Limerick suffer defeat to Derry in Allianz Football League opener

LIMERICK'S return to Division 2 of the Allianz Football League proved a losing one as 2022 All-Ireland semi-finalists Derry ran out comfortable 0-16 to 0-4 winners at Owenbeg in their opening round clash.

“Big step up from Division Three against a side who know how to finish off games”, was Limerick senior footballer manager Ray Dempsey's reaction to the defeat, the county's first outing in Division Two of the National League in nineteen years.

Short their three leading scorers for 2022 season, Limerick struggled to find the target despite giving as good as they were getting for the first 50 minutes before their opponents, with Shane McGuigan and Niall Toner shooting 13 of their 16 scores between them, opened up in the closing minutes with Limerick a man down.

Maybe if they were up against another team, the Shannonsiders might have caught them on the hop, but Derry had already come across Limerick in Division Three and Division Four. Not only did they know the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition but the home team, who were denied promotion to the top tier last year, showed they were in no mood to miss out again on joining the elites.

In fact, after winning their first Ulster title in 30 years in 2022, Derry laid bare their intentions when they hammered neighbours and fierce rivals Tyrone in the McKenna Cup final the week before and then listed their Glen players, including inspirational skipper Conor Glass, just six days after the Maghera club lost their controversial All-Ireland club final.

With Dublin up next, it wasn't the start to the campaign Limerick would have wanted but at least they kept their shape right to the end, didn't concede the goals the attendance in the packed stand and well-populated terrace were demanding and showed imagination and patience when in possession.

Derry pressed from the throw-in but Limerick's defence held its shape for seven minutes until Paul Cassidy opened the scoring and, when he was followed quickly by Toner's free and McGuigan, it looked like the hosts were fnally finding the groove. However, Adrian Enright powered in along the goal line for a fisted reply and, despite McGuigan replying immediately. The scoring dried up as both sides struggled to make the opening.

Coming up to the break, Derry's increasing reliance on power runs up the middle drew a pair of frees for Toner and McGuigan to punish. But them as the watch ticked into added time, an off-the-ball foul led to James Naughton getting on the scoresheet before the resulting kick-out produced a free at the other end which McGuigan sent over for Derry's half-time lead of 0-7 to 0-2.

McGuigan stretched on the restart but Limerick, with their runners taking on th challenge more, struck back through Gordon Browne and Iain Corbett before the Derry machine clicked into gear as McGuigan's free, awarded as Ethan Doherty's goal was pulled back, and Conor Doherty finding the target. After Toner, Lachlan Murray and another McGuigan free put the score beyond doubt, the subs piled on and Limerick lost Paul Maher to a black card.

Play opened up, Derry took their chances at one end as Toner, McGuigan's free and McGuigan from play stretched the lead while, at the other, Limerick sent two efforts and a free wide and Colm McSweeney saw his goal effort blocked on the line.

SCORERS: DERRY: Shane McGuigan 0-9 (5 frees), Niall Toner 0-4 (2 frees), Paul Cassidy, Conor Doherty, Lachlan Murray 0-1 each; LIMERICK: Adrian Enright, James Naughton (free), Gordon Brown, Iain Corbett 0-1 each.

DERRY: Odhran Lynch; Chrissy McKaigue, Eoin McEvoy, Conor McCluskey; Pádraig McGrogan, Gareth McKinless, Conor Doherty; Conor Glass, Brendan Rogers; Niall Toner, Paul Cassidy, Ethan Doherty; Benny Heron, Shane McGuigan, Lachlan Murray. SUBS: Pádraig Cassidy for Gareth McKinless (50 minutes), Oisín McWilliams for Ethan Doherty (53 minutes), Niall Loughlin for Benny Herron (63 minutes), Niall O'Donnell for Conor Glass (68 minutes), Ben McCarron for Lachlan Murray (70 minutes).

LIMERICK: Donal O'Sullivan; Dave Connolly, Seán O'Dea, Barry Coleman; Brian Fanning, Cillian Fahy, Mike Donovan; Cian Sheehan, Iain Corbett; Paul Maher, James Naughton, Gordon Brown; Adrian Enright, Cathal Downes, Davy Lyons. SUBS: Robbie Bourke for Brian Fanning (injured, half-time), Hugh Bourke for Davy Lyons (50 minutes), Colm McSweeney for Barry Coleman (55 minutes), Peter Nash for Adrian Enright (64 minutes), Killian Ryan for Cathal Downes (68 minutes).

REFEREE: Noel Mooney (Cavan).