LIMERICK REMAIN UNBEATEN in Division 1B of the Allianz hurling league on a day when Wexford recorded their first points of the campaign.
Limerick saw off Offaly by 1-19 to 0-14 in O’Connor Park in Tullamore with Declan Hannon’s goal in the first-half proving crucial.
Hannon, who won a Fitzgibbon Cup medal with Mary Immaculate College last weekend, impressed in the scoring stakes early on as Limerick went ahead 1-10 to 0-8 at the break.
Offaly fought back in the second-half and had the gap down to four – 1-15 to 0-14 – before Limerick upped the ante in the closing stages to clinch an eight-point win that ensures TJ Ryan’s side stay top of the table with Clare.
Hannon finished with 1-6 to his name while Paul Browne, Diarmuid Byrnes and Tom Morrissey chipped in with 0-3 apiece. Shane Dooley was Offaly’s top scorer with 0-8.
After suffering defeats to Limerick and Clare, Liam Dunne’s Wexford side finally got off the mark with a comprehensive 2-25 to 0-8 win over Kerry in the early game at Austin Stack Park in Tralee.
It was a straightforward victory for the Model County who were ahead 1-13 to 0-4 at the interval. Conor McDonald’s 14th minute set Wexford on their way, putting them in front 1-4 to 0-2 at that juncture.
The second goal arrived for Wexford in the 63rd minute courtesy of Andrew Shore as they ran out easy winners.
Shore struck 1-7 for Wexford while Harry Kehoe hit 0-6 and McDonald notched 1-2.
It was a tough day for Kerry and they finished with 13 men after Tom Murnane and Bryan Murphy were dismissed.
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Big question for me is if he brings any of the RWC squad with him. If he coaxes on player to come who would be top of peoples list. PSDT for me please
@John Free: No way he’d need or be allowed to bring a back rower. Leinster’s greatest need is very obviously for a TH, especially with Big Mike leaving
@John Free: yes, let’s increase the SA player pool, at our expense.
@John Free: PSDT would make our pack/ subs fully World Class:
1. Porter
2. Sheehan
3. Furlong
4. Ryan
5. Jenkins
6. PSTD
7. VDF
8. Doris
16. Kelleher
17. Healy
18. Mike A
19. McCarthy
20. Baird
21. Conan
A 6-2 split with zero weaknesses
@brian o’leary: Leinster typically use around 55 players per season. How is one SA international going to greatly alter that?
Ok then, let’s give Malherbe a call then! @Kevin Ryan:
@John Free: I’d want one of their props or second rows! If Porter moved back to the TH side, Nche would do nicely. If not, Malherbe would do nicely. Other than that, one of the second rows to play alongside Ryan and for McCarthy to learn off would be unreal. Backrow looks fine – Baird is an unreal 6 and he’ll be taking the Ireland #6 jersey sooner or later you’d have to think.
@Carmine Lorenzo: There’s a couple of locks at Munster that Leinster might want to look at
@Andrew Slazenger: The main weakness is 6-2 itself. We don’t have a 9 or 10 to also cover the entire back 5. JOB is a break glass 9 or 10, so not an option. TBH, I would be surprised if many if any South Africans follow him to Leinster and I would also be surprised if we move away from a 5-3 bench. The big question is what Nienebar’s personal ambitions are? Does he want to beat Scott Robertson to the double World Cup? Or is he just looking for a pay day before retirement? Either way, he must leave South Africa in the rear view mirror and build again within the pros and cons of Irish Rugby.
I think a 6-2 split for Leinster in the big games makes sense. Our back 3 subs aren’t up to scratch, Larmour is the only one and I don’t rate him that highly anymore. JOB can now also cover SH (sort of)
16. Kelleher
17. Healy
18. Mike A
19. McCarthy
20. Penny/Connors/Molony
21. Conan
22. H Byrne or McGrath
23. Ngatai or Osbourne
@Andrew Slazenger: JoB doesn’t cover 9. There’s no chance of Leinster going 6-2 without a recognized 9 on the bench
@Andrew Martin Farrell: Well he did on Saturday… but you’re right won’t in a big game. Although SA had no 9 cover for the WC final!
@Andrew Slazenger: Mike A a weakness for me in championship games. Need better cover for Tadhg F.
@Andrew Slazenger: Agreed on Larmour. Don’t know what has happened to him unfortunately – just hasn’t kicked on or evolved enough. Tommy O’Brien looking very good though, albeit he’s got another unfortunate injury. There is chat that Porter will be moved back over to TH – Furlong is way off where he was 2-3 years ago, is half the player.
@Andrew Slazenger: Would have to be a 9 (Foley now over McGrath?) and maybe Frawley if you had two back subs. Harsh on Ngatai, Osbourne and Tommy O’Brien, but any of those 3 could slot into a starting berth handily enough.
@Carmine Lorenzo: TOB is 25 now… he’s good but a winger normally peaks at 25, and he’s nowhere near the Ireland squad. Would be happy with Porter moving back to TH but then we’d need a WC loose head to replace him; Healy no longer that and Boyle is years away from it
#AccidentalPartridge
Would love to see a 7-1 Leinster bench , could see JOB being the 1 with his versatility. Would be interesting against a few teams , namely Munster in Thomand
@Andrew Slazenger: we had Cormac Foley on the bench but he got injured shortly after coming on