Limerick seniors suffer first camogie league defeat as Dublin prevail

LIMERICK'S winning start to their Very National Camogie League Division 1B came to a halt on Saturday afternoon in a 1-14 to 0-9 defeat to Dublin at Parnell Park.

On a cold and blustery afternoon in Dublin, Limerick had looked to make it three wins from three, following two strong performances against Kerry and Down.

Wind-assisted Dublin started the stronger and had three points scored within the opening four minutes, one from a free and two from play.

Limerick got their first score from a free also as Adare’s Caoimhe Costelloe stepped up to the free and put it over.

Laura Fennelly brought Limerick back to within a point of the home side, 0-2 to 0-3, but this would be the closest that the Shannonsiders got to Dublin.

For the home side, Ashling Maher was deadly accurate from placed balls, while Aoife McKearney scored points from in front of goal, close range, and out near the side line.

Orla Gray got Dublin’s sixth point before they scored their only goal of the game as a low, hard shot along the ground nestled into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Dublin ended the half with an Aoife McKearney point to build a commanding 1-8 to 0-2 advantage at the interval. 

Limerick played with the aid of the wind in the second half and got the first two points of the half, both coming from the stick of Caoimhe Costelloe, one from play and one from a free.

However, it wasn’t long though before Aoife McKearney and Ashling Maher where tacking on points for Dublin, with Maher's point coming from the placed ball.

Limerick kept battling away and Newcastle West’s Rebecca Delee was rewarded for her hard work around the middle of the
field, as she floated over a gorgeous score.

This was added to by Caoimhe Costelloe who added to her own tally with another point from a free.

Dublin continued to push, however, and showed their physical dominance. The home side scored two more points before Orlaith Kelleher made a driving run through the middle and sent her shot straight over the black spot for an impressive Limerick score.

The final score of the game came from Caoimhe Costelloe from a free as the game ended on a score line of Limerick 0-9 Dublin 1-14.

LIMERICK: C. Mulqueen; T. Dore (JVC), M. Quaid, A, Nelligan, M. Ryan, S. Carey, N. White; D. Egan, R. Delee (0-1); S. O’Callaghan, N. Ryan (JVC), A. Larkin, L. Fennelly (Capt) (0-1), C. Costelloe (0-6 (0-5 frees), C. Lyons. Substitutes: M. O’Callaghan for S. O’ Callaghan (half-time), O. Kelleher (0-1) for D. Egan (half-time), S. Woulfe for N. White (39 mins)