Limerick Post Sports Blog all the sports not fit to print

Limerick Out Foxed in Munster Final

Saturday the 24th of July is the date set for the last set of qualifiers and Limerick will enter the back door as losing provincial finalists, which means that Seanie Buckley’s led men are now in the last 12 of the Sam Maguire hunt.
The talk before the game was that moral victories were now useless to Limerick football. Several players on the team have now lost four Munster football finals. Close is never enough. Particularly when you have to wait 114 years for a chance. Speaking after the game, Limerick manager Mickey Ned O’Sullivan was confident his players would bounce back, “This Limerick side is now a serious outfit and we know we can beat anyone. We showed here today that last season was not a fluke. You always know that these lads will never lie down. They have tremendous character and they will be back”
When asked if the challenge to get the players back up for the qualifiers was going to be hard, the Kerry native sung the praises of man of the match John Galvin and also added that no matter where you come from you can win a title. “John Galvin is an amazing leader and player. He leads by example. The lads have big hearts and it doesn’t matter where you come from. If you have the right set of lads together and they believe in themselves, then it doesn’t matter what county you play for. There is a great tradition in Limerick, there is a great sporting tradition in the county and these lads will definitely be back.
In the aftermath of the game Limerick supporters were entitled to feel aggrieved at some of the refereeing decisions on the day. Westmeath referee Pat Fox even gave a free when two Kerry players fell on top of each other. The defeat was hard enough to take for Limerick, but when the TV replays show Tomas O’Se striking Stephen Kelly at least twice, the bitter pill of defeat to Kerry was even harder to take. Especially when Tomas O’Se did not even receive a booking. The misery for Shannonsiders was even more compounded when the Kerry wing back tacked on a point in the dying minutes to secure Kerry’s lead.
The difference in the end between the teams was guile and experience. Kerry have not won 73 Munster titles for nothing and with the game in the balance the class of the Kerry forwards shone through. Limerick were unlucky. The side did not lack in effort. The day ebbded away from them before they could get a shot at glory and in the end, the Fox of a ref and the cunning of Kerry left Limerick wondering what might have been once more.

Hurlers
Finally, this weekend the Limerick hurlers take on Offaly in the All Ireland qualifiers. The game throws in at 7pm in Tullamore, this Saturday evening. Limerick have kept their preparation for this game under wraps and with this game being a knock out tie, all is to play for. Rumours are rife that if Limerick were to lose, Justin Mc Carthy would walk away and allow the county board to appoint a new manager for the new season. Of course, should Limerick shock Offaly, then Justin and his charges will be in the last eight of the All Ireland and only three wins away from a first All Ireland since 1973. This game is not being covered live on TV, however highlights of the match will be shown on the Sunday Game.

Limerick: G Collins 0-5 (0-2f), J Galvin 1-2, J Ryan, B Scanlon (0-2f) 0-2 each, S Buckley, J O’Donovan, S Kelly all 0-1 each.

Limerick -- B Scanlon; M O’Riordan, S Lucey, J McCarthy, S Lavin, A Lane, P Ranahan; J O’Donovan, J Galvin, P Browne, S Kelly, S Buckley, G Collins, I Ryan, J Ryan. Subs: J Mullane for Browne (39), S Gallagher for Lane (45), E Joy for Buckley (57), E O’Connor for Kelly (62), S O’Carroll for Ryan (70).