Limerick 0-27
Kilkenny 1-22
Kevin O’Brien reports from Semple Stadium
WHEN WE LOOK back on it years to come, this may go down as a defining victory for John Kiely’s young Limerick side.
They had two points to spare over Kilkenny in the most absorbing of contests in Thurles to book an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Cork.
In a frantic finish, Limerick were leading by 0-22 to 0-21 in the 65th minute when Richie Hogan slammed in a goal to send the Kilkenny fans into raptures.
With their championship lives flashing in front of their eyes, Limerick outscored the Cats by 0-5 to 0-1 to seal their place in the last four for the first time since 2014.
If Limerick had failed to win this game they’d have pointed to the five goal chances they butchered – three in the first period and two in the second. Much of that was down to Eoin Murphy’s excellence between the posts for the Cats.
Kilkenny fought bravely in front of 18,596 at a rocking Semple Stadium, but fell just short in what was their third game in 14 days.
Limerick players stood up all over the field with Dan Morrissey outstanding on the half-back line and Darragh O’Donovan superb in midfield. Their half-forward line packed a serious punch as Gearoid Hegarty, Kyle Hayes and Tom Morrissey scored 10 points between them.
Brian Cody made three late changes to his starting team before the throw-in, with Richie Hogan, Robert Lennon and, surprisingly, Pat Lyng all starting. Lyng was ineffective and found himself hauled off for Liam Blanchfield after 34 minutes, but Hogan was outstanding and posted 1-3.
Richie Leahy arrived off the bench to clip over four points while John Donnelly scored a point and set-up a couple of points. TJ Reid scored seven points but hit just one score from play and was well-handled by the Treaty rearguard.
Limerick played their usual system of Gillane and Flanagan inside, with Mulcahy playing as the link man between the half- and full-forward lines. Midfielder O’Donovan looked to sit into centre-back at every opportunity to allow Declan Hannon drop in front of his full-back.
Limerick looked nervy early on and the Cats surged into an 0-7 to 0-3 lead after the opening quarter. Hogan fired over three points in the first-half, with the pick of his scores arriving after a wonderful catch from a Murphy puck-out before he pointed.
The superior aerial ability of the Shannonsiders began to tell and their freshness showed as they took control before the half. Nine different Limerick players were on the scoresheet in the first-half, including braces from Hegarty, Hayes and O’Donovan, while Gillane and Hegarty forced brilliant saves from Murphy.
Seamus Flanagan wasted another goal chance when he overhit a pass to Gillane which Murphy did well to read, but Limerick led by three at half-time.
Kilkenny’s start to the second-half was marred by seven wides in succession, while at the far end Murphy denied Gillane a certain goal with another acrobatic save. Eventually Kilkenny’s dominance began to tell with three scores in as many minutes – one from Reid and a brace from substitute Richie Leahy.
That left them one behind, 0-18 to 0-19, but a score from substitute Peter Casey and a stunning sideline from O’Donovan edged Limerick three clear. Leahy brought his tally to three and then Hogan’s 65th-minute goal put the Cats in the driving seat.
The Treaty hit back with three unanswered scores but Leahy clipped over another to set-up a grandstand finish. With the game on the line, Tom Morrissey and Gillane (free) sealed the win for Kiely’s side.
Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane 0-5 (0-2f), Tom Morrissey 0-4, Kyle Hayes 0-3, Gearoid Hegarty 0-3, Darragh O’Donovan 0-3 (0-1 sideline), Graeme Mulcahy 0-3, Peter Casey 0-2, Diarmuid Byrnes 0-1, Declan Hannon 0-1, Seamus Flanagan 0-1, Shane Dowling 0-1.
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-7 (0-5f, 0-1 65), Richie Hogan 1-3 Richie Leahy 0-4, James Maher 0-3, Colin Fennelly 0-2, Conor Fogarty 0-1, Liam Blanchfield 0-1, John Donnelly 0-1.
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
4. Richie English (Doon)
3. Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Declan Hannon (captain, Adare)
7. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
8. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
9. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
11. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)
10. Gearóid Hegarty (St Patick’s)
15. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock)
13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
14. Séamus Flanagan (Feohanagh)
Subs
17. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh) for Flanagan (59)
19. Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh) for Hegarty (59)
23. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh) for O’Donovan (63)
Kilkenny
1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
4. Paddy Deegan (O’Loughlin Gaels)
3. Padraig Walsh (Tullaroan)
2. Paul Murphy (Danesfort)
5. Joey Holden (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
6. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro)
18. Robert Lennon (Bennettsbridge)
9. James Maher (St Lachtains)
8. Conor Fogarty (Erin’s Own)
10. Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan)
21. Richie Hogan (Danesfort)
26. Pat Lyng (Rower Inistioge)
13. Billy Ryan (Graigue-Ballycallan)
14. Colin Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
11. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks
Subs
22. Liam Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge) for Lyng (34)
12. Richie Leahy (Rower Inistioge) for Donnelly (45)
24. John Donnelly (Thomastown) for Fennelly (62)
15. Ger Aylward (Glenmore) for Ryan (71)
Referee: James McGrath (Westmeath)
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No other sport comes close to the level of entertainment hurling provides when two quality teams go at it. What a game. Well done limerick.
@borgig: Best Honest comment today
What a game that was limerick vs cork pt2 will be unreal
Ah lads what a sport
Well done Limerick
Great game. Limerick well deserved winners
25 points from play. Great skills and composure around the park. For once we didn’t have to listen to the same tired comments of Limerick being, hungrier and more physical than the opposition, though plenty of that, it wasn’t the deciding factor . Best team won today.
Brilliant game. While I am no fan of Kilkenny and I feel they often get an easy ride off referees I felt the opposite was true today. Limerick backs got away with countless fouls on KK forwards. Also ref should have given peno when Blanchfield was fouled but he took the easy option. On the other hand Paddy Deegan very lucky to avoid the line. Maybe what goes around comes around. But what a game of hurling and what brilliant character from Limerick at the end
@Frank Scanlon: As a Kilkenny man I have zero complaints about todays game. Excellent hurling, and I’m delighted Limerick seem to have found the confidence to keep pushing when the pressure comes on. It’s something thats come to bite them over the past few years. By the way, wanting every little tap or percieved foul in hurling to be blown up is the ideal way to ruin the game. Didn’t notice much different today than in any other game this season, the vast majority of which have been excellent games. Hope Limerick can go on to lift the cup, but whoever lifts it there is one huge winner this year and that’s the game of Hurling. Long may it continue.
@Tommy Roche: bang on Tommy, fair play.
@Tommy Roche: fair play for a great comment! Hurling the big winner here is right, savage team are Kilkenny and no doubt they are building towards setting the bar again like they’ve done for years, we earned it the hard way today, some game!
@Tommy Roche: Fair enough. Im certainly not saying every little tap should be blown up, nothing worse than a ref who but I felt there were a few stonewall frees. But Kilkenny’s wides at start of 2nd half cost them ultimately. Eoin Murphy is some keeper
@Tommy Roche: the biggest compliment us Treatymen can give KK is how much it meant to us to finally bate ye
@Frank Scanlon: *a ref who ruins a game by blowing everything
@Frank Scanlon: to be honest Frank I thought Kilkenny got a few dodgy frees in the first half but the best team won in the end without doubt
@Dec Gill: Enjoy it, lad. Ain’t going to happen too often.
@Tommy Roche: Yes, but Limerick have no bad record against Kilkenny, even though KK have won more of their battles. They, however have beaten Kilkenny in five different decades, three different centuries and two different millenia
Bhí mo croí í mo bhéal .. Luimneach Abu.
Dan Morrissey MOTM
@Trevor Beacom: he was top class.
@Trevor Beacom: thought so too. Closely followed by Darragh o Donovan
@Trevor Beacom: the kilkenny keeper has to be in the mix for motm as well
@Derek delaney: Kk keeper superb will be well in the running for an All Star despite1/4 Final exit.
Hey Galway!! To hell with yer 29 years!! True records are about to be broken!!
Get in the Treaty!! #limerick
@Gavin Mitchell: Great win for such a young team John Kiely has done an immense job if Galway don’t win it I hope Limerick do it.
@Peter: jeez we made hard work of that, delighted with the win and room to improve in decision making and finishing goal chances, nothing short of a 50-50 game against Cork, roll on 2 weeks time
@Gavin Mitchell: we are shaking in our boots ; )
@Gavin Mitchell: ye never learn.
@Jonathon Carroll: Im used to the losing pal. Just this once Ive every reason to feel this way. ;) Oh Im learning alrite…
@Now or Never: How is a match between the best team in Munster and the 3rd best team a 50-50 game. Cork are much superior. Limericks distribution from defence is terrible and their forwards couldn’t hit an empty net. Limerick are lucky KKs shooting was shocking.
@John Buckley: Well I’m fairly sure that Limerick drew to Cork with a red card just a month or two ago :/
@John Buckley: opinions are there to be debated about, and that’s only my one! If that’s how you feel then Cork have nothing to fear in 2 weeks time then, I hope for our sake we perform with a bit more clinical shooting than today, and we’ll give it a go at least
@Sean Dilligan: and I am fairly sure that a Clare side that Cork beat twice hammered Limerick.
@Now or Never: Its not an opinion, its a fact that a match between the top side and the 3rd best side in Munster is not a 50-50. Cork are rightly favorites.
@John Buckley: it is my OPINION u langer!!!! Give all the facts that u like, it won’t change my OPINION!
@Now or Never: An opinion with no regard for facts is an idiots opinion. You deluded idiot.
@John Buckley: only one idiot here and that is you john.
@Gavin Mitchell: Limerick and Galway very similar in attack but Galway’s defence would edge it in the end I think
@John Buckley: If it makes you happier to be favourites that’s okay with most of us Limerick people. It’s all on the day and remember Cork played Clare in Cork not in Ennis. But we’re cool with Cork being favourites anything to damper the hype.
@Gavin Mitchell: here we go again getting excited before the semi final has even been played, typical of limerick and im from limerick!
@Gavin Mitchell: getting ahead of yourself are you, Remember what happened in 2013 when limerick played the semi final and we had the all ireland won even before the clare match according to supporters, radios, media etc? And im a limerick fan!
@John Buckley: What do you think now John. Being the ‘best team in Munster’ meant nothing in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014 or 2017, why should it have mattered so much in 2018. The sad fact is winning provincial championships does mean that much anymore.
Galway will win the all-Ireland.
Well done Limerick just about done enough. A few big calls went there way at vital times. Kilkenny should taken off Fennelly sooner. Limerick will need to up against Cork to get further.
@Pádraig Ó h-Éanacháin: Striking a lad in the stomach with a Hurley went unnoticed though.
Total hurling!, very entertaining
Hugely enjoyable game. Limerick just about deserved the victory, I thought, despite Kilkenny being so wasteful with missed scoring chances in the first half particularly. Thank goodness for the Hurling Championship this year; just streets ahead of the Football.
The end of Kilkenny dominance is over.
@Niall Lonergan: So their dominance continues?
@Niall Lonergan: Missed that day in school did ya
@Seán Prendeville:
It’s nice been a limerick fan these days. Not so long ago you would look at forwards and pray for frees. 9/10 top class forwards some can’t even make bench… Dan Morrissey was outstanding today. Fair dues to KK. Hard to come back three weeks in a row. I have never seen us beat them in my lifetime till today. Il savour it for tonight and look forward to build up to Cork game. Luimneach abú
As a neutral on this one, Kilkenny were a bit off and had a serious amount of wides , taking that in to account Limerick made hard work of beating them. I think Cork will be happy enough to get Limerick.
@Finnster: Limerick should have had 5 goals. KKKeeper was in great form.
@Niallers: that’s what keepers are there for.
Ah well, that’s our year over, best of luck to Limerick great win for them, in fact best of luck to all the team’s left standing, now where’s me saucer.
Heavy favourites to beat cork now surely!!
@Jonathon Carroll: why? Cork haven’t lost all year ?
@Peter: no rational reason. I’m just getting the ball rolling for the limerick fans.
@superdooper: But several munster over the past 10 years have failed at the semi final stage
@superdooper: Just look at the records and see what happened Munster Champions in 2007, ’08,’10,’12,’13, ’14 and ’17 and now ’18. As pointed out above winning Munster means nothing anymore.
Well done to limerick… I don’t think anyone could begrudge them that win.. it’s great to see the winnings being spread around & not to the same team all the time..
Bit of a lopsided championship. The top 3 in Munster make the semis. It seems for the foreseeable future Leinster will be quite a bit weaker than the southern province as a whole, which doesn’t bode well for the experiment with the round robin/provincial hybrid.
@James Doyle: of course it does. It’s been brilliant and the best teams make the final stages. That’s what it was designed to do and that’s what it’s delivering. More top class hurling games with the best teams getting through. It’s arrived and tested formula across all sports. What’s not to like!
@tim dawson: what I’m saying is that if, and it seems likely, the future semi final line ups consist of the 3 Munster qualifiers and Kilkenny/Galway, Munster GAA might object to the lopsided nature of the qualification process: any 3 out of 5 Munster teams are potential semifinalists, but only 2 of the Leinster teams are realistic chances. Can see a situation where Munster ask for a playoff between the 4th Munster team and the 3rd in Leinster, for instance. Let’s be honest here, it’s a far higher standard in Munster overall.
@James Doyle: you are correct on one thing. The standard is currently higher in Munster overall but the wheel always turns and let’s not forget that the all ireland champions come from Leinster championship. I’ve seen nothing yet that suggests that they shouldn’t remain favourites to win it again. As for the rest of what you said, I’m sorry but that’s nonsense.
Well done Limerick! Epic victory!
Jesus, ‘twas great support for the Galway lads all the time, now suddenly ‘‘tis all swaying towards Limerick..well fair play Limerick, a great day. And good riddance to the Cats, they were even disliking the CP milk of late! Had become a bit mundane listening about them.Great new possibilities emerging. Gaillimh Abu! Even the double is possible yet..steady on we will!!
Hurling Marxism is back, 2 out of 3 gone from the capitalist cartel