Limerick boss John Kiely savours smash and grab win in Ennis

'We did as much as we could in the last month but there's only so much you can do if you've got injuries on board.'

On a day when Limerick were so wasteful, there was a certain irony in the game turning on yet another ‘miss’.

Diarmaid Byrnes is the highest scoring defender in Championship history but had fluffed each of his four frees when he stood over a fifth in the 60th minute, some 65 metres out.

His strike lacked conviction and flew low but, as Aaron Gillane and Conor Cleary grappled in front of goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan, with more than a hint of a square ball, the ball landed in the net.

READ MORE:'Three shocking goals' Clare boss Brian Lohan on late collapse

Limerick had already built something of a head of steam at that stage by pearing the deficit back from nine points they trailed by after 53 minutes, but now it was just three and the momentum of the game was now running very much in their favour, decisively so as it turned out.

The switch of Gearoid Hegarty to the inside line was also crucial. With Limerick’s play suddenly finding a level of fluency that had been elusive for much of the afternoon, they were able to make the most of the space in the Clare defence and Hegarty made his side’s second goal for sub Donncha Ó Dálaigh in the 65th minute, another which Quilligan should have kept out, before Gillane finished his effort that came off the post in their next attack.

Referee Colm Lyons consulted with his umpires before awarding the goal amid further square ball suspicions but, whatever about Limerick’s first goal, the right call was made here with Gillane just outside the small square when Hegarty got his shot off.

In just 13 minutes, Limerick had come from nine down to lead by four to shock the home support in the sellout 20,055 crowd at Cusack Park.

Clare had introduced Tony Kelly before the goal rush but got no bounce, bar a point from their talisman which ended a 10-minute scoring lull but they lacked the energy to retrieve the situation at that stage and Limerick saw it out comfortably in the end.

They had trailed by five points at half-time having shot 10 wides to Clare’s four, though the home side had also been denied two goals by Nickie Quaid, who saved from Mark Rodgers and David Reidy, while Clare also dropped a further two point efforts short.

Limerick boss John Kiely contested the notion that his side had played below par for the first three quarters, however.

“We just didn't execute our chances well enough. We maybe didn't close the gap between ourselves and the goal and then take the shot. Just a small few bits and pieces.

“But a number of our players hadn't a huge amount of game-time during the spring. We've had a number of injuries and they're just coming back into it, so it was always going to be a case today that it was to be expected maybe that some of our decision-making and execution was going to need sharpening.

“We did as much as we could in the last month but there's only so much you can do if you've got injuries on board."

Discipline was an issue for Limerick too. Having started the game well, they led by 0-4 to 0-2 after seven minutes, with Clare probably flattered by the deficit at that stage.

But a series of frees from Aidan McCarthy helped to give Clare a foothold - by the end of the half he had converted seven - and Shane O’Donnell, drafted into the side along with Rory Hayes and David McInerney, had a big second quarter, scoring his first point in the 20th minute before eluding Dan Morrissey and laying on the opening goal for McCarthy just before the half-hour mark.

By half-time it was 1-11 to 0-9 and Limerick were still in touch, but they had fallen well adrift after scoring just 0-1 in the third quarter as Clare romped nine clear.

Four Limerick points in as many minutes brought it back to five before McCarthy pushed Clare six clear but, by the time they scored again 10 minutes later, they were chasing it.

And now they’re chasing their season. The last quarter meltdown sends them to Pairc Ui Chaoimh next Sunday realistically needing a win to stay afloat. Another defeat there and they’ll bring their flagging hopes to Thurles against Tipperary three weeks later.

To be fair, they turned it around in similar circumstances 12 months ago, winning three on the spin after an opening day defeat at home to Tipp.

“It’s the exact same as last year,” said Banner boss Brian Lohan. “A very poor display from us last year but we can take a lot of positives from last year as well, but a very poor result.”

After five years in charge, the coming week may well define Lohan’s Clare reign.

CLARE: Eibhear QUILLIGAN 6; Adam HOGAN 7, Conor CLEARY 7, Rory HAYES 6; Diarmuid RYAN 7, John CONLON 8, David McINERNEY 6; Cathal MALONE 5, Darragh LOHAN 5; David FITZGERALD (0-2) 7, Mark RODGERS (0-2) 6, Peter DUGGAN 7; David REIDY 5, Shane O’DONNELL (0-1) 8, Aidan McCARTHY (1-10, 0-8f) 8.

Subs: Seadna Morey (0-1) for Lohan (HT), Tony Kelly (0-2, 0-1f) for Reidy (55), Paul Flanagan for Hayes (59), Shane Meehan for Rodgers (62), Aron Shanagher for Fitzgerald (69).

LIMERICK: Nickie QUAID 8; Mike CASEY N/A, Dan MORRISSEY 6, Barry NASH 7; Diarmaid BYRNES (1-0f) 6, Declan HANNON 7, Kyle HAYES (0-1) 7; Will O’DONOGHUE 5, Cian LYNCH (0-1) 7; Gearoid HEGARTY (0-3) 8, Tom MORRISSEY 5, Cathal O’NEILL (0-2) 7; Seamus FLANAGAN 5, Aaron GILLANE (1-5, 0-5f) 6, David REIDY (0-2) 7.

Subs: Sean Finn for Casey (6), Donncha Ó Dálaigh (1-1) for Flanagan (45), Conor Boylan for Tom Morrissey (49), Adam English for O’Donoghue (60), Aidan O’Connor for Gillane (68).

REFEREE: Colm Lyons (Cork).

QUOTE ME ON THAT

“Three shocking goals from our perspective. They happen sometimes and they happened to us and we have to respond to it now, see if we can.”

Clare manager, Brian Lohan.

STAR MAN - Gearoid Hegarty (Limerick)

A steady stream of scores from Hegarty helped to keep Limerick in touch in the first half and his move to the full-forward line was critical, with key involvements in two goals.

AN OTHER - Tony Kelly (Clare)

The Clare talisman made his first appearance of the season on 55 minutes with his side seven points up. The anticipated bounce didn’t materialise as Limerick took took over.

UP NEXT

CLARE: Cork (a), April 28.

LIMERICK: Tipperary (h), April 28.

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