Sport

Kilkenny in cruise control

Kilkenny 2-17 Limerick 0-16: KILKENNY STROLLED to victory, as expected, at the Gaelic Grounds despite a terrific 11- points …

Mon Apr 05 2010 - 01:00

Kilkenny 2-17 Limerick 0-16:KILKENNY STROLLED to victory, as expected, at the Gaelic Grounds despite a terrific 11- points haul by Limerick's Paudie McNamara yesterday.

For McCarthy’s team it is now a head-to-head winner-take-all clash against Dublin at Parnell Park to decide who makes the dreaded drop to Division Two.

Limerick suffered a 90-second sucker punch when Aidan Fogarty waltzed through the unsettled home defence to fire home a goal.

And just as they began the half with a goal, Kilkenny finished with another great strike by Eoin Larkin to ease into a 2-12 to 0-7 lead at the interval.

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Limerick fared much better on the resumption and squandered two great goal-scoring opportunities. But, all the time, Kilkenny were capable of picking off their points when required.

Noel Hickey made a welcome return to action at full back. “It is great to have him back,” said manager Brian Cody. “He has missed a lot and while he has been training well it was great to see him back in competitive action.”

Hickey marshalled a very solid defence in which Jackie Tyrrell also shone. TJ Reid contributed nine points for the winners, seven from placed balls. Apart from McNamara, Limerick had little to offer up front, but in defence they had some very promising players.

None fared better than corner back Shane O’Neill who had a great game and he was ably assisted by Andrew Brennan who was sent off for a second yellow card five minutes from the end.

Coach Justin McCarthy said Limerick are a work in progress. “We had a few new guys out there today. It was great for them to play against the All-Ireland champions. I feel we are making progress in every game.

“We are doing things in training now that are beginning to pay off. It’s a learning process. The team have great heart and we are progressing.

“It’s going to be very hard to win in Dublin but we will give it a go and give it our best shot.”

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody said: “We had a bit of a cushion at half-time and we never pulled clear and fair play to Limerick for that.”

LIMERICK: T Flynn; D Lynch, D Kenny, S O’Neill; S O’Riordan, A Brennan, C King; N Quaid, P Browne; S Herlihy (0-1), B O’Sullivan (0-1), C Mullane; G Mulcahy, (0-1), P McNamara, 0-11, (nine frees, one ‘65’), R McKeogh (0-2). Subs: D Breen for Quaid (ht), T O’Brien (Patrickswell for Herlihy (50 mins), T O’Brien, Bruree for Mullane (51 mins).

KILKENNY: R O’Neill; D Fogarty, N Hickey, PJ Delaney; T Walsh, J Tyrrell, J Tennyson; P Hartley, J Fitzpatrick; J Mulhall (0-3), D Lyng (0-1), TJ Reid, (0-9, six frees, one sideline); E Larkin (1-1), M Comerford (0-2), A Fogarty (1-1). Subs: P Hogan for Walsh, (52), S Cummins for Tennyson and R Hogan for Fogarty (both 60 mins).

Referee: A Kelly (Waterford).