Disappointing defeat for Limerick minors in Munster semi final

LIMERICK’S journey in the Munster minor football championship ended this Thursday evening with a 1-19 to 0-6 defeat to Cork.

The provincial semi final was placed in Pairc Ui Rinn in front of 1,813 and saw Cork ease into a July 3 final against Kerry.

This was Limerick’s first semi final since 2010 and enroute Jerry O’Sullivan’s side had won first back-to-back minor football fixtures since 2008.

But this semi final was one-way traffic throughout.

Limerick were rocked in the ninth minute when captain and play-maker Diarmaid Kelly was sent for the line for a black-card offence.

The dismissal of the Newcastle West midfielder came on the back of losing Jason Kiely before the start due to injury.

Limerick did open the scoring with a Josh Ryan point but then failed to make early inroads with two missed frees.

Indeed another early chance came in the seventh minute when Eoin O’Mahony and Anthony Barrett combined but a drive from the Kilmallock man was saved.

When Kelly was sent-off the scoreboard read 0-2 to 0-1 but Cork were to score eight unanswered points in the next 21-minutes. to lead 0-10 to 0-1.

Limerick’s only other score in the half was a 29th minute Willie O’Meara free.

It was half where Limerick registered two wides, while Cork had seven.

Once Cork goaled through Sean O’Sullivan in the fifth minute of the second half there was no way back for Limerick.

Anthony Barrett (2), Conor O’Grady and Darragh Ranahan kicked the four Limerick second half points.

LIMERICK: Aaron Murphy (Fr Caseys); Gearoid Brennan (Claughaun), Fionn Murphy (Kilteely-Dromkeen), Daniel Enright (Monaleen); Seamus Hurley (Newcastle West), Adam Kearns (St Senans), Oran Collins (Adare); Josh Ryan (Oola), Diarmaid Kelly (Newcastle West); Anthony Barrett (Kilmallock), Colm McSweeney (St Kierans), Adam Storan (Mungret); Eoin O’Mahony (Ballylanders), Willie O’Meara (Ballysteen), James Ryan (Athea). Subs: Darragh Ranahan (Ballysteen) for Diarmaid Kelly, b-c (9mins), Conor O’Grady (Hospital-Herbertstown) for Eoin O’Mahony (38mins), Luke Cardy (Adare) for Adam Storan (44mins), Eoghan Carew (Monaleen) for Seamus Hurley (48mins), James Kelly (Monaleen) for Gearoid Brennan (55mins), Dylan Corrigan (Kildimo-Pallaskenry) for Adam Kearns (55mins).

CORK: Mark White (Clonakilty); Lorcan Finn (Mitchelstown), Alan McCarthy (St Finbarrs), Liam O’Donovan (Clonakilty); Tadhg Corkery (Cill na Martra), Nathan Walsh (Douglas), Rory O’Driscoll (Garnish); Cathal Foley (Western Gaels-Kilmichael), Sean Minihane (Ilen Rovers); Sean O’Sullivan (Mitchelstown), Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg); Cathal Maguire (Castlehaven); Damien Gore (Kilmacabea), Mark Buckley (Sam Maguires-Dohenys), Shane O’Driscoll (Glanmire). Subs: Sean Ryan (Ballinascarthy) for Cathal Foley (39mins), Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers) for Mark Buckley (39mins), Cathal O’Mahony (Mitchelstown) for Cathal Maguire (44mins), Aidan Browne (Trinity Gaels) for Alan McCarthy (44mins), Darragh Moynihan (Sliabh Luachra) for Sean O’Sullivan (46mins), Gearoid O’Donoghue (Ballincollig) for Sean Minihane (53mins).

REFEREE: Alan Kissane (Waterford).