Limerick Colin the shots in shootout
Ryan hits winning free in a historic League encounter decided at 65 metre line
AS IF to make up for the disruption and postponements due to another snowfall, Clare versus Limerick was the hurling gift that kept on giving.
setting, On a novel both sets Bank of Holiday players produced Monday a rollicking that packed rollercoaster every sort ride of of drama a contest into That 100-plus it ended minutes. with a historic freetaking League shootout match to — be the decided first in National such a way feel — only of it added all. to the slightly surreal
recorded In the end, in Colin time Ryan’s as part name of the will fine be
print. Not only did he cut over the sideline ball to bring Limerick level and force the first period of extra-time, he stood up and split the posts in the free-taking shootout from the 65-metre line, to ensure Limerick won it in sudden death Until 7-6. the point where Clare substitute just before Niall Deasy him, this tailed unique his effort affair wide had a never-ending players feel unerring to it, the five under nominated pressure.
With the League scheduling already out of whack due to the recent unseasonal weather, this free-taking contest after a second bout of extra-time was to ensure the game finished on the day.
Yet the winners will now have a fortnight off given that the fixture of their semi-final opponents — either Dublin or Tipperary — couldn’t go ahead due to the snow.
When normal time couldn’t separate the sides (Limerick 3-16 Clare 0-25), nor a regular period of extra-time (Limerick 4-18 Clare 0-30), nor a second period of extra-time (Limerick 421 Clare 0-33), five players were nominated for the shootout.
Up stepped Peter Duggan to score first. Added to his incredible haul up to that point, it counted as his 20th score of the day.
Aaron Gillane, who plundered two goals in clinical fashion for Limerick to continue his impressive spring form, replied in kind. Then Niall Deasy’s score was matched by Colin Ryan. David Reidy’s by Diarmuid Byrnes. Ian Galvin’s by Limerick’s David Reidy.
So when Jamie Shanahan scored to make it 5-4, Tom Morrissey needed to do the same or it was Clare into the semi-final. He slotted it.
And so it was a sudden-death rollover with the same order of five free-takers, Deasy finally blinking and Colin Ryan hitting the winner. the After who middle giving had gathered of everything, the field, out the around shook players hands they had and been embraced, part of knowing an epic afternoon remembered of hurling for plenty that of will other be reasons besides. Peter Duggan’s tour-de-force, from placed balls and then from open play. The magic of Tony Kelly, who
pinged six points from play. Gillane’s coming of age. Byrnes’ late, late free through a thicket of bodies to force a second period of extra-time when it looked like Clare had won it. In a similar pattern to the promotion decider against Galway, John Kiely’s team suffered from a slow start, going nine down, just as they did against the All-Ireland champions in the first half. For similar reasons too. It was as if each member of the forward line was auditioning in a wides contest, most sliding away past the same left post. Seamus Flanagan, Gillane, Tom Morrissey and Kyle Hayes were all guilty parties, the count of misplaced shots hitting eight by the break.
That went some way to explaining why Limerick trailed 0-11 to 0-2 after 23 minutes.
Aaron Gillane’s emphatic kick to the net revitalised Limerick and his free-taking closed the gap to three by half-time (0-14 to 1-8) before his second-half goal on 55 minutes helped his side into a lead.
Conor McGrath had a goal disallowed before that and Gillane then added a second, improvising brilliantly to flick the ball to the net off the stick before goalkeeper Donal Tuohy could get the block in.
It became the Peter Duggan show in the main from there until the end of normal time for the Banner men.
One monster free on the hour mark, from 10 metres inside his own 65, into the breeze, drew gasps from the crowd.
Confidence up, he then cut another brilliant score from the halfway line, his first from play, and after Pat Ryan goaled for Limerick, his metronomic striking edged Clare back ahead until Colin Ryan stuck over a glorious sideline.
Tony Kelly’s influence was part of the reason Clare looked like they had it victory in the bag until the very end of extra-time, Byrnes somehow finding a gap to find the net from a free to force a second bout.
As players tired, John Conlon looked like he had won it again only for Gillane to point a free and send it to a shootout that nobody in the crowd at the Gaelic Grounds, or watching at home, will forget in a hurry. CLARE: D Tuohy; P O’Connor, C Cleary, J Browne; S Morey (J Shanahan 61), D McInerney, D Fitzgerald; C Galvin (I Galvin 52, R Taylor 90), T Kelly (M O’Malley 95); C Malone (P Collins 68, N Deasy 99), J Conlon, D Reidy (J McCarthy 64); C McGrath (C McInerney 58), P Duggan, S O’Donnell. Scorers: P Duggan 0-19 (15f, 2 ’65), T Kelly 0-6, D Reidy, J Conlon 0-2, C Galvin, C McGrath, D Fitzgerald, S O’Donnell 0-1. Yellow card: J Browne 16, D McInerney 26, C Cleary 46, T Kelly 47, P Collins 90, D Fitzgerald 94 Wides: 5 (5); 0 (0) LIMERICK: N Quaid; S Finn, S Hickey (R McCarthy 79), R English; D Byrnes, D Hannon, D Morrissey; P Browne (C Ryan 51), C Lynch; G Hegarty, K Hayes (D Reidy 63), T Morrissey; A Gillane, S Flanagan (O O’Reilly 87), B Murphy (P Ryan 54). Scorers: A Gillane 2-11 (0-11f), P Ryan 1-0, D Byrnes 1-1 (1-1f), C Ryan 0-3 (1 s-l), G Hegarty 0-2, T Morrissey, P Browne, C Lynch, S Flanagan 0-1. Yellow card: G Hegarty 16, D Byrnes 21, K Hayes 28, C Lynch 47, D Hannon, A Gillane 98 Wides: 8 (2); 6 (4) Referee: A Kelly (Galway).