Penalty shootout loss 'in rear-view mirror' as Limerick prepare for Cork clash

REVENGE won’t be on the mind of the Limerick senior hurlers when they welcome Cork to the TUS Gaelic Grounds on Saturday evening next, manager John Kiely has insisted.

Limerick's 2-19 to 0-17 Division 1A National Hurling League win over Offaly in Tullamore yesterday came at a cost as vastly experienced midfielder Darragh O'Donovan sustained a shoulder injury in the game. Limerick manager John Kiely said that Doon clubman O'Donovan will be out of action for the ‘foreseeable future’ as a result of the injury.

Limerick's league opponents next Saturday, Cork, dramatically claimed the Munster senior hurling title at the Ennis Road venue last summer, winning an historic penalty shoot-out, just three weeks after Limerick had 16-points to spare in the teams’ round-robin encounter. Discounting the pre-season Munster SHL clash in January, next weekend will be the first time the sides have met in a meaningful fixture since last May, but Limerick manager Kiely says that for his side, the focus will be internal, and not on their opponents.

READ MORE: Shoulder injury to rule out Limerick midfielder Darragh O'Donovan for 'foreseeable future'

“What happened last year is well and truly in the rear-view mirror,” Kiely insisted after their 2-19 to 0-17 Allianz Hurling League Division 1A win over Offaly in Tullamore yesterday afternoon. “There’s no doubt about that whatsoever.

“I think we are all very much insular in our focus at the moment, we certainly are not looking at the oppositions in any great focus. For us, it really is all about ourselves. This week will be all about a really significant bounce up from today’s performance.

“Our energy levels weren’t good enough today, our accuracy and execution in what we were trying to do was not good enough today.”

Shane O’Brien and Cathal O’Neill netted second half goals within three minutes of each other to ensure there was no upset in Tullamore. The result ensured the Treaty have now won three league games on the bounce.

“The last two performances were definitely better than today,” Kiely noted. “Our touch wasn’t as good as it has been (but) we are in an intensive block at the moment.

Elsewhere, the other Limerick senior teams all hosted Clare this weekend - with ‘the Banner’ county securing three wins.
On Saturday in Mick Neville Park, Jimmy Lee’s senior footballers fell to a nine-point loss in the Division 3 encounter. A Cillian Fahy goal saw the hosts take an early five-point lead but from there it was all one-way traffic as Clare scored a 1-21 to 1-12 win.

It was a much closer affair earlier in the afternoon in Cappamore as a last-gasp goal saw Clare claim a 3-8 to 2-8 win in their Centra Division 1B National Camogie League campaign.

The Limerick Ladies football side suffered a 1-12 to 1-8 defeat to Clare in their Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 3 fixture at Gerald Griffins GAA Club.