Agonising one point defeat for Limerick in Munster Minor Football Championship against Clare

LIMERICK suffered a heartbreaking 0-14 to 1-10 defeat to Clare in round two of the Munster Minor Football Championship in Mountcollins this Easter Bank Holiday Monday.

“It's disappointing when you lose one that close. We gave away too many soft scores in the first half.”

The words of Limerick manager Garrett Noonan was left to rue what might have been when his Limerick minor footballers came up short in Mountcollins on Monday evening when a two-pointer free curled agonisingly wide at the last moment and right on the final whistle of their clash with Clare. Instead of claiming a win that would ensure qualification for phase two of the Munster Championship, the single-point defeat left his charges needing victory over phase one table-toppers Waterford in Lemybrien this Monday coming and hope score difference will work in their favour.

It was one of those matches destined for last minute drama as the sides had to contend with the unseasonable cold, the soft surface and the interpretation of the latest directives regarding the rules of the game, some of which probably won't make it past the first week of the senior championship. Limerick had their chances to make an early impression but a succession of frees allowed the Banner to take a lead that was never overtaken and, in their rangy full-forward Liam Keane, had the weapon to make the most of the opportunities coming their way.

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With the swirling crossfield wind alternately favouring one side and then the other, early scoring attempts failed to find the target at either end before Clare got the scoreboard working in spectacular fashion when Keane struck off a handpass from well outside the arch before Limerick started dominating possession and drew level after strikes from Jamie McAuliffe and Charlie McCarthy's free for a breach. Coming up to the quarter mark, however, their difficulties with the interpretation of handling on the ground gave the Banner the opportunity to restore their lead off Michael Normoyle's free and, while advantage switched hands McCarthy replied with a booming two-pointer, two more handling frees were converted by Keane to put his side back in front.

Coming up to the break, scores were level again after Ton Gavin's free but Clare pressure from the middle third put them back in the driving seat as Normyle's free was followed by Keane pointing on the turn from a high catch and then sending over a free. Eoin Hogan had a great chance of cancelling that burst but his shot on goal was smothered on the line and, just to rub it in, the visitors broke away for a Seán O'Callaghan strike but, going into the added time, McCarthy pointed a free for which Daniel Healy picked up a black card to narrow the Banner's lead to 0-9 to 0-6 at half-time.

The gap moved out to four with Normoyle's opening score of the second half and increased further when Keane converted a two-pointer free after Rory O'Dwyer's reply before a flying Limerick attack ended with Conor Griffin saving Sean O'Flynn's effort on goal. However, play became more frantic and disorganised after Jamie McAuliffe's point as the visitors, despite dominating possession with a numerical advantage following Cian Barry's black card, sent three chances wide and the clock had moved well into the final quarter when the game suddenly burst to life as O'Flynn collected off McAuliffe's barstorming solo through the defence and banged to the net.

With the big home support now in full voice, Limerick poured forward, only for possession to be turned over within sight of the posts which Clare punished with a Thomas Dillon free and Keane's breakaway point. Going into the five added minutes, Cillian Murphy pulled the gap back to one but it resolutely refused to be bridges until McAuliffe stepped up to take a free from 50 metres and change, got the distance but agonisingly tailed wide just as it crossed the end line.

SCORERS, CLARE: Liam Keane 0-9 (1 2x, 1 2xfree, 3 frees), Michael Normoyle 0-3 (3 frees), Seán O'Callaghan, Thomas Dillon (free) 0-1 each; LIMERICK: Charlie McCarthy 0-5 (3 frees, 1 2x), Seán O'Flynn 1-0, Jamie McAuliffe 0-2, Tom Gavin (free), Rory O'Dwyer, Cillian Murphy 0-1 each.

CLARE: Conor Griffin (Ennistymon); Tristan O'Loughlin (St Breackan's), Siney Neehan (Kildysart), Caelum Killeen (Lissycasey); Darren Fitzpatrick (St Breckan's), Shane Cahill (Kilmurry-Ibrickane), Jack Lavin (Ennistymon); Tadhg Bane (Banner), Paddy Neylon (Shannon Gaels); Rian Cotter (Kilrush Shamrocks), Robbie Kelly (Kildysart), Stephen O'Neill (Éire Óg); Michael Normoyle (St Breckan's), Liam Keane (Lissycasey), Seán O'Callaghan (St Joseph's Doora-Barefield). SUBS: Daniel Healy (Liscannor) for Paddy Neylon (injured, 17 minutes), Gavin Browne (Cooraclare) for Siney Neehan (injured, 30+2 minutes), Thomas Dillon (Doonbeg) for Michael Normoyle (47 minutes), Eoin Soffe (Kilrush Shamrocks) for Darren Fitzpatrick (57 minutes), John Greene (Corofin) for Robbie Kelly (58 minutes).

LIMERICK: Dean Ryan (Na Piarsaigh); Luke McDermott (Monaleen), Aaron Murphy (Fr Caseys), Ronan Conneely (Ballybricken-Bohermore); Cian Lonergan (Ballylanders), Eoghan Murnane (Camogue Rovers), Rory O'Dwyer (Monaleen); Cillian Murphy (Askeaton-Ballysteen-Kilcornan), Jamie McAuliffe (Fr Caseys); Cian Barry (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Jack Moynihan (Monaleen), Seán O'Flynn (Dromcollogher-Broadford); Charlie McCarthy (Adare), Eoghan Hogan (Mungret St Paul's), Tom Gavin (Monaleen). SUBS: Conor O'Dwyer (Rathkeale) for Cian Lonergan (38 minutes), Ollie Stokes (Dromcollogher-Broadford) for Eoin Hogan (48 minutes), Kevin McNamara (Ahane) for Cian Barry (48 minutes), Ben Hough (St Kieran's) for Tom Gavin (50 minutes), Cathal Donnelly (Camogue Rovers) for Ronan Conneely (54 minutes).

REFEREE: Ciarán Murphy (Cork).