Goals key again as Limerick advance in Tailteann Cup

Limerick 2-14
London 0-10

Two first-half goals, in the dying embers of the opening thirty-five minutes were the platform for Limerick to get back-to-back wins and advance to the last 12 of the 2024 Tailteann Cup. A double scores win suggests, rightly, that Limerick were comfortable at Parnell Park.

Jimmy Lee’s men held all the aces and were firmly in control when Danny Neville marked his return to the starting XV with an instinctive volleyed goal. The Ballysteen man was central to the second goal, as Paul Maher finished of an Emmet Rigter pass, set up by Neville’s defence opening run.

While the pacy forward was key, so too were earlier points from Cathal Downes, who kicked four in the first half. While his efficiency dropped in the second period, there was further scores from Peter Nash, Barry Coleman and Rigter.

Limerick led 2-8 to 0-6 at half-time with London’s long kick-outs their main route to goal. Points from Shay Rafter and Michael Carroll kept them ticking, but they never believed they could add to a first championship win in 11 years. They achieved that feat against Offaly in May, but were too porous against a rejuvenated Treaty side.

Limerick did play for 10 minutes without Neville who was blackcarded but the experience of Josh Ryan, Iain Corbett, Tony McCarthy and sub Tommy Griffin helped them maintain a steady lead.

The wait is now for the draw, which takes place in the coming days, Limerick will be at home to one of the sides who finished third, or New York. The American side were automatically in the knockout stages.

Limerick were defeated in the quarter-final of this competition in June of last season, missing out to Laois.

Scorers for Limerick:  Cathal Downes, Peter Nash (0-2 frees) 0-4 each; Danny Neville 1-1; Paul Maher 1-0; Barry Coleman 0-2; Josh Ryan (free); Emmet Rigter, Brian Aherne 0-1 each.
 
Scorers for London: Michael Carroll 0-3; Shay Raferty (0-2 frees), Daniel Clarke 0-2 each; Aidan McLoughlin, Eoin Walsh, Ciaran Driver (free) 0-1 each.
 
Limerick: Josh Ryan; Cormac Woulfe, Séan O’Dea, Paul Maher; Barry Coleman, Cillian Fahy, Tony McCarthy; Tommy Childs, Iain Corbett; Emmett Rigter, James Naughton, Cathal Downes; Danny Neville, Robbie Childs, Peter Nash.  

Subs:  Bryan Nix for Naughton (50); Jim Liston for Maher (55)
 
London: Andrew Walsh; Daire Rooney, Cahir Healy, Eoin Walsh (C); Oran Kerr, Ciaran McKeon, Aidan McLoughlin; Joshua Obahor, Michael Carroll; Stephen Dornan, Daniel Clare, Ciaran Diver; Ruairi Rafferty, Shay Rafter, Nathan McElwaine. 
 
Subs: DJ O’Flaherty for Dornan (54);

Referee: David Murnane (Cork)