Clare 2-24 Limerick 1-13: TWO GAMES and just a single point separated Clare and Limerick when the teams met recently in the quarter-finals of the Waterford Crystal Cup. But when the serious business began at the Gaelic Grounds last Saturday night, Clare opened up with a devastating display to inflict a painful 14-point defeat on their hosts in Division 1B.
The manner of Clare’s clinical display will already be enough to fuel massive expectation of Davy Fitzgerald’s charges. They’re now early favourites for promotion after dismantling the hosts in what was a repeat of last year’s Division Two final, a game that Limerick won in Ennis. The 1995 and 1997 All-Ireland winning goalkeeper smiled that impish smile and said of his new charges “there could be something in them”.
After 21 minutes Clare were 0-4 to 1-6 behind and struggling. But without any real warning, they produced a devastating scoring run of 1-8 without reply to turn a five-point deficit into a six-point lead as 5,390 spectators looked on.
Shane Dowling, one of Limerick’s more impressive players, particularly in the first half, tagged back a couple of scores for the shell-shocked Shannonsiders before half-time but Clare led by 1-12 to 1-8.
The second half was simply remarkable as John Conlon, scorer of 1-3 for Munster against Leinster in the interprovincial semi-final, thundered into the game with four points. Cratloe youngster Conor McGrath, scorer of 1-10, kept the scoreboard ticking over freely and added a 56th minute goal. Fitzgerald downplayed the winners’ 14-point winning margin and hinted that Limerick may not have been overly interested in the second period.
But the former Waterford supremo said going five points down in the first half was a cause for concern but he was naturally pleased with the response of his players, who will face Tipperary in next Sunday’s Waterford Crystal Cup final in Sixmilebridge.
However, Fitzgerald warned: “It’s only the first round of the league and there’s no point the people of Clare getting carried away. All they can expect, and I said this from day one, is a hard -working team. We still have things to work on and we still will have dips but in the long run, the lads won’t be too far away but it’s going to take time.
“We got a run and when you have momentum and you keep it going, that’s fine but we’re under no illusions. Think about it – the next game, Antrim. We beat them by a point last year and we were very lucky. If we start thinking we’re great after this, we’re going to be in trouble.
“It’s important that the public don’t get carried away . . . But in the long run, I do believe in these guys. There are good guys here and I think there could be something in them.”
For Limerick manager John Allen, mastermind of Cork’s 2005 All-Ireland success and walking once again in the shadows of Donal O’Grady, this was a bad night at the office.
He reflected with typical honesty: “Absolutely no excuses, they were better than us all over the field, that’s it. It was like an avalanche at times.
“There’s no doubt we are behind in sharpness but it’s day one, we have to keep the heads up, focus on the next game.”
There will be better days ahead for Limerick and their challenge was hamstrung by the pre-match loss of Declan Hannon; midfielder James Ryan limped off after nine minutes before Gavin O’Mahony succumbed to illness at the break.
LIMERICK: N Quaid; P Browne, R McCarthy, T Condon; C Allis (0-2, 0-1 sl), W McNamara, G O’Mahony; D O’Grady (0-1), J Ryan (0-1); S Dowling (0-7, four frees), D Breen, S O’Brien; G Mulcahy, N Moran (1-1), M Ryan. Subs: P O’Brien for J Ryan (inj, 9 mins), S Walsh for O’Mahony (ht), K Downes (0-1) for S O’Brien (ht), T Quaid for M Ryan (46 mins), J O’Brien for O’Grady (62 mins).
CLARE: P Kelly; D O’Donovan, C Dillon, C Cooney; J McInerney, P O’Connor, B Bugler; P Donnellan (0-1), N O’Connell (0-3); J Conlon (0-4), S Collins (0-2), F Lynch (0-1); C McInerney (0-2), C Ryan (1-1), C McGrath (1-10, 0-8 frees). Subs: L Markham for Lynch (65 mins), E Barrett for Bugler (65 mins), C Galvin for Ryan (66 mins).
Referee: J Ryan (Tipperary).
