NHL: Returning Aaron Gillane stars as Limerick make easy pickings of Wexford

NHL Division 1A: Limerick 2-20 Wexford 0-15

THE returning Aaron Gillane scored 1-5 as Limerick made easy pickings of Wexford to secure their place in the National Hurling League semi-final against Tipperary next weekend following a comprehensive 11-point win at the TUS Gaelic Grounds on Sunday afternoon.

The 8,341 in attendance were treated an exhibition of end-to-end hurling in what was the first game of a double header on Shannonside, the opener to Limerick footballer’s crucial Division 2 survival clash with Kildare, with Limerick’s goals coming from Kyle Hayes and Aaron Gillane either side of the half-time break.

Wexford, who only managed to score five points from play – one the opening half and four in the final 35 minutes, gave themselves a fighting chance thanks to the scoring efforts of their captain Lee Chin with the Faythe Harriers man scoring eleven of his side’s return of 0-15.

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As expected, Limerick got off to a flying start and were three points to the good inside five minutes thanks to three quick-fire scores from corner-back Richie English, Aaron Gillane (free), and a superb long-range effort from Diarmaid Byrnes.

After Gillane added his second free of the afternoon, Lee Chin put the visitors on the scoreboard with a free after Mike Dwyer was dragged to the ground inside the ‘45. Chin was on hand again a minute later to make it a two-point game.

As Wexford began to grow with confidence, they pushed up the field, albeit creating space at the back for a determined Limerick side to capitalise with the game’s opening goal after just 11 minutes.

Cathal O’Neill showed his youth and class, bursting through the stretched Wexford defence before laying off to Kyle Hayes who showed no hesitation to find the back of the net.

Lee Chin kept Wexford in the game however and gave Darragh Egan’s side a fighting chance with six of his side’s seven first half scores.

And just as the momentum slowly began to swing in Wexford’s favour – following three Chin frees – Nickie Quaid superbly saved a Charlie McGuckin shot on goal, albeit from a tight angle.

Scores in the second quarter from Michéal Houlihan, Gearoid Hegarty, and Cathal O’Neill, and Gillane with his fourth free of the afternoon stretched Limerick’s lead to a comfortable six points by the half time break.

Two first half Limerick scores came directly from misplaced puckouts from Mark Fanning with both Houlihan and O’Neill taking full advantage to add to Wexford’s woes.

Wexford came flying out of the traps in the second half, and similar to the first half proceedings, Chin set up Ian Carty for his side’s second point from play, a minute into the final 35 minutes.

Limerick did however put the result beyond any doubt in the 40th minute – the lively Flanagan flicked on to O’Neill before the Crecora man found Gillane as Limerick raised the green flag for the second time.

Two Chin scores in-a-row however – a frees and a point from play – had Wexford back to within seven points of a complacent looking Limerick side.

Limerick upped the tempo however and began to really pull away in the final quarter against a tiring Wexford side with Byrnes, Gillane, and Flanagan putting John Kiely’s charges 10 points ahead heading into the final 10 minutes. Both sides exchanged late points before substitute Tom Morrissey extended his side’s lead to 11 with a last minute free from just inside the Wexford half.

Both sides finished with 14 wides each.

Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Mike Casey (0-01), Dan Morrissey, Richie English (0-01); Diarmaid Byrnes (0-04, two frees), Declan Hannon, Kyle Hayes (1-00); Barry Murphy, Darragh O’Donovan; Michéal Houlihan (0-01), Cathal O’Neill (0-01), Gearoid Hegarty (0-01); Aaron Gillane (1-05, five frees), Conor Boylan, Seamus Flanagan (0-01)

Subs: Donnacha O Dalaigh (0-02) for Gillane, Tom Morrissey (0-02, one free) for Houlihan (both 54 minutes); Colin Coughlan for Byrnes, Oisin O’Reilly (0-01) for Boylan (both 62 minutes); Aidan O’Connor for Hegarty (68 minutes)

Wexford: Mark Fanning; Conor Foley, Simon Donohoe, Shane Reck; Ian Carty (0-02), Kevin Foley, Niall Murphy; Cathal Dunbar, Rory O’Connor; Conor Hearne (0-01), Lee Chin (capt.) (0-11, ten frees), Charlie McGuckin; Rory Higgins, Mike Dwyer, Jack O’Connor (0-01)

Subs: Kyle Scallan for Foley (56 minutes), Corey Byrne Dunbar for Hearne (62 minutes), Conall for Higgins, Darragh Carley for Carty (both 67 minutes)

Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary)