Limerick youth repay faith

GAELIC GAMES: The summer of upheaval continued in Thurles yesterday as Munster hurling champions Waterford were held to a draw by an exuberant Limerick.

In defiance of conventional wisdom Dave Keane decided to place his trust in the county's gilded youth and sent out a side built in the likeness of his All-Ireland winning under-21s.

And they repaid the faith in a match that grew crazier by the minute. Waterford began as if looking for a knockout but ended up if not quite on the ropes, then at least aware that they had nearly blown their title. Eight goals were landed along the way but Limerick's rookies seemed to find their feet as the frenzy intensified.

Waterford's Paul Flynn had a super match, scoring 3-3, including a massive, 100-metre, injury-time free that looked to have settled the argument before one of last year's under-21s, Eoin Foley, scrambled an equaliser at the death.

But age wasn't totally forgotten. Leaking at the back demanded the services of an experienced plumber and Steve McDonagh did an accomplished job in the second half. Having ridden the Limerick roller coaster for over 10 seasons, he's surprised by nothing. But days like this never lose their gloss.

"No one deserved to lose it," he says. "Limerick and Waterford always seem to serve up a match that's open and fast, clean really. There was never anything between the teams. Great game, great to watch, couple of soft goals maybe but we're still hanging in there. There's another day." He has watched his team-mates grow up in an afternoon and absorb the opening onslaught before hitting back.

"They showed character. That was the important thing about it.

"They're not Munster champions for nothing," he says of Waterford. "Justin has them well coached, well turned out but our own fellas did a good job too. We've a young team and they're looking to the future but you have to plan for today too. It was a good game and a good advertisement for hurling."

A pity so that it will never be seen. RTÉ cameras were unable to broadcast the match because the camera positions in the redeveloped Semple Stadium failed to get safety clearance. The replay is fixed for 6.15 next Saturday at the same venue - assuming the television situation is sorted out by meetings this week.

In Croke Park, meanwhile, there was a curious mix of the banal and the thrilling. Dublin's opening clash of the Leinster Football Championship was a disappointment served up to 63,756 people.

Dublin, who scored only one goal during the league campaign, registered a goal early through last season's hero, Alan Brogan, and from then on they never looked remotely threatened.

Louth had come to Croke Park genuinely believing that their level of performance this year gave them a chance of being shoulder to shoulder with Dublin at the finish line. To have been left behind so comprehensively was a slight injustice but nevertheless a crushing disappointment.

Worse was the fact that, with the qualifiers looming next week, they lost their emblematic midfielder Seamus O'Hanlon to a second yellow card two-thirds of the way through the game.

There was little memorable about the game, and the enduring memory of it may be that it marked the baptism of several players who seem likely to become fixtures in the blue jersey over the coming years.

Paul Griffin at corner back and Brian Cullen in the forwards never put a foot wrong. Mossy Quinn was introduced midway through the first half and his three points from play represented just a part of his contribution.

For Louth, however, the future is a little less dazzling.

"Collectively we're disappointed," said manager Paddy Carr. "We came down here absolutely convinced we'd be in the shake-up. We didn't perform to our potential at all.

"Credit to Dublin, they are a very mobile, focused side. From a Louth point of view it just didn't happen. Chances missed, losing Seamus. Those things happen. Character isn't about feeling sorry for yourself."

Which will be useful advice for Dessie Dolan of Westmeath, who at the end of his side's game with Meath was presented with a 21-yard free in front of the goals. It should be understood that Dolan had done much that was excellent throughout the game, including getting a good goal and, minutes earlier, a free from the hands from out on the left touchline which dissected the posts.

The free kick to win the game and crown a mighty comeback looked almost too easy. Practically any player on the pitch could have dropped the ball on the grass and chipped it over the bar from where Dolan stood.

This was Croke Park though. This was about Westmeath's growth into a real team, about the next stage of that growth depending on this kick. This was about slaying the unslayable. This was about 20 championship games without a win over Meath. About five games in four summers against Meath. It was Meath. This was high-altitude stuff.

Poor Dolan kicked and missed. If Westmeath never come good it is a moment that will haunt him into old age.

It was the culmination of a rollercoaster match in which Westmeath trailed by five at half time and led by the same margin with 20 minutes to go.The replay is next Saturday evening at Portlaoise (7.0).