Tailteann Cup loss concludes difficult year for Limerick football

LIMERICK'S senior football season came to an end on Saturday evening following a disappointing defeat to Laois at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in the Tailteann Cup quarter-final.

The loss brings an end to a campaign that saw the footballers relegated from Division 2 of the Allianz Football League, a semi-final loss to Clare in Munster and an exit in the Tailteann Cup at the quarter-final stage.

The loss to Laois, from a winning position heading into the final quarter, sums up 2023 for the football side of the Limerick GAA house.

Ray Dempsey was seen as an excellent appointment last October when he replaced Billy Lee but only lasted five months in the job, leaving the post in March with two games left in the league.

Mark Fitzgerald, Dempsey's senior coach, took over as interim manager but was unable to save the team from dropping to Division 3. The Kerry native admitted after the Laois game that it hasn't been the easiest of years.

“A tough year but I'm really proud of the players and how they responded,” said Fitzgerald after the loss to Laois. “They took a bit of flack during the year, which was really unwarranted to be fair.

“A lot of these guys have put holidays on hold, put moves abroad on hold so they are to be commended. It's been a tough year.

“We really wanted to get to the final of this thing. We were so close but just got caught. Game management could have been a small bit better.

Despite the surprise exit, Fitzgerald believes that there is still plenty to be positive about. The likes Cathal Downes and Barry Coleman have had impressive debut years, while the Tailteann Cup has also seen debuts for Darragh Murray and Cathal Woulfe.

“You have to have these lads coming through and you have to get them their time on the pitch. That's how they learn.
As I keep saying, I'm absolutely proud of the lads and the way they responded throughout the year. We lost the Clare game and probably could have won it. Lost this game and should have won it.”

Elsewhere, Limerick's senior camogie teams' hopes of reaching a quarter-final in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior quarter-final ended when they fell to a 2-19 to 0-11 loss to Cappamore.

John Lillis' side now must get a result in their final game against Offaly to have any hope of keeping their senior status for 2024.

Limerick were up against it from the early stages with the impressive Deise side leading by 1-11 to 0-5 at the break. Things didn't improve in the second half and Waterford ended up with a 2-19 to 0-11 victory.

The Deise were firm favourites to make it two wins from two and with 1-12 from three-time All-Star Beth Carton, and 1-1 from Niamh Rockett, they were never in danger of losing the game. Limerick play Offaly on Saturday, July 1.

It was a different story for Graham Shine's ladies footballers after they got their TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship off to an excellent start with a 7-21 to 1-5 win over Kilkenny in Callan.

Limerick had most of the damage done by half time as they went into the break leading by a 5-9 to 0-3. The procession continued in the second half and they came away with a 34-point winning margin.

Shine's charges have two more games in the group stages to come. The will play Sligo and Down, with both fixtures to be played in the coming weeks at Limerick venues.