Defeat to Garryspillane but South Liberties still reach Limerick SHC quarter finals

SOUTH Liberties are into the quarter finals of the Bon Secours Limerick senior club hurling championship despite defeat in this final round group game.

They were defeated this Friday evening in the LIT Gaelic Grounds, 2-21 to 1-23 by Garryspillane.

In the final group standings; Liberties, Garryspillane and Blackrock all end with one win.

Scoring difference means Liberties finish top and reach a championship quarter final and a Section B promotion play-off against Adare or Kildimo-Pallaskenry.

Second and ensuring their senior status are Garryspillane.

Bottom of the group are Blackrock and they now play Monaleen in the relegation play-off to determine who drops to the Premier IHC in 2020.

A final quarter flourish saw Garryspillane win this tie.

It was 2-10 to 0-14 at half time to Garryspillane.

It was a half in which the sides were level on seven occasions and The Bouncers had six wides - four more than Liberties.

The sides were level on three occasions up to 0-3 each on eight minutes with two for Calum Sheehan for the men in black and amber.

Then on 10-minutes came the first Garryspillane goal - Eoin Sheehan cutting in from the left to shoot low to the net.

Colin Ryan and a Dylan O'Shea lineball followed and the south Limerick side were 1-5 to 0-5 clear on 14-minutes.

Then came the Liberties purple patch - seven successive scores to move 0-12 to 1-5 clear on 26-minutes. David O'Neill and Barry Cooney both up to four points from play by now for the famed green and gold hoops.

Back came Garryspillane with a tonic goal from Eoin Sheehan. His second came when Kieran Hickey won a long delivery and laid off to the corner forward who finished to the net.

Gearoid Power, Micheal Bourke and Ciaran Sheehan added points and Garryspillane went from four points down to two points up at half time.

The Bouncers kept up that momentum early in the second half with Dylan O'Shea on the mark from placed balls and now they were 2-13 to 0-14 ahead.

Brian Ryan and Ken Byrnes frees interrupted the Garryspillane run of scores and then Anthony Nash came to their rescue with a fine save to deny Kieran Hickey a third goal for Garryspillane.

Liberties powered towards the second half water break with six of the final seven scores in the period.

Barry Nash had a crucial goal in the 44th minute to move his side ahead.

By the water break they were 1-21 to 2-15 ahead with 10 different scorers by now.

But Garryspillane came strong in the final quarter - Dylan O'Shea frees and scores from Declan Barry and Ciaran Sheehan edging them back in front - 2-19 to 1-21 with five minutes to play.

A Brian Ryan free would level for an eighth time but then Dylan O'Shea and Eoin O'Mahony points ensured the Garryspillane win.

* See the print edition of the Limerick Leader for a full match report.