Treaty delight Brudair

LIMERICK manager John Brudair praised his side’s mentality after they ended a 12-game losing streak and claimed a qualifier win in Corrigan Park.

Ian Ryan’s goal in the fifth minute, Sean McSweeney’s penalty three minutes later and the goal-line heroics of Donal O’Sullivan set Limerick on their way to this morning’s Round 2B draw, but a poor showing from the home side saw them fail to back up their promotion to Division 3 with a championship win.

Antrim’s Frank Fitzsimmons and Gearoid Adams declined an offer to sift through the defeat afterwards, but Brudair was thrilled with the win after they led 2-2 to 0-6 at half-time.

‘I’m delighted they have got the result. It would have been very easy to hide, but we haven’t hid, and we came up north to a club field and the lads have taken a good result,’ said Brudair. LIMERICK: D O’Sullivan; P Browne, S Cahill, S O’Dea; B Fanning, J McCarthy, P Ranahan; D Treacy, S Buckley; G Noonan, P Nash (P Hannon 63), T Childs (I Corbett 66); S McSweeney, I Ryan (c), H Bourke (E Hogan 50). Scorers: S McSweeney 1-3 (1-0 pen, 3f), I Ryan 1-2 (1f), S Cahill 0-1. ANTRIM: C Kerr; K O’Boyle, J Crozier, R Johnson (P McAleer h-t); P McBride, P Gallagher (C Murray h-t), M Sweeney; S McVeigh (M Johnson 20), M McCann; J Laverty (D McAleese 30), M Fitzpatrick, K Niblock (c); R Murray, N McKeever (T McCann 56), S Burke (J Carron 66). Yellow cards: C Murray 73. Scorers: R Murray (2f), K Niblock (1f), P McBride 0-2; M Fitzpatrick, T McCann (1f), S Burke, 0-1. Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone).

DECLAN ROONEY