David Reidy’s second half goal made the difference
LIMERICK 0-21 CLARE 1-21
Limerick suffered their first defeat of the season as a second-half David Reidy goal secured Clare’s first win of the season – the final score reading 1-21 to 0-21 at the TUS Gaelic Grounds on Sunday.
David Reidy’s 39th-minute low-driven finish made the difference in the end, with Limerick failing to score from play from the 55th minute to the conclusion.
Tony Kelly, Jack O’Neill and Eibhear Quilligan all shone very brightly for the reigning All Ireland champions, whilst Jason Gillane had a positive showing in goals. His brother Aaron also showed promising signs at corner forward as usual, despite missing some goal opportunities, which on another day he would nail.
It is only the league, and John Kiely will be more concerned with blooding players into his system and being competitive as they now turn their attention to Galway next Saturday night.
Eibhear Quilligan was forced into an early save from Shane O’Brien’s low driven effort, with David Reidy sending the game’s opening point from the resulting 65.
Shane O’Brien was very lively and certainly up for it and registered his opening score after four minutes, before Seann Rynne got Clare’s opening point moments later.
Aidan McCarthy brought the sides level for the first time after seven minutes before Quilligan was once again needed to keep out Aaron Gillane before he restored his side’s advantage with a point.
Rynne and McCarthy were the big shining lights for Lohan’s outfit thus far, with Jack O’Neill’s long range score leaving Clare with an advantage of their own for the first time.
O’Neill and Tony Kelly ran the show from there, albeit Kelly was fortunate to escape a red card for his hit on Adam English and on another day wouldn’t have been so lucky.
David Fitzgerald fired over back-to-back points as Clare built up a nice three-point lead at the half time interval and were looking firmly in control across the middle third of the pitch.
Limerick started like a house on fire in the second half and hit the first four scores of the second half, with David Reidy, Cian Lynch, Barry Nash and Shane O’Brien, but Clare came back with a vengeance as Mark Rodgers found David Reidy in space and he blasted the ball unto the bottom corner, leaving Jason Gillane no chance in nets.
Diarmuid Byrnes was doing his level best with his scoring attributes with one excellent score and in typical Byrnes fashion, driven low and hard over the bar, but Clare kept their distance and found themselves leading by four with 20 minutes to go, with Aidan McCarthy, Tony Kelly and Cathal Malone all landing crucial points.
Kelly, Sean Rynne and Mark Rodgers tagged on further scores and leaving Limerick with work to do coming into the fInal quarter of the game.
Limerick’s afternoon went from bad to worse as Diarmuid Byrnes was given his marching orders on the 64th minute for a late hit on Tony Kelly, before a brawl broke out between the two rivals. The Patrickswell man was having a good game up until that point.
Limerick failed to score from play in the final 18 minutes of the game, with Jason Gillane firing over two stunning long range frees to cut the deficit but it was not enough in the end, as Clare held on to avoid an immediate drop to Division 1B as they welcome Cork the Cusack Park next Sunday.
Scorers:
LIMERICK: Aaron Gillane 0-8 (0-6 f); Jason Gillane (0-2 f), Barry Nash, Diarmuid Byrnes (0-1 65), David Reidy, Shane O’Brien and Aidan O’Connor 0-2 each; Cian Lynch 0-1
CLARE: Aidan McCarthy 0-7 (0-6 f); Sean Rynne, Jack O’Neill and Tony Kelly 0-3 each; David Reidy 1-0; David Fitzgerald; Cian Galvin, Cathal Malone and Mark Rodgers 0-1 each
Wides:
LIMERICK: 14
CLARE: 13
Teams: LIMERICK: Jason Gillane (Patrickswell); Barry Murphy (Doon), Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh), Barry Nash (South Liberties); Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), Ethan Hurley (Newcastle West), Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown); Adam English (Doon), Cian Lynch (Patrickswell); Eddie Stokes (Doon), David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca), Cathal O’Neill (Crecora Manister); Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell), Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock), Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh Castlemahon).
Subs: Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown) for English (35, Blood Sub), Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown) for Stokes (HT), Patrick O’Donovan (Effin) for Flanagan (50), Tom Morrissey (Ahane) for O’Neill (58), Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (Monaleen) for O’Brien (66), Vince Harrington (Na Piarsaigh) for Nash (68)
CLARE: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle); Conor Leen (Corofin), Darragh Lohan (Wofle Tones Na Sionna), Sean Rynne (Inagh-Kilnamona); Cian Galvin (Clarecastle), John Conlon (Clonlara), Adam Hogan (Feakle); Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin); David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona), Mark Rodgers (Scariff), Gearoid Sheehy (Ogonelloe); Tony Kelly (Ballyea), Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona), David Reidy (Eire Og, Inis).
Subs: Shane Meehan (Banner) for Reidy (55), Patrick Crotty (Scariff) for McCarthy (68), Aron Shanagher (Wofle Tones Na Sionna) for Fitzgerald (70)
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).