Limerick hurlers turn focus to opening league fixture with Antrim
JOHN KIELY'S Limerick senior hurlers will return to Thurles on Sunday when they face Antrim in their first game of the 2024 Allianz Hurling League Division 1 campaign.
Limerick played at Semple Stadium on Sunday in the Dillon Quirke Foundation charity game against Tipperary, losing on a 3-27 to 1-20 scoreline. The game serves as Limerick's second pre-season game following the trilogy of postponements that saw their Munster Hurling League campaign not completed.
The fixture with Antrim was moved to Semple Stadium due to the unavailability of the TUS Gaelic Grounds due to vital pitch maintenance. The Ennis Road venue is set to re-open for Limerick's league fixture with Tipperary on Saturday, March 9.
Elsewhere, Limerick's senior footballers were beaten by Antrim in their Division 3 opening fixture. The Saffrons earned a 2-14 to 2-7 win at Mick Neville Park in Rathkeale.
Limerick were six points down after struggling in the opening 35 minutes but twice brought the deficit back to a point. However, Antrim upped the pace in the final stages to earn the seven-point victory.
An Iain Corbett penalty and Tommie Childs accounted for the Limerick goals in the second half. They travel to Down this coming Saturday for their second fixture in the 2024 Allianz Football League.
Limerick's ladies footballers remain unbeaten in the LGFA Division 4 after they eased to a 1-9 to 0-1 victory over Kilkenny in Coolyroe. The Mike Quilligan and Sean Kiely managed team were expected to come away with a victory from this game and that's exactly what they did with Karen O'Leary getting the Limerick goal early in the second half.
Limerick play their fourth game of the league when they welcome Longford to town in a couple of weeks time. That game is scheduled to be played on Sunday, February 11 at a venue to be confirmed closer to the fixture date.
It's another busy week of Higher Education GAA with UL, Mary Immaculate and TUS Midwest all having fixtures. UL are in Sigerson Cup quarter-final on Wednesday when they welcome DCU to Castletroy.
A win for Mary I against Maynooth in Portlaoise this evening will see them into a Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final. TUS will do the same with victory over ATU Galway in Moylish on Wednesday evening.