Limerick 4-21
Clare 0-33
A HISTORIC SUDDEN death free taking shootout was needed after 100 minutes of hurling failed to find a winner between Limerick and Clare in a thrilling Allianz Hurling League quarter final this evening at the Gaelic Grounds.
Even round one of the free taking failed to find a winner before Colin Ryan was the Limerick sudden death hero.
Colin Ryan, Tom Morrissey, David Reidy, Aaron Gillane and Diarmaid Byrnes stepped forward for Limerick while Peter Duggan, Niall Deasy, David Reidy, Ian Galvin and Jamie Shanahan were nominated for Clare.
All 10 scored, leading to sudden death. Peter Duggan and Aaron Gillane scored first in sudden death, then Niall Deasy struck his effort wide before Ryan was the Limerick hero.
Ryan also forced extra time with a sideline ball in injury time after the lead was exchanged hands numerous time coming down the home straight.
Clare led by nine points after 22 minutes of the opening half but on 52 minutes Limerick were ahead. Clare led by Peter Duggan battled back and had the lead in injury time until Ryan struck.
The Banner were 0-11 to 0-2 ahead on 22 minutes with Colm Galvin, Tony Kelly, David Reidy and Conor McGrath all on the mark. Limerick went 16 minutes without a score before Aaron Gillane struck a goal. He added two frees and it was 1-4 to 0-11.
Paul Browne and Gearoid Hegarty added Limerick points but Clare were 0-14 to 1-8 ahead at half time. At the mid-point of the second half Clare were still ahead, 0-17 to 0-11 with two Kelly points for the men in saffron and blue.
Limerick were gathering momentum and two points from Ryan and a Gillane goal had them ahead, 2-13 to 0-18 for the first time on 52 minutes.
Duggan dragged Clare back in front but that was until the third Limerick goal arrived from substitute Pat Ryan and Limerick were in front 3-15 to 0-21. Duggan then found another four points bringing him to 15-points and Clare were ahead in injury time before Colin Ryan then forced extra time.
In extra time Clare appeared to hold the upper hand and points from Duggan and Kelly had them a goal ahead in injury time. Then Diarmaid Byrnes stepped forward to blast a 21 metre free to the net to ensure more extra time – this time two periods of five minutes.
The excitement didn’t end there. The sides were still level at half time in the second spell of extra time and it appeared John Conlon was to be the Clare hero until a late, late free from Gillane left the sides level after 100 minutes – Limerick 4-21 Clare 0-33.
Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane 1-11 (0-11f), Diarmaid Byrnes 1-1 (1-1f), Pat Ryan 1-0, Colin Ryan 0-3 (0-1 sideline cut), Gearoid Hegarty 0-2, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey, Paul Browne, Seamus Flanagan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Clare: Peter Duggan 0-19 (0-15f, 0-2 ‘65), Tony Kelly 0-6, David Reidy and John Conlon 0-2 each, Conor McGrath, David Fitzgerald, Shane O’Donnell, Colm Galvin 0-1 each.
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
3. Seamus Hickey (Murroe-Boher)
4. Richie English (Doon)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Declan Hannon (Adare)
7. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
8. Paul Browne (Bruff)
9. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
11. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)
10. Gearoid Hegarty (St Patricks)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
14. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh)
15. Barry Murphy (Doon)
Subs
24. Colin Ryan for Paul Browne (49 mins)
20. Pat Ryan for Barry Murphy (54 mins)
21. David Reidy for Kyle Hayes (62 mins)
18. Richie McCarthy for Seamus Hickey (78 mins)
22. Barry O’Connell for Gearoid Hegarty (85 mins)
25. Oisin O’Reilly for Seamus Flanagan (86 mins)
Clare
1. Donal Tuohy (Crusheen)
2. Patrick O’Connor (Tubber)
3. Conor Cleary (Miltown Malbay)
4. Jack Browne (Ballyea)
5. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge)
6. David McInerney (Tulla)
7. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona)
18. Colm Galvin (Clonlara)
9. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
10. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
11. John Conlon (Clonlara)
12. David Reidy (Eire Og)
13. Conor McGrath (Cratloe)
14. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin)
15. Shane O’Donnell (Eire Og)
Subs
10. Ian Galvin for Colm Galvin (51 mins)
19. Cathal McInerney for Conor McGrath (56 mins)
22. Jamie Shanahan for Seadna Morey (60 mins)
25. Jason McCarthy for David Reidy (63 mins)
21. Podge Collins for Cathal Malone (68 mins)
26. Mikey O’Neill for Cathal McInerney (e-t)
23. Ryan Taylor for Ian Galvin (89mins)
17. Michael O’Malley for Tony Kelly (95mins)
24. Niall Deasy for Podge Collins (98)
Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway)
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Fair play to them. Some amount of miles put on the clock today for a bunch of amateurs who’ll have to put in a full day of work/college tomorrow.
Mad stuff. Why don’t they use penalties? Virtually impossible to see if the ball was going over the bar or not, killed the atmosphere completely. Was like a training ground routine. Epic match tho. 100 minutes must be a record
@Noel Ryan: The frees could go on all day. Two of the top teams would have players who rarely miss a 65.
@diao: some joke all right, but I’d blame the GAA here and the fixture plans too many games condensed into such a short space of time was never going to work out, should have been replayed next weekend, well done to limerick never gave up
@Paul Friday Shannon: Hurling never was and never will be a winter sport. And winter can last v long here. The championship could easily be played off in May, June and July. Then have the final in August. You have August, September and October for the clubs then. Not this split season rubbish. A few games in April and then waiting til September!
@Noel Ryan: yeah it’s not working and the pitch didn’t looked rough too, they need to sort it out, winning a game like that just devalues the league even more as well
@Paul Friday Shannon: Replays should be a thing of the past for amateur players. There’s already enough problems with fixture scheduling without having a replay for the bloody quarter final of the league. You can argue about the merits of the shoot-out but it was right to end it today.
@Mike: so instead of replaying an all Ireland final after extra time it should be decided on the day in a shoot out? We will agree to disagree
Limerick certainties for Liam McCarthy this year
Will win it pulling up
@Dec Gill: backed at 16 – 1 last week. Hotel booked for August and week after booked off to tour with the team ! The wait is over !!!
Some entertainment both teams gave it absolutely everything was hard on clare to lose after scoring over 30 points but Limericks character shone fair play to all
A bit of a joke to have the same 5 go again.
Great game and a hard way to go out , both teams know each other and have great respect between them . Well done Clare , and cmon limerick !
I thought from the Walsh Cup final that only players from the fifteen that finished the game could take frees! (Similar to soccer penalty shoot out) Clare had two free takers that had been subbed off! Anyone clear on the rule? Good game. I really think they could have offered a replay after 90 minutes with two quarter finals still to be played. Seems harsh to go out this way! The Walsh Cup and other early season competitions are not on the same level as the league!
@Diarmuid O Donnchadha: Any player who took part in normal time or extra time can take one
Exciting match terrible that it ended the way it did. Even something like next score wins would be a better way of settling the game than that. Never thought I’d see a more stupid way to decide a game than penalties or whoever scored the first try but there we go.
@Ciarán: Agree, think next score wins would be better
Does anyone know what the correct rule for taking the frees is. In the Walsh cup final Kk v Wex, you couldn’t strike the ball after the 65 or the free was void. In todays match they were crossing the 65.
Great character shown by both teams to keep grinding On, can’t have been easy going.
I think going forward if it resorts to some kind of free taking competition after extra time it should be penalties. What happens with this present kind of shoot out and umpires are unsure of a score with no Hawkeye.
Just quickly I think Aaron Gillane has stepped into the senior team effortlessly from u21 grade, the guy is flawless as he’s showing consistently throughout the league. His second goal today was as good as any goal you’ll see this year. One to watch for the championship.
Crazy stuff. Never saw anything like it before
Great game today. Good entertainment all round.Just wondering did Cian Lynch get two yellows today?
@Dundee: one yellow in normal time and one in extra time but as extra time is considered a new game all cards from normal time are cleared.
@James Sheehan: Sound, thanks James.
@Dundee: Just a note, I’m pretty sure the one he got in normal time was a case of mistaken identity, it was meant for kyle Hayes, both wear white helmets .
@Ray Farrell: ya I thought that alright
Super match and what a shame it ended in 65,s , terrible way to lose a match when there could have been a replay next weekend
Good win for limerick, game time is the key for them lads, rather see a penalty situation though, better for the game
Wow, look at the crowds!
@Paul Roche: Not everyone is off work on a bank holiday and most people might have made other plans.
@Paul Roche: It’s 3-4 degrees in easterly winds. You sit for two hours in those conditions
@Noel Ryan: *3 hours even.
Wouldn’t like to see this in championship in years to come,,most inter county players can put over a 65 handy,,be no way to lose a semi or final,,