Garryspillane edge past Effin in thrilling Limerick premier intermediate hurling championship clash

GARRYSPILLANE, who are bidding for an immediate recovery of the senior status this year, opened up their Lyons of Limerick Premier Intermediate hurling championship campaign with nail-biting 3-16 to 2-18 victory over South Limerick neighbours Effin in sun-splashed Bruff on Saturday evening.

In a game that defied every attempt to follow a predictable storyline, 'the Bouncers' wasted the chance of building up a half-time lead of substance on a second-quarter string of wides, before putting themselves in the driving seat with nuclear-powered restart.

The winners even managed another quickfire burst of scores after being hauled back into contact near the end of regulation time before the clock finally put an end to Effin's last gasp fightback after the seven all-action minutes added by referee Timmy McGrath.

In the end, the more even spread of talent got the winners over the line but, no matter how often they looked to have moved themselves out of danger, Effin, and particularly their scoring machine Patrick O'Donovan, kept hauling them back into the waiting-room of uncertainty and kept the big, boisterous, passionate crowd on the edge of their seats right up to the final whistle.

If Limerick hurling needed a top notch club championship to get over the disappointment of being stopped just short of five All-Irelands in a row, they certainly got the introduction they were looking for in this, the second of just two premier intermediate fixtures played in the opening weekend, that combined enough drama and quality to fill an entire season of competition.

Garryspillane enjoyed a two-point advantage at half-time, to 1-7 to 0-8.

*See Limerick Leader print editions on Monday and Wednesday for more: - 

SCORERS: GARRYSPILLANE: Colin Ryan 2-3 (0-2 frees), Hugh Flanagan 0-4 (3 frees), Mark Quinlan 1-1, John English 0-3, Ryan Tobin 0-2, Eoin O'Mahony, Callum Sheehan, Bryan Heavey 0-1 each; EFFIN: Patrick O'Donovan 1-11 (0-7 frees), Ewan Dillon 0-4, Tommy Quaid 1-0, Ruairí O'Connor 0-2, Fergal O'Connor 0-1.

GARRYSPILLANE: Adam Sheehan; Ciarán Sheehan, Robert Sampson, Declan Heavey; Josh Dineen, Dylan O'Shea, Jamie Morrissey; Eoin O'Mahony, Mark Quinlan; John English, Bryan Heavey, Hugh Flanagan; Callum Sheehan, Colin Ryan, Ryan Tobin. SUBS: Shane Ryan for Callum Sheehan (58 minutes), Peter Morrissey for Ryan Tobin (58 minutes).

EFFIN: James O'Leary; Mark Mullins, Alan Byrne, Seán Canning; Michael Rea, Clive Doherty, Conor Kearney; Nickie quaid, Feargal O'Connor; Ruair O'Connor, Paddy O'Donovan, Ewan Dillon; Cillian O'Riordan, Tommy Quaid, Pierse O'Kelly. SUBS: Enda Kelly for Conor Kearney (42 minutes), Jack Quaid for Pierse O'Kelly (42 minutes).

REFEREE: Timmy McGrath (Oola).