Clare 2-11
Limerick 1-14
Páraic McMahon reports from Cusack Park
AARON GILLANE HIT the equaliser with the final meaningful puck of the game to ensure the All-Ireland champions did not leave Ennis empty-handed.
John Kiely’s Limerick side were already guaranteed a place in the knockout stages prior to the game while Clare will have their calculators out once the rescheduled games take place to see what their fate is.
While the 8,409 spectators had difficulty keeping warm amid an onslaught of sleet and snow, the players on show gave them an entertaining game and one in which temperatures reached boiling point on more than one occasion.
Clare started the brighter with Tony Kelly and Shane Golden pointing. However, a mix up between David McInerney and Rory Hayes was punished by Gearoid Hegarty on the seventh minute: the UL graduate intercepted an attempted McInerney pass and ran straight through on goal before firing to the bottom left corner of Donal Tuohy’s net.
This was the lift Limerick needed and from here they put a firm grip on proceedings outscoring their hosts six points to four in the remainder of the half to lead 1-07 to 0-6 at the break.
On the restart, Sixmilebridge’s Shane Golden followed in the footsteps of Hegarty as he covered the same ground and also made no mistake with his effort on goal to bring Clare to within a point. They were level a minute later thanks to Gary Cooney.
Three unanswered scores via Aaron Gillane and Peter Casey (x2) put Limerick back in the driving seat, but one of those Casey points came off the back of a Gillane penalty which was stopped neatly by Donal Tuohy between the Clare sticks.
Peter Duggan struck for Clare’s second goal in the 58th minute to put them back in front for the first time since Hegarty’s green flag.
Gillane and Duggan then traded placed balls before the Patrickswell man stood up with the final frees to grind out the result.
Of concern to Clare will be their continued indiscipline: when they regained the lead it was the concession of frees that gave Limerick a share of the spoils.
For the Treaty County, their aim was to come out of Cusack Park with a win, something they couldn’t do in 2018. They failed in that regard but appear to be in a healthier state than their neighbours.
Scorers for Clare: Peter Duggan (1-6 6f), Shane Golden (1-1), Diarmuid Ryan (0-2), Tony Kelly (0-1), Gary Cooney (0-1).
Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane (0-8 8f), Gearoid Hegarty (1-0), Peter Casey (0-3), Kyle Hayes (0-1), Colin Ryan (0-1 1×65′), Paddy O’Loughlin (0-1).
Clare
1. Donal Tuohy (Crusheen)
2. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)
3. David McInerney (Tulla)
4. Jack Browne (Ballyea)
7. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona)
6. Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown)
5. Patrick O’Connor (Tubber)
8. Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge)
9. Colm Galvin (Clonlara)
10. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin)
11. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
12. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
15. Podge Collins (Cratloe)
24. Niall Deasy (Ballyea)
13. Ian Galvin (Clonlara)
Subs
19. Gary Cooney (O’Callaghan’s Mills) for I Galvin (35)
26. Oisin O’Brien (Clonara) for McInerney (HT)
5. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge) for O’Connor (51)
18. Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Deasy (55)
14. Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones) for Ryan (65)
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
4. Richie English (Doon)
3. Sean Finn (Bruff)
2. Tom Condon (Knockaderry)
5. Paddy O’Loughlin (Kilmallock)
6. Declan Hannon Capt. (Adare)
7. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
8. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
9. Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen)
10. Gearoid Hegarty (St. Patricks)
11. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo- Pallaskenry)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
14. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh)
15. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
Subs
26. William O’Meara (Askeaton ) for Finn (6) Inj
25. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon) for Ryan (49)
21. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock) for Flanagan (58)
18. David Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh) for Hegarty (62)
19. Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh) for Morrissey (65)
Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow)
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