Limerick suffer defeat to Clare in Munster minor hurling championship

LIMERICK were defeated by Clare 2-20 to 0-18 in round four of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship on Friday evening in the TUS Gaelic Grounds. 

Clare found it easier to pick off their scores, piling pressure on the hosts, with costly turnovers adding to Limerick’s troubles during this contest. 

Limerick were aiming to make it back-to-back wins in the competition following their dramatic 2-13 to 0-18 victory over Tipperary last Friday. 

Donal O'Grady's sides Munster Championship campaign has now came an end and they will now face the losers of the Leinster semi-final in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.

The opening ten minutes of the contest ebbed and flowed, with both sides deadlocked at 0-3 each. Clare's Paul Rodgers, Dara Kennedy and John Barry pushed their side into an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead. 

Limerick full forward Cathal Dennehy was off the mark with the Shannonsiders first score after 20 seconds and he added his second point on seven minutes. Rory Hanly levelled matters one minute later. 

Three frees in-a-row from Paul Rodgers and an effort from Ardscoil Rís student Ian O'Brien had the Banner county back in control as they led 0-7 to 0-3. 

 O'Grady's side regrouped, this time Dennehy turned provider to get Shane Waters off the mark. Limerick sharpshooter Shane Waters then nailed a 65 to bring the home side back within touch. 

Clare produced a strong finish to the first half as Rodgers, O'Brien and Barry were all on target. 

The home side trailed 0-11 to 0-5 at the interval and they were guilty of some wayward shooting in the opening period hitting five wides in the first half. 

Ian O'Brien and Rian Horgan traded scores in the early exchanges of the second half. Paul Rodgers, the brother of Clare senior Mark Rodgers, demonstrated impressive accuracy from placed balls, increasing the margin to 0-13 to 0-6.

Waters replied with two placed balls as Limerick were begining to come back into this game. However, Clare made things more difficult for their opponents when Rodgers hit another placed ball. 

The Clare full forward then raised the first green of the evening when he slotted the sliotar into the back of the net from close range. Limerick trailed 1-15 to 0-10 on 45 minutes. 

However the hosts battled away and vice-captain Paul Murphy stepped up scoring three frees in-a-row.

The sides continued to exchange scores in the closing stages, before Clare’s Ian O’Brien sealed the eight-point win with a powerful strike that flew past Limerick goalkeeper Marcus Murphy.

Limerick's victory over Tipperary in round three has sealed their place into the All-Ireland series and O'Grady's charges will now have a break. 

SCORERS: 

LIMERICK: Paul Murphy (0-6, 0-6  frees),Shane Waters (0-4, 0-2 frees, 0-1 65), Cathal Dennehy 0-4, Rian Horgan and Rory Hanly 0-1 each, Diarmuid Crowe (0-2, 0-1 free and 0-1 65)

CLARE: Paul Rodgers (1-10, 0-8 frees) Ian O'Brien 1-5, Dara Kennedy and John Barry 0-2 each, Liam Murphy 0-1

LIMERICK: Marcus Murphy (Na Piarsaigh); Eoin Hennessy (Patrickswell), Evan Ryan (South Liberties), Jackie Dwane (Kilmallock), Shane Carroll (Kildimo-Palaskenry), Michael Hanly (Ballybricken/ Bohermore), Danny Sheehan (Na Piarsaigh); Gavin Thompson (St Kieran's), David O’ Keeffe (Na Piarsaigh) Captain; Sean Óg Cahill Hayes (Croom), Rory Hanly (Ballybricken/Bohermore), Paul Murphy (Castletown/Ballyagran) Vice-Captain, Shane Waters (Na Piarsaigh),Cathal Dennehy (Glenroe), Rian Horgan (Murroe Boher).

SUBS: Killian Begley (Mungret St Paul's) for Óg Cahill Hayes (Half-Time), Gavin O’Brien (Kilmallock) for Waters (39 minutes), Sean Fitzgerald (Murroe Boher) for Carroll (42 minutes), Diarmuid Crowe (Doon) for Thompson (46 minutes), Alex Kearns (Na Piarsaigh) for O'Keefe (57 minutes).

CLARE: Leon Talty; Darragh Murphy, Colm Daly, Zak Phelan; Evan Crimmins, Dara Kennedy, Jack O'Halloran; Graham Ball, Evan Cleary; Gavin Marshall, John Barry, Jake Gibbons; Ian O'Brien, Paul Rodgers, Liam Murphy. 

SUBS: James O'Donnell for Marshall (44 minutes), Dara McInerney for Gibbons (55 minutes), Donncha Mahon for Barry (59 minutes), Harry Hodgins for Kennedy (61 minutes), Jason Keane Hayes for Ball (62 minutes)

REFEREE: Seaghan Walsh (Waterford)