U21s hope to lower the Banner
MAURICE Horan, the manager of the Limerick under-21 footballers, is calling on Shannonsiders to come out in force and support his team next Wednesday night (March 10) when they face Clare in a Munster quarter-final at the Gaelic Grounds (throw-in 7.30pm).
"Look, it's a mid-week game under lights in the Gaelic Grounds and it should be an entertaining game so I would appeal to Limerick people to come out and support the lads," Maurice Horan told Leader Sport.
"These fellas have trained very hard and made Limerick football their number one priority. If people turn out to support them that might prove the extra little bit of encouragement they need. I think supporters forget sometimes that they can make a big difference in a game like this one. And if we could get good support on the night that might prove that extra factor that helps the lads to win the game."
For the last three years Limerick's under-21 campaign has come to a grinding halt in their very first outing. In 2007 Limerick lost 0-9 0-17 to Cork, 12 months later Kerry proved their undoing (1-8 to 0-18) and in 2009 the Shannonsiders lost to Clare in Cooraclare (0-7 to 0-13).
And, Maurice Horan knows that they face a tough challenge against the Clare men: "Clare enjoy a big advantage over us in that they have almost three-quarters of last year's panel available to them. They have played loads of challenge games against top quality opposition and they will be hoping to build on last year. I have no doubt that Clare will be looking at winning the Munster title. They won't be thinking about just beating us. They will be expecting to beat us again.
"James Hanrahan is over the team and he really is a top class guy.
"James is very experienced with both Clare and ire g (Ennis) and you can be sure that Clare will be very well prepared for this one. Clare will be a very determined outfit, they will play with very good intensity and we are in doubt that this is going to be a very tough match for us."
Maurice Horan, a Ballinrobe man living in Limerick for ten years now, is joined on the Limerick management team by Drom-Broadford's Michael Reidy, Oola's John Ryan and Adare's John Crowley.
John Riordan (Fr. Casey's), who played centre-back against Clare last year, captains the Limerick team while his club colleague David Ward is vice-captain. The team will feature senior stars Eoin Joy (Fr. Casey's), Ian Ryan (St. Senan's) and Cormac Joyce-Power (Ahane), but preparations have been complicated by the fact that Joyce-Power is nursing a troublesome groin strain and Eoin Joy picked up a nasty injury playing for the senior side against Carlow during a recent National Football League encounter.
The fact that Bobby O'Brien (Bruff) and Mike McCormack (Mungret) are both studying abroad, in Aberdeen and Austria respectively, have also made Limerick's preparations that little bit more awkward.
However, this Limerick team have real pedigree. Indeed, they have the ability to challenge for provincial honours. As minors in 2007 this particular group of players deserved to beat Kerry in a Munster semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds, but were denied at the death when Kerry fought back to earn a draw - Limerick 0-11 Kerry 2-5. Limerick traveled to Tralee for the replay and although the sides were locked at 0-7 apiece with just 15 minutes remaining Kerry accelerated away from the Shannonsiders in the final quarter of the game to win 2-13 to 0-8.
Maurice Horan believes that the memory of that disappointment will not play on the minds of this bunch of hard-working Limerick footballers: "We have plenty of good footballers there who have a lot of experience of playing senior for Limerick and of playing senior football for their clubs. The lads are very dedicated, they have made the same effort as everyone else in preparing for this game and although it's a pity they didn't make the breakthrough by beating Kerry as minors we hope we can help them make that breakthrough at under-21 level.
"I don't think the memory of losing that game will bother the lads at all," insisted Maurice Horan.
"They are very focused on what's happening at the moment and they are not inclined to look back. We've a great mix in the panel. There's some great motivators among the group and people need to realise that these lads have made Limerick football their number one priority. Some of these lads come from neighbouring clubs, but they have put all that to one side for the sake of Limerick football. If they can transfer that attitude onto the field against Clare they have a great chance of winning."
Sigerson Cup
Limerick's Philip Corrigan came agonisingly close to win a precious Sigerson Cup medal with UCC last weekend.
Originally from Granagh-Ballingarry and a member of Mickey Ned O'Sullivan's extended senior football squad Philip Corrigan played left wing-back for UCC in their 0-10 to 1-11 defeat at the hands of DCU in the Sigerson Cup final.
Inter-Divisional Hurling Final
Following Western Gaels 2-16 to 2-10 win over the City Gaels last weekend the final of the inter-divisional hurling championship, between the men from the west and Emmets, will take place on Sunday next in Claughaun (2pm).
Emmets will be expected to win the decider, but you write off the west Limerick men at your peril.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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