Shefflin keeps goal in sight

National Hurling League Division One final/Kilkenny 3-11 Limerick 0-14: You wouldn't have to be as advanced as a doctoral thesis on Kilkenny hurling to grasp the importance of keeping them on a tight rein in the goal zone and making the very best of such advantages of territory and possession that might come your way.

Yesterday's Allianz National Hurling League final was largely decided by Limerick's inability to observe these imperatives.

Kilkenny, with a clinical eye and an assassin's nerve, took their goal chances at critical junctures and were deserving winners against a passionate Limerick side, fielding without their top scorer Mark Keane but who were well fired up and maintained a defiant resistance even when the result was edging towards the inevitable.

It wasn't a classic, sun-bleached day in Semple Stadium; a misty drizzle fell but given these slippery conditions the match was satisfying and competitive until the very end.

Defeat may have put a stop to Limerick's unbeaten run this year but the lessons learned may prove invaluable in the weeks to come, as their championship campaign begins in under a fortnight back in Thurles against Tipperary.

Kilkenny are on a more medium-term schedule but the progress of the players new to senior hurling has been more than encouraging and their championship challenge should be formidable.

Nonetheless it was an old hand, who was named TG4 man of the match - Henry Shefflin, just playing himself back in after injury, having returned to the team for the first time this year only a week previously. At times he was moved around in an attempt to maximise his input but despite all these qualifications, he still ran up 2-6, substantially from play.

The match started with a bang - Damien Reale being required to block Aidan Fogarty's run on goal within 10 seconds of the throw-in - and Shefflin's two early points had an ominous resonance. But the one outstanding characteristic of Limerick's display was its spirit and fervour. As the ball was held up on the wet surface, Joe McKenna's team were flinging themselves around to block and forage and at times were rucking with the sort of abandon normally associated with their rugby contemporaries.

Keane's replacement was the veteran Barry Foley, coming in for a first start in three years. He started well with his team's first three points, one a booming free from around 80 metres, to give Limerick an early lead, 0-3 to 0-2. Just as the Munster side were settling, Kilkenny cued their first goal.

Shefflin took on TJ Ryan along the endline and crossed a nice ball for the incoming Eoin Larkin to take the goal. The favour would be returned with devastating effect.

Limerick gritted their teeth and responded, chasing down the lead with a showcase point pieced together by Donal O'Grady and Andrew O'Shaughnessy and finished with a crisp volley from Conor Fitzgerald, who went on to have a fine match and took four points from play.

By now Kilkenny weren't firing on all cylinders and were responsible for seven first-half wides but with the interval approaching and the scores still level on 1-4 to 0-7, the screw turned. Larkin, who had swapped to the 40 with Martin Comerford, surged through the middle and flipped a pass out to Shefflin. He flicked the sliotar up and batted it past the advancing Brian Murray.

An excellent double save from James McGarry prevented first O'Shaughnessy and then Barry Foley from responding in kind immediately and Kilkenny went in three points to the good, 2-4 to 0-7.

The third quarter was important but low-key. Shefflin stuck up a couple of points and although Limerick kept in step they were enjoying a good spell but failing to make the chances count. Five wides in succession followed their ninth point in the 40th minute.

Considering they really needed a goal to generate scoring momentum throughout the match it was surprising that Limerick opted not to use early ball for Brian Begley as a variation on the running tactic. One such delivery resulted in a score in the first half. As it was JJ Delaney coped fairly well.

In the 51st minute after expending much effort to win and regain possession Limerick saw possession turned around, knocked up field and a point picked off by Kilkenny replacement Willie O'Dwyer, on for the injured Richie Power.

The critical blow fell six minutes later. Comerford fed Larkin for another run down the middle, another lay-off to Shefflin and another goal for a 3-8 to 0-11 lead. There were complaints from Limerick afterwards that in the build-up, Comerford had dropped his hurl but this wasn't clearly established by television re-runs.

O'Dwyer replicated the run a minute later but declined to avail of the Shefflin option, which led to Murray plucking the ball out of the air rather than another goal.

Kilkenny were now thriving in the looser exchanges and Cha Fitzpatrick became more prominent, taking up some good positions and clipping two points. Mark Foley had contained him well in the first half but had to retire injured just after the hour. That six-point gap was disputed in the time left but it was still there by the final whistle.

KILKENNY: J McGarry; M Kavanagh, JJ Delaney, N Hickey; J Tyrrell (capt), J Tennyson, T Walsh; D Lyng, R Mullally; R Power, M Comerford, E Larkin (1-0); J Fitzpatrick (0-2), H Shefflin (2-6, three points frees), A Fogarty (0-1). Subs: W O'Dwyer (0-1) for Power (39 mins), M Fennelly (0-1) for Lyng (56 mins).

LIMERICK: B Murray; D Reale, TJ Ryan, M Foley; O Moran, B Geary, D Moloney; D O'Grady, D Ryan; M O'Brien, S Lucey (0-2), C Fitzgerald (0-4); A O'Shaughnessy, B Begley (0-1), B Foley (0-6, five frees). Subs: N Moran (0-1) for O'Brien (51 mins), S Hickey for M Foley (62 mins), P O'Grady for D O'Grady (62 mins).

Referee: D Kirwan (Cork).