ALLIANZ NHL DIVISION ONE Offaly 2-17 Limerick 3-13:FOR LIMERICK, the terrible times keep coming. They ghosted out of O'Connor Park still seeking their first win, but this young team at least showed they don't want for courage.
They will not come closer to getting a precious win – young Richie McKeogh, a livewire all afternoon and with two goals to his name, stretched to hit a shot from the edge of square on 70 minutes which might have given this under-siege team the most thrilling of victories.
But Offaly, who flirted with a disastrous result here, survived and, in the end, Limerick selector Brian Ryan gave the local press a taste of his cold fury as the team left the dressingroom. “You’re tearing the shit out of us,” was the remark to one newspaper man.
The media evisceration will hardly lessen as Limerick drop closer to Division Two hurling and the championship looms. But regardless of what happens over the next months, the hurlers currently wearing the famous green jersey are not shirking from the increasingly impossible task facing them.
There was a smartness and economy about Limerick’s gameplan. They rained as much ball as they could down on Paudie McNamara, and the Murroe Boher man won as much as he could as well as nailing a few decent frees and missing two second-half chances that will annoy him.
They used their small and sprightly forwards to good effect, with McKeogh showing fabulous pace and a sure touch to bag 2-1, while Graeme Mulcahy’s 23rd-minute goal was down to pure determination.
The Kilmallock man had been pulled down in the square after McKeogh put him through, but, rather than wait for Michael Haverty’s whistle, he scampered up and struck the ball first time past Brian Mullins.
There were other instances of stubbornness which spoke volumes for the Limerick men: Tadhg Flynn’s fine save off Joe Bergin’s 49th-minute penalty kept Limerick in contention and Peter Russell’s 68th-minute point set up a grandstand finish just seconds after Bergin came bearing down on the Limerick goal but failed to get any power behind his strike.
Twice Offaly opened up considerable leads – they were seven points clear with 13 minutes remaining – but the anticipated coasting finish never materialised.
It didn’t help that Shane Dooley, excellent for the first hour, hit something of a slump in his free-taking duties late on.
“The pressure was on us, we had to win it and in fairness to Limerick they threw everything at us,” acknowledged Joe Dooley. “It looked like we were coasting with 15 minutes to go, but then we conceded a sloppy goal and we let Limerick back into it and we conceded a few sloppy frees.
“It was one of those days when we didn’t put them away. But we kept battling and I thought we got a couple of great scores in the second half.”
It started ominously for Limerick, when Shane Healion came steaming on to a handpass from Joe Bergin to fire home. The Limerick defence were still gathering themselves after this setback when Shane Dooley sent a free sailing over from 80 metres.
For the next few minutes, the Limerick back line struggled to cope with the movement and power of the Offaly attack, with Daniel Currams poaching two quick points as the home team looked to establish their supremacy early.
As with all Offaly teams, they were full of little flicks and clever touches, with David Franks playing measured ball out of defence rather than striking for distance and Rory Hanniffy and Bergin always alert to players on the move.
Fifteen wides tells its own tale: some of the shots were over-ambitious, others were bad wides, but after their good start it was as if the home team expected a fairly comfortable afternoon.
But some of their scores were wonderful. Brian Carroll landed a monster point just before half-time, and Ger Healion is a hard boy to stop once he gets a gallop up. Both his goals came from pace and power, but the second was a highlight: he took a return from Derek Molloy, spied an open channel and set off.
The Limerick defence had made several last-gasp stops but there was no reprieve in this instance.
Again, Limerick refused to lie down. For all the callowness, this was an impressive show of fortitude from Limerick.
Andrew Brennan and Nicky Quaid became dominant at half-back as the second half pushed on, and Paul Browne’s experience and poise came to the fore as Limerick made their late push – the Bruff man had a chance to put Limerick level in the last minute but his shot drifted wide.
“When we started we had a bunch of young fellas and they are maturing now, and Limerick are doing the same,” said Dooley.
“And they are on the right road. I am sure they will get a few of their players back, but they are on the right road, without a doubt.”
There was something admirable about the Limerick fans who made themselves heard as they follow this team through what is shaping into a lost season.
OFFALY: B Mullins; D Franks, D Kenny, M Verney; J Rigney, P Cleary, D Morkan; D Hayden, R Hanniffy; D Currams (0-2), J Brady, B Carroll (0-1); G Healion (2-1), J Bergin (0-3, 1 pen), S Dooley (0-10, 5f, one 65). Subs: C Mahon for M Verney (38 mins inj), D Molloy for J Brady (45 mins), G Oakley for D Currams (64 mins), K Brady for D Hayden (70 mins).
LIMERICK: T Flynn; D Lynch, D Kenny, S O'Neill; L O'Dwyer, A Brennan (0-1), N Quaid (0-1); B O'Sullivan (0-2), P Browne (0-1); P McNamara (0-5, fs), D Madden, T O'Brien (0-1); G Mulcahy (1-0), A Owens, R McKeogh (2-1). Subs: C Hayes for L O'Dwyer (2 mins inj.), P Russell (0-1)for A Owens (46 mins), S Herlihy for T O'Brien (54 mins), K O'Rourke for D Madden (63 mins),
Referee: M Haverty(Galway).
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