O'Connor hits goal trail

Limerick 4-17 Antrim 0-12:Limerick turned on the style to romp to victory over Antrim at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday as full forward Seán O'Connor blasted three goals past late replacement goalkeeper DD Quin.

Antrim can take comfort from the fact they scored some splendid points, the final effort by Paddy Richmond was one of the sweetest strikes of the afternoon.

O'Connor struck his first goal after eight minutes and his second after 17 minutes when the ball broke to him after a superb save by Quin. In between, Andrew O'Shaughnessy and Ollie Moran picked off Limerick points.

The game was over as early as the 30th minute by which stage Limerick were cruising at 2-8 to 0-1, the Antrim point scored after 16 minutes by Richmond. Limerick led 3-9 to 0-4 at half-time.

Richmond, Brian McFall, and Karl McKeegan contributed the Antrim points but with Limerick facing direct relegation, they upped their display compared to recent outings. It became little more than a training spin for Limerick and when O'Connor cracked in his third to make it 4-10 to 0-6, the forward was withdrawn. In between O'Connor's strikes, Barry Foley landed a goal just before the interval.

Antrim began the second half with a bit of fire. They outscored Limerick by three points to one in the opening seven minutes but when O'Connor had his third goal, his side's fourth, it was curtains for Antrim.

LIMERICK: B Murray; K O'Rourke, D Reale, S Hickey; P Lawlor, B Geary (0-1, '65), W Walsh; P O'Dwyer, M O'Brien; H Flavin (0-1), O Moran, (0-1), B Begley (0-1); A O'Shaughnessy (0-7, four frees), S O'Connor (3-0); B Foley (1-4, two frees, one 65). Subs: N Moran for Begley (25 mins), G O'Mahony for Reale (44 mins), E Foley for Walsh (48 mins), J O'Brien for O Moran (52 mins), E Foley (0-2) for Walsh (56 mins), D Ryan for O'Connor (60 mins).

ANTRIM: DD Quin; B McAuley, M McCambridge, S Delargy; M Molloy, J Campbell, C Herron; B Herron, K McKeegan (0-6, four frees); M Herron (0-2), N McManus (0-1), N McAuley; B McFall (0-1), P Richmond, (0-2), P Shields. Subs: J McIntosh (0-1) for McAuley (37 mins), S McCrory for McFall, S McNaughton for Shields (both 43 mins), A Graffan for B McAuley (63 mins).

Referee: J McGrath (Meath).