Clare stand in Limerick’s way

A MUNSTER senior football championship final appearance will be the carrot when Limerick travel to Ennis on June 7 for the provincial semi-final, which will take place in Cusack Park.
Mickey Ned O’Sullivan’s side are bidding for a final spot for the first time since 2003 - Cork and Kerry play in the other semi-final on the same day as Limerick cross the river Shannon.


Ahead of the trip up the N18, the Limerick manager is playing down the role of favourites: “Championship football is championship football - it doesn’t matter the opposition. Clare will have the advantage - they have had us in their sights for six months while we had Tipp. They have the benefit of seeing our strengths and our weaknesses. Clare will be very tough - they have had the benefit of dissecting us and looking at us.”
Of great benefit to Limerick will be team coach Donie Buckley - a former Clare senior football manager.
When the sides last met in 2006, Limerick were 2-5 to 0-8 winners on a wet day in the Gaelic Grounds.
Ennis based Garda Stephen Kelly looks set to miss out on the semi-final.
A broken bone in his hand confined the Newcastle West man to a role as waterboy in Thurles and he is not due to have his cast removed until the day after the Clare game.
Pa Ranahan will receive treatment this week on his hamstring injury.
The Ballysteen man was a doubt for the Tipperary game, but came through a late fitness test. He was replaced 10 minutes from full time by Lorcan O’Dwyer.
One player that looks likely to have no further involvement this season is Mike Crowley. The Monaleen man departed the panel in the days before the Tipperary game and it appears he will not be rejoining the panel.
Mickey Ned and management will be hoping that a number of their squad come through this weekend’s round of county hurling championship games injury free.
O’Sullivan believes that the pain of relegation in the National Football League was the catalyst for Limerick’s win in Thurles.
“The lads knew that they weren’t that bad and they were determined to show what they could do,” explained O’Sullivan in reference to the league relegation.
“That’s part and parcel of being involved in football,” said the manager of the criticism after the league. You are going to get stick and you have to turn it into a positive”.
Limerick raced from the blocks and were 1-8 to 1-1 ahead at half time with Tipperary’s goal coming in injury time in the first half as Limerick dominated.
Then all went wrong as the lead was down to two points entering the final quarter.
“That was an outstanding first half - perhaps we were too far ahead at half time, the intensity begins to drop. Tipperary gathered momentum and that is very hard to stop. At half time the big danger is to get lads head right because we went in with a similar lead in Kilmallock in the league and within 20 minutes Tipperary had it down so we were very conscious of that.”
The Munster final will take place on July 5. If its Limerick v Kerry, the venue would be the Gaelic Grounds, while a Limerick v Cork final would be in Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Jerome O’Connell

Pain of relegation proved a catalyst for Limerick

THE pain of relegation in the National Football League was the catalyst for Limerick’s Munster senior football championship win in Thurles yesterday, according to manager Mickey Ned O’Sullivan.
Management and players came under fire after relegation to the bottom tier of the NFL, but they bounced back in Semple Stadium on Sunday to book a provincial semi-final against Clare in Ennis.
“The lads knew that they weren’t that bad and they were determined to show what they could do,” explained O’Sullivan in reference to the league relegation.
“Thats part and parcel of being involved in football,” said the manager of the criticism.
He added: “You are going to get stick and you have to turn it into a positive”.
Limerick raced from the blocks and were 1-8 to 1-1 ahead at half time with Tipperary’s goal coming in injury time in the first half as Limerick dominated.
Then all went wrong as the lead was down to two points entering the final quarter.
“That was an outstanding first half – perhaps we were too far ahead at half time, the intensity begins to drop. Tipperary gathered momentum and that is very hard to stop,” surmised the Limerick manager.
“At half time the big danger is to get lads head right because we went in with a similar lead in Kilmallock in the league and within 20 minutes Tipperary had it down so we were very conscious of that.”
Unlike the league loss, Limerick maintained composure for a two-point win.
“In the last 10 minutes they upped the intensity again and showed great level heads,” said the manager.
With Limerick on the backfoot a Stephen Lucey finally opened Limerick’s account 19 minutes into the second half.
“I think that was the most important score of the second half from our point of view – he has great spirit and his lifted the team at the time,” recalled Mickey Ned.
“I thought it was an exceptionally good game if you compare it to last year in Fermoy, which was the worst game in history. It was an excellent game of football, right up to the final whistle.”
Clare now stand between Limerick and a first Munster final since 2003.
“Championship football is championship football – it doesn’t matter the opposition,” said O’Sullivan’s as he dismissed the opinion that Limerick will be favoured.
“Clare will have the advantage – they have had us in their sights for six months, while we had Tipp. They have the benefit of seeing our strengths and our weaknesses. Clare will be very tough –they have had the benefit of dissecting us and looking at us.”

Jerome O'Connell

Kelly ruled out of Tipp clash

SPEEDY attacker Stephen Kelly has been ruled out of Limerick’s Munster senior football championship quarter-final against Tipperary on Sunday week.
The Newcastle West man underwent an operation this Wednesday to have a pin inserted in his hand after he sustained a broken bone while playing for Shannon in rugby’s All-Ireland League final last Saturday in Thomond Park.
The sporting all-rounder sustained the injury to his right hand towards the end of the second half in the win over Clontarf.


Kelly was due to play with his native Newcastle West within hours of the rugby final, but the hand injury prevented him from lining out with the Magpies in the Limerick’s Live 95FM sponsored county senior football championship win over Claughaun.
Limerick senior football manager Mickey Ned O’Sullivan has confirmed that Kelly will miss the May 24 clash with John Evan’s league champions in Semple Stadium Thurles: “We won’t know until after the operation how long exactly he will be out for, but Stephen will certainly miss the Tipperary game.”
Kelly missed last week’s challenge game against Wexford, but was expected to be in contention for a starting berth at wing-forward.
Adding to the concerns of Mickey Ned and selectors; Joe Redington and Paddy Ivess are injuries to Ballysteen defensive pair Shane Gallagher and Pa Ranahan.
Ranahan is suffering with a hamstring strain and was unable to play for his club in last weekend’s championship win over Adare. Gallagher did play in that game, but sustained a shoulder injury.
Both are set to receive treatment for the next week in the hope that they will be available for selection when Limerick announce their team after training on Tuesday night next.
“We have a few niggling injuries as always, but we would be hopeful that everyone will make it - except of course for Stephen,” said Mickey Ned O’Sullivan.
Limerick and Tipperary had very different league campaigns - Limerick were relegated from Division Three while Tipperary were crowned champions.
Still the bookies have marked up Limerick as 10/11 favourites with John Evans’ side available at 11/10.
Ahead of the Tipperary game on Sunday week, which has a 3.30pm start, the Munster Council have unveiled a new cost-saving ticket package. By purchasing a ticket package, supporters will receive a €10 discount on the admission price. The package will be available for a charge of €40 and entitle the holder to entry to the football game on May 24 and to the Limerick v Waterford Munster senior hurling championship sem-final on June 14.
Justin McCarthy will continue with preparations for the provincial hurling semi-final with a challenge game against Cork this Saturday evening (7pm). The game will take place in Castletownroche to mark the official opening of their new club facilities.

Jerome O’Connell