Dramatic injury time winning scores for Limerick against Clare in Munster U20 hurling clash

LIMERICK somehow found an injury time winner in the Munster U20 Hurling Championship this Wednesday evening.

In the TUS Gaelic Grounds it finished Limerick 3-7 Clare 0-15 in round one.

Limerick now play Cork in their second group game in two weeks time.

Limerick played second fiddle for long periods of this game and were eight points down early in the second half.

A goal four minutes into injury time from a Cathal O'Neill free leveled the game for the third time.

Then from the puckout, O'Neill scored the winner - the first time Limerick had been ahead since the game's 13th minute.

Cathal O'Neill injury time savo of 1-1 to snatch victory for Limerick in Munster U20 Hurling Championship v Clare#LLSport | #Limerick | #GAA pic.twitter.com/5zKDzrJWQb

— Jerome O'Connell (@JeromeSport) April 6, 2022

At half time Clare were 0-12 to 1-2 ahead.

The Banner were backed by a strong breeze but hit eight wides, compared to just one for Limerick.

Such was the breeze and the Limerick lack of possession that the men in green went through a 32-minute spell with just one score in the half.

But a blistering start kept Limerick in touch.

Colin Coughlan pointed after 11-seconds and then on 70-seconds Cathal O'Neill soloed through the middle to bat to the net for a 1-1 to no score lead.

But Clare were level on 15-minutes and ahead on 18-minutes when Shane Punch added a score from play to his frees.

O'Neill ended a 17-minute barren spell for Limerick to tie up the game for the second time with what was the final score in the opening half for the home side.

Clare then raced to half time with seven successive scores - six scorers in all, including two points for UL's All-Ireland Fresher winning captain Patrick Crotty. The lead could have been greater but Jack Kirwan's 21st minute shot flew over the bar when a goal looked likely.

So a seven point lead for The Banner at half time but with the aid of the breeze to come for Limerick.

And, the lead was out to eight points within 90-seconds of the restart when Keith Smyth's shot could also have found the net for Clare.

Limerick then had goalkeeper Conor Hanley Clarke to thank for keeping Clare from finding the net - denying Colm O'Meara from close range.

After all those Clare chances of goal, up the field went Limerick and Patrick Kirby rattled the net.

With Aidan O'Connor points from play and from a free, all of a sudden it was a three point game - 2-4 to 0-13 and 10-minutes into the second half.

The response from Clare was impressive and entering the final quarter, they had the lead back out to five points - 2-4 to 0-15.

Jimmy Quilty and O'Neill then had Limerick points to leave a goal between the teams with five minutes to play.

Adam English had a shot at goal but didn't get the necessary power to really trouble the goalkeeper. He later had a flicked effort but it went wide.

O'Neill also had a shot for goal but from distance couldn't beat the keeper Cian Broderick.

Then came the injury time drama.

SCORERS: Limerick: Cathal O'Neill 2-3 (1-0free), Patrick Kirby 1-0, Aidan O'Connor 0-2 (1free), Colin Coughlan and Jimmy Quilty 0-1 each. Clare: Shane Punch 0-6 (5frees), Patrick Crotty and Keith Smyth 0-2 each, Colm O'Meara, Jack Kirwan, Diarmuid Cahill, Conner Hegarty and Cian Galvin 0-1 each. 

LIMERICK: Conor Hanley Clarke (Kilmallock); Chris Thomas (Doon), Fergal O’Connor (Effin), Evan O’Leary (Ahane), Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown), Jimmy Quilty (Blackrock), Ethan Hurley (Newcastle West); Joe Sweeney (Adare), Eddie Stokes (Doon); Aidan O'Connor (Ballybrown), Cathal O’Neill (Crecora-Manister), Adam English (Doon); Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock), Patrick Kirby (Patrickswell), Donnacha O’Dalaigh (Monaleen). Subs: Patrick Reale (Knockainey) for Donnacha O’Dalaigh (54mins), Cian Scully (Dromin-Athlacca-Banogue) for Chris Thomas (56mins).

CLARE: Cian Broderick (Clarecastle); Ian MacNamara (Killanena), Adam Hogan (Feakle), John Conneally (Clooney-Quin); Jarlath Collins (Eire Og), Cian Galvin (Clarecastle), Colm O’Meara (Clonlara); Oisin Clune (Feakle), Conner Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona); Shane Punch (Ruan), Patrick Crotty (Scariff), Cormac Murphy (O’Callaghan Mills); Josh Guyler (Inagh-Kilnamona), Jack Kirwan (Parteen), Diarmuid Cahill (Corofin). Subs: Keith Smyth (Killanena) for Josh Guyler (23mins), Oisin O’Donnell (Crusheen) for Jack Kirwan (52mins), Keelin Hartigan (Scariff) for Colm O'Meara (57mins).

REFEREE: Nathan Wall (Cork).