Limerick 6-21
Kerry 3-8
By Jackie Cahill at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
RONAN LYNCH SCORED 3-11 as Limerick saw off Kerry by 22 points to collect their first victory of the season in Division 1B of the Allianz League.
Having lost out to Wexford in the opening round, the Shannonsiders bounced back with another big victory over Kerry, who they hammered by 4-28 to 0-16 in the Munster senior hurling League.
Ahead by ten points at the break, Limerick kicked on in the second half, as Lynch led the way in the scoring stakes with a massive haul.
Padraig Boyle’s hat-trick of goals for Kerry proved in vain as the Kingdom suffered their first defeat of the League campaign, having claimed victory over Laois last weekend.
In front of 1065 spectators, Limerick knew before throw-in that a big win was necessary, with points difference potentially important at the end of the group campaign.
But news filtering through that Wexford had beaten Galway left something of a deflated air hovering over the Gaelic Grounds.
Limerick could only take care of their own business and that they did, despite the spirited challenge of a Kerry team that finished with 14 men, when Shane Nolan was issued with a straight red card late on.
And Lynch could have finished with 4-10 rather than 3-11, as his second half penalty struck the crossbar and went over, rather than under.
But Lynch contented himself with three second half goals as Limerick eventually ran riot.
The hosts recovered from the concession of two Boyle goals to lead comfortably at half-time, 2-13 to 2-3.
Boyle grabbed his first goal in the tenth minute, finishing a fine move involving Shane Nolan and Colum Harty.
Limerick, playing with a slight breeze, rallied to lead by 0-7 to 1-1 before Boyle struck again eight minutes later, brilliantly fielding brother Mikey’s sideline ball before rattling a low drive into the corner of the net.
That score levelled the game at 2-1 to 0-7 but Limerick, with Seanie Tobin, Tom Morrissey and Ronan Lynch contributing all but one goal of their first half tally, won the remainder of the half by 2-6 to 0-2.
Limerick’s opening goal came in the 26th minute, as Graeme Mulcahy latched onto a precise ball from James Ryan to finish well.
And Tom Morrissey’s injury-time goal increased Limerick’s advantage, before Jordan Conway and Lynch traded points.
Lynch hit the net from a 20m free to kick-start the second half goal glut and 17 minutes from time, he was credited with a scruffy effort for his second major.
Kevin O’Brien’s first touch after coming on as sub saw him score Limerick’s fifth goal ten minutes from home, as Boyle replied in kind within a minute for Kerry.
Eight minutes from time, Lynch rattled his penalty off the crossbar and over, after O’Brien was fouled, before the Na Piarsaigh man completed his treble in the 67th minute, again from a blistering 20m free.
Scorers for Limerick: Ronan Lynch 3-11 (2-5f, 0-2 65s, 0-1 pen), Tom Morrissey 1-3, Graeme Mulcahy 1-1, Seanie Tobin 0-4, Kevin O’Brien 1-0, James Ryan & Andrew La Touche Cosgrave 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kerry: Padraig Boyle 3-0, Shane Nolan 0-5f, Patrick Kelly, Jordan Conwawy & Jack Goulding (f) 0-1 each.
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
2. Stephen Cahill (Tournafulla)
3. Richie McCarthy (Blackrock)
4. Richie English (Doon)
5. Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen)
6. Seamus Hickey (Murroe/Boher)
7. Declan Hannon (Adare)
8. John Fitzgibbon (Adare)
9. James Ryan (Garryspillane)
12. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
10. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
14. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
15. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock)
13. Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh)
20. Sean Tobin (Murroe/Boher)
Subs
18. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh) for Hayes (h.t.)
21. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon) for C Lynch (44)
22. Pat Ryan (Doon) for Fitzgibbon (56)
24. Andrew La Touche Cosgrave (Monaleen) for Mulcahy (56)
24. Kevin O’Brien (Patrickswell) for Tobin (59)
Kerry
1. Aiden McCabe (Kilmoyley)
4. Bryan Murphy (Causeway)
3. Rory Horgan (St Brendans)
2. Sean Weir (Crotta O’Neills)
5. Paud Costello (Ballyduff)
6. Patrick Kelly (Clarecastle)
7. Darren Dineen (St Brendans)
8. Paudie O’Connor (Kilmoyley)
9. Colum Harty (Causeway)
15. Shane Nolan (Crotta O’Neills)
11. Mikey Boyle (Ballyduff)
13. Jordan Conway (Crotta O’Neills)
18. Keith Carmody (Causeway)
14. Padraig Boyle (Ballyduff)
10. Jack Goulding (Ballyduff)
Subs
17. James O’Connor (Abbeydorney) for M Boyle (h.t.)
21. John Buckley (Lixnaw) for Costello (55)
26. Jason Wallace (Lixnaw) for Carmody (58)
20. Stephen Murphy (Causeway) for Conway (58)
19. James Godley (Kilmoyley) for Kelly (59)
Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway)
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
Great article, short and sweet.
Pulling on my Puma Kings and kicking the hole off a kid in a pair of pink boots is one of the great pleasures of the sporting life.
Never throw out a pair of football boots, someday you’ll take them in your hands and remember what it was like to be young and not give a damn about anything more ninety minutes.
Puma Kings are the best. Always loved wearing them.
I wore Black adidas copa mundials as a kid, my dad got them for me as i was the only sports child. They were the best boots ever…if my old man saw me wearing anything but black boots he’d call me a Nancy boy.
I was about to reply that’s mine we’re Prada , then I noticed it was about football boots! Well I wore Gola back in the day when I played women’s soccer!! :-)
Sums up soccer very nicely indeed. Glad the proper football is back today. Earnestly hope it too doesn’t go the way of soccer.
Care to expand?
Well you’re a real barrel of laughs