Kiely’s Top 10 | #2 | A game for the ages as Limerick edge out Clare for four-in-a-row

The series continues with our runner up and most recent game on the list, an enthralling Munster final win over Clare.

With John Kiely reaching 30 championship games in charge of Limerick, it seems fitting to reflect on some of the best that the Shannonsiders have produced under the Galbally native.

Those 30 games have yielded 22 wins at a 73% strike rate. That has also equated to three All-Ireland titles in four years as well as four successive Munster titles.

Limerick completed the four in a row in the province this year which books Limerick’s place in the All-Ireland semi-finals for a fifth successive season.

The defending champions return to action on 3 July and with a four week break, we look back on some of Limerick’s best days under Kiely.

Already we have looked at the latter half of Kiely’s best games in charge and some notable omissions.

Notable Omissions

#10, #9, #8, #7, #6

#5, #4, #3,

The countdown reaches the penultimate stage with the most recent game of Kiely’s tenure, the epic Munster final win over Clare.

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#2

Limerick 1-29 : 0-29 Clare (AET)

Munster Senior Hurling Final | 5 June 2022 in Semple Stadium Thurles

A game for the ages was the general consensus to emerge from Limerick’s Munster final win over Clare earlier this month as Kiely’s men needed extra-time to see off a spirited Banner outfit.

But in the end, as it has so often been the case, Limerick were the ones left standing in Thurles as they made it four in a row in the Munster championship.

Even with injuries to All-Star Peter Casey and Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch, Limerick were the dominant team in additional time to seal a 1-29 to 0-29 victory.

Clare made the early running in Semple Stadium with Tony Kelly, a Peter Duggan sideline and Ryan Taylor helping them to an early 0-3 to 0-0 advantage.

Limerick, however, were soon back in the game with scores from Aaron Gillane and Seamus Flanagan before Tom Morrissey levelled the game for the first time.

It was nip and tuck after that with Flanagan and Diarmaid Byrnes twice putting Limerick in front but they were pegged back by Kelly and Taylor.

Scores from Kelly and Taylor had Clare three to the good for the second time but again they were pegged back after a delightful Limerick goal saw Morrissey free Gearoid Hegarty who showed ingenuity to find the net.

That had the game at 1-9 to 0-12 closing in on the half hour mark as the sides exchanged the next four scores for a stalemate at the half.

David Fitzgerald gave Clare the advantage after the restart to which Cathal O’Neill to. This back and forth continued as Limerick slowly began to assert themself.

Scores from Flanagan and Darragh O’Donovan gave the Treaty a first two point lead with a quarter of an hour to play.

But Clare replied with three of their own from Fitzgerald, Kelly and Duggan before Flanagan had the sides level for the 13th time.

Gillane had Limerick ahead with a double but Duggan was on hand to bring the teams level heading into injury time.

Declan Hannon looked to have won it with an inspirational score with time running out, the Adare man firing over from 100 yards.

But from a sideline at a very acute angle, Kelly ensured extra-time with a beautiful strike.

Gillane and Flanagan continued where they left off in the first period of extra-time to move Limerick three in front, the latter getting his eighth point of the day.

Tony Kelly responded to make it a two point game heading into second half where scores from David Reidy and William O’Donoghue kept Limerick at arms length as they secured a first four in a row since the 1930s.

Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane (0-10, 7f); Seamus Flanagan (0-8); Gearoid Hegarty (1-0); Tom Morrissey (0-3); Cathal O’Neill (0-2); Diarmaid Byrnes (f), Darragh O’Donovan, Declan Hannon, Conor Boylan, David Reidy, Will O’Donoghue (0-1 each).

Scorers for Clare: Tony Kelly (0-13, 5f, 1/sl); David Fitzgerald (0-5); Peter Duggan (0-4, 3f, 1/s/l); Ryan Taylor, (0-3); Mark Rodgers (0-2, 1f); Ian Galvin, Shane Meehan (0-1 each).

Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Barry Nash, Sean Finn, Mike Casey; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey; William O’Donoghue, Darragh O’Donovan; Gearoid Hegarty, Cathal O’Neill, Tom Morrissey; Kyle Hayes, Aaron Gillane, Seamus Flanagan
Subs: Richie English for Casey (56, inj), David Reidy for O’Neill (57), Graeme Mulcahy for O’Donovan (63), Conor Boylan for T. Morrissey (64), Oisin O’Reilly for Hegarty (87).

Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Rory Hayes, Conor Cleary, Paul Flanagan; Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney; Cathal Malone, Ryan Taylor; David Fitzgerald, Peter Duggan, Shane O’Donnell; Ian Galvin, Tony Kelly, David Reidy
Subs: Shane Meehan for Galvin (55), Robin Mounsey for Reidy (63), Cian Nolan for Flanagan (69, inj), Mark Rodgers for Ryan (70), Reidy for O’Donnell (83), Patrick Crotty for Duggan (86), Shane Golden for Kelly (87, inj).

Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow).

Watch the Full-Time Highlights of Clare v Limerick in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final here on #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/2cCWZ0EYeE

— The GAA (@officialgaa) June 5, 2022