Limerick footballers suffer Munster senior championship quarter-final defeat to Cork

LIMERICK suffered a 0-24 to 0-13 defeat at the hands of Cork in the Munster Senior Football Championship quarter-final at the TÚS Gaelic Grounds on Saturday evening.

Recently crowned Allianz Football League Division 4 champions Limerick now head for the Tailteann Cup group phase next month after exiting the provincial championship.

Crowned Division Four champions seven days earlier at Croke Park, Limerick played the majority of their Munster quarter-final contest with just fourteen men, as the Rebels eased to victory to set up a semi-final date with Kerry in two weeks time.

The rule enhancements were a frequent sight, with Cork’s five first half doubles all-but ending this game as a contest. The punished slack Treaty defending, but also took full advantage of the extra-man in a ten minute period of dominance. Playing in Division Two, the Rebels were sharp and punished the turnovers, especially early in the contest.

Debutant Seán Clancy was sent off after just 25 minutes. He was shown yellow cards in the 22nd and 25th minute with a high challenge on Mark Cronin allowing Derek O’Mahony dismiss the debutant.

From here, Cork strode clear. With Hurley pointing the resultant free they moved four clear. They soon added a two pointer from Cronin, quickly added to by Brian Hurley from outside the arc. Cronin curled over another orange flag score to suddenly put ten points between the sides.

In between, Peter Nash was denied by a fine Micheál Aodh Martin save before Naughton closed the half by blasting over a seventh Limerick point. Trailing 0-16 to 0-7, the only consolation was that the strong Ennis Road breeze favoured the men in green for the second half.

In a fourth game in just four weeks, it appeared the Shannonsiders began to feel it. That and facing Division Two opposition a player light, meant that it was a testing evening. Positives came in the form of Championship debuts for Diarmaid Buckley and Darragh O’Hagan while there was a decent defensive showing in the second half.

During that second period, Jimmy Lee’s charges scored three times, all from outside the arc earning six points. It could have been closer with two early efforts from James Naughton and Josh Ryan (free) rebounding off the post – both were for two-pointers.

Played before 2,042 beneath a wonderful April sun, this contest failed to ignite during the second half as points from Nemo Rangers Cronin, Colm O’Callaghan and Matty Taylor kept Limerick firmly at bay.

The Tailteann Cup commences on May 10-11th with Limerick unseeded in the group phase. Cork will entertain All-Ireland favourites, Kerry in the Munster last four.

SCORERS: Limerick: James Naughton 0-7 (0-1 frees; 2 tpf); Peter Nash (1 free), Emmet Rigter (1tp) 0-2 each; Colm McSweeney, Paul Maher 0-1 each. Cork: Brian O’Driscoll (2 tp), Mark Cronin (2tpf; 2f) 0-6 each; Brian Hurley 0-4 (0-1 free; 1 tp); Paul Walsh, Colm O’Callaghan 0-2 each;  Seán McDonnell, Cathail O’Mahony, Matty Taylor, Chris Óg Jones 0-1 each. 

LIMERICK:  Josh Ryan;  Diarmaid Buckley, Colm McSweeney, Mark McCarthy; Barry Coleman, Iain Corbett, Cillian Fahy (Capt); Emmet Rigter, Tommie Childs; Paul Maher, James Naughton, Seán Clancy; Rob Childs, Darragh Ó Siochrú, Peter Nash. Subs: Jason Hassett for Coleman (46); Tadhg Ó Siochrú for R Childs (54); Darragh O’Hagan for Fahy (54); Danny Neville for D Ó Siochrú (57); Jamie Baynham for Nash (61); Darragh Murray for T Childs (inj - 69).

CORK: Micheál Aodh Martin; Seán Brady, Daniel O’Mahony, Neil Lordan; Brian O’Driscoll, Rory Maguire, Matty Taylor; Ian Maguire, Colm O’Callaghan; Paul Walsh, Eoghan McSweeney, Seán McDonnell; Mark Cronin, Brian Hurley, Chris Óg Jones. Subs: Seán Powter for Maguire (half-time); Ruairí Deane for McSweeney (46); Cathail O’Mahony for Hurley (52); Conor Cahalane for Walsh (63); Maurice Shanley for Lordan (66)

REFEREE: Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary).