan fisted a point at the end of the half-hour. A long-range effort by Limerick captain Seanie Buckley regained parity and with both Tubridy and Ryan landing good scores from frees before the whistle, the teams were deadlocked at 1-7 apiece at the break.

Limerick then took control of matters. First off, Ger Collins pointed from play and then he scored from a free either side of an Ian Ryan free, to give Mickey Ned’s men a clear three-point advantage by the 52nd minute.

As Tubridy landed a 20-metre free for Clare, it kept matters tight with the game about to enter a long scoreless period.

Eoin Hogan eventually gave Limerick something to shout about when he put four between the teams in the 56th. Immediately Ian Ryan added another score. When Ryan once more recorded another score from the right flank closer to the finish, Limerick were home and dried.

Despite displaying battling qualities right to the death, Clare could only manage one further score. Michael O’Shea converted a late free from about 45 metre, but it proved too little too late.

LIMERICK: S Kiely; J McCarthy, S Gallagher, M O'Riordan; S Lavin (1-0), S Lucey (0-1), P Ranahan; J O'Donovan (0-1), J Galvin; P Browne, I Ryan (0-6, four frees), S Buckley (0-1); C Joyce-Power, J Stokes, G Collins (0-3, two frees). Subs: E Hogan (0-1)for Joyce-Power (half-time), K O'Callaghan for Stokes (53 mins), T Cahill for O'Donovan (70 mins).

CLARE: D O'Brien; L Healy, C Whelan, D Ryan; Gordon Kelly (0-1), K Dilleen, Graham Kelly; G Quinlan (0-2), G Brennan (1-0); E Coughlan (0-1), D Russell, P Reidy; M O'Shea (0-1, free), T Ryan, D Tubridy (0-4, frees). Subs: M McMahon for D Ryan (26 mins), S Collins for Coughlan (50 mins), C OConnor for Reidy (64 mins), G Lynch for T Ryan (64 mins), N Considine for Healy (70 mins).

Referee: P McGovern(Galway).