Afternoon all. The Leinster SHC kicked things off last night in Croke Park and now attention turns to Thurles as Clare and Limerick clash in the Munster SHC opener.
It’s been well documented the first choice players Clare are missing (Peter Duggan, John Conlon, Colm Galvin and Podge Collins), increasing the pressure on the likes of Shane O’Donnell and Tony Kelly to provide the scores.
Limerick are not within injury worries of their own. John Kiely is down two members of his All-Ireland winning full-back line in Richie English and Mike Casey, but the Treaty are still strong favourites to prevail.
Here’s how the teams are named to start:
Limerick
1. Nicky Quaid (Effin)
2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
3. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
4. Barry Nash (South Liberties)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Declan Hannon (Adare) Captain
7. Paddy O’Loughlin (Kilmallock)
8. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
9. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh)
10. Gearoid Hegarty (St. Patrick’s)
11. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
13. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock)
14. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
15. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
Clare
1. Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
2. Jack Browne (Ballyea)
3. Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown)
4. Stephen O’Halloran (Clarecastle)
5. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge)
6. Patrick O’Connor (Tubber)
7. Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona)
8. David McInerney (Tulla – captain)
9. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
10. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
11. David Reidy (Éire Óg)
12. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona)
13. Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin)
14. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
15. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)
It’s prediction time, who do you fancy to prevail in Semple Stadium?
Poll Results:
Limerick arriving earlier today:
There was one late change to the Clare team with Rory Hayes replacing Aidan McCarthy.
Limerick 0-3 Clare 0-1
The ball is played into the corner for Aaron Gillane, who turns and sweeps it over the bar. Graeme Mulcahy earlier grabbed Limerick’s second.
Limerick 0-5 Clare 0-3
Tom Morrissey adds a score for Limerick but David Reidy is fouled and Kelly replies from the free. The Banner are yet to score from play, while Limerick have scored just one placed ball.
Interestingly, Kelly is operating at full-forward for Clare, where he spent much of the club campaign playing.
Limerick 0-5 Clare 0-5
Clare are back on level terms following another Kelly free. They’ve got the wind at their backs in this half.
Limerick 0-5 Clare 0-6
Clare move into the lead for the first time after Kelly’s opener from play. They’ve really come into this game in the last 10 minutes.
Limerick 0-7 Clare 0-7
2019 All-Star Gillane draws the Treaty level again with a close range free.
Limerick 0-7 Clare 0-8
Ryan Taylor fights hard for a ball and Kelly drops it over from the flank. That’s his third from play.
Limerick 0-7 Clare 0-9
Kelly converts a free from a tricky angle to extend Clare’s lead.
Limerick 0-9 Clare 0-9
Gaeoird Hegarty gets a short pass from Morrissey and lets fly from midfield. The ball sails between the posts. Then Hayes points to bring Limerick level.
Limerick 0-10 Clare 0-9
A fine Limerick move involving Hegarty leads to a well-taken Casey point. John Kiely’s side have upped their performance level since the water break.
Limerick 0-10 Clare 0-11
26 mins – Limerick lose possession in the middle and Kelly intercepts before scoring. Clarecastle man Stephen O’Halloran adds another.
Limerick 0-12 Clare 0-11
29 mins - Dan Morrissey finds his brother Tom as Limerick retake the lead.
Limerick 0-12 Clare 0-12
30 mins - Kelly sends over another free after Shane O’Donnell was fouled. We’re level for an eighth time.
Limerick 0-14 Clare 0-13
34 mins - Graeme Mulcahy returns to the field with a bandaged right hand. Gillane, meanwhile, scores his eighth score of the day. Then Tom Morrissey bangs over a strike from right on the sideline. Tony Kelly responds with one of his own at the far end to quell the Limerick dominance.
HT - Limerick 0-15 Clare 0-15
A first-half that ebbed and flowed sees the sides deadlocked at half-time.
This man has been in sensational form so far in Thurles.
STATS
— gaaapps (@gaaapps) October 25, 2020
SHC Munster Qtr Final
Half time
CLARE: 0-15(15)
LIMERICK: 0-15(15) pic.twitter.com/v5kk9eRDa8
SHC Munster Qtr Final
— gaaapps (@gaaapps) October 25, 2020
Half time
CLARE: 0-15(15)
LIMERICK: 0-15(15)
Shots pic.twitter.com/OaPaLovqUS
Brilliant skill by Gearoid Hegarty ending in a lovely point from Peter Casey for @LimerickCLG pic.twitter.com/qhRQ90ddGd
— The GAA (@officialgaa) October 25, 2020
Limerick 0-19 Clare 0-15
38 mins - Limerick have enjoyed a lightning fast start to the second-half with four scores in succession. Gillane fires over the latest from a free.
Limerick 0-20 Clare 0-15
Cian Lynch drives forward from midfield and pops it over the bar. This is some statement by Limerick since half-time.
Limerick 0-21 Clare 0-15
Kelly misses his first free of the day and then Limerick break for Morrissey to slot over his fourth.
GOAL! Clare hit the net against Limerick through Ryan Taylor!
Limerick 0-21 Clare 1-17
Clare profit from a mistake in the Limerick full-back line and they’re right back into this game now. That’s the real goal opportunity to appear in the game and the Banner have buried it.
Limerick 0-22 Clare 1-17
49 mins – Gillane’s 10th point of the match puts Limerick two ahead.
Limerick 0-25 Clare 1-18
Mulcahy’s second score of the game arrives after a trademark Limerick move.
Limerick 0-26 Clare 1-19
55 mins - Ryan Taylor brings his tally to 1-1 with a fine score.
Limerick 0-28 Clare 1-19
Seamus Flanagan replaces Peter Casey on the Limerick side. Gillane converts another free.
Limerick 0-28 Clare 1-20
Tony Kelly’s 16th score of the day reduces the gap to five. Diarmuid Ryan lashes one over the bar.
Here’s Ryan Taylor’s goal form earlier:
Ryan Taylor with a cracker of a goal for @GaaClare! pic.twitter.com/g6PmEpfGM4
— The GAA (@officialgaa) October 25, 2020
Limerick 0-32 Clare 1-22
Another free from Kelly but Clare need a goal at this stage.
Can’t even comment… It was. Just so poor…
Poor yea , conditions didn’t help ! Your clubmate had a good game in the centre
Thought him everything he knows skippy… Didn’t teach him everything I know tho :-)
Good win on the road for Clare today.It was a difficult one without a number of key players, conditions and with wexford beaten by so much last wk end they were always going to be difficult to beat in wexford.
Whatever about conditions, first touch very poor both sides. Only positive for clare is they have players to come back.
So do Wexford…
But they don’t have a hurler of the year to come back along with podge Collins
As a wexford man,beginning to really get fed up when we can’t beat a top level team.apart from Clare two years ago,Waterford Limerick cork have all come to wexford park in a do or die match and we are coming out on the wrong side of them
How come wexford can’t seem to beat a so called top level team?apart from Clare in 2014,waterford cork and limerick have all travelled to wexford park and came out on top in so called do or die matches.
Maybe because they’re not good enough to do so eh?.. Just a thought….
How come wexford are struggling to beat any sort of top level team.we beat Clare in 2014 when they were all ireland champions but since then waterford limerick and cork have all travelled to their own backyard in so called do or die matches and have failed every time.
Wexford just haven’t got lads up to the standard. Tis alright winning at under 21 Leinster and getting to the All Ireland final, it takes three to four years to blossom into senior, and the Limerick team of the early 2000′s shows that may not even happen either.