Limerick ease past Carlow as attention turns to next weekend.

Limerick got the perfect start with a superb individual goal from Kyle Hayes inside the opening minute. Hayes demonstrated superb poise and individual skill to play the ball over the Carlow defender, re-gather possession and finish past Tracey in the Carlow goal.

Denis Murphy responded with a free on five minutes to make up for an earlier miss and when Eddie Byrne pointed 30 seconds later the gap was down to one.

Limerick were very sluggish in the opening 11 minutes and had Carlow been more economical with their chances, they would deservedly have been in the lead.

The nerves were somewhat settled with a Tom Morrissey point in the 13^thminute to make it a two-point game and when Graeme Mulcahy added a fine point from play it was Limerick 1-2, Carlow 0-2.

Denis Murphy and Gearoid Hegarty then swapped points as both teams started to settle.

Limerick’s second goal came via Graeme Mulcahy who collected a slick offload from Hegarty. His initial shot was saved brilliantly by Tracey but the Kilmallock man was on hand to tap the rebound to the back of the net.

The green flag was raised for the 3^rdtime in the 21^stminute as Aaron Gillane put the head down, went straight through the Carlow defence and fired a rocket to the back of the net.

Three more points from Hegarty and Gillane (2) made it Limerick 3-6 to 0-3 after 23 minutes. Tom Morrissey added his second and Limerick’s7th point of the evening as John Kiely’s side started to apply serious pressure all over the field.

Gillane then added two frees to make it a 14-point game in the 34^thminute as the mercury topped 27degrees. Denis Murphy responded with a pointed free for Carlow to make it Carlow 0-4 Limerick 3-9 at the break.

.⁦@LimerickCLG⁩ in control with a 14 point lead over ⁦@Carlow_GAA⁩ at the break. Limerick munched improved from the opening 10 minutes. #sportlk pic.twitter.com/AxG82lwy8v

— Sporting LK (@SportingLK) July 7, 2018

Cian Lynch got the first score of the second half with a point inside the opening minute while John Michael Nolan responded for Carlow with a fine score from play which was followed up with a Denis Murphy 65.

.@LimerickCLG emerge for the second half. Barry Nash on for Kyle Hayes and Peter Casey on for Mulcahy. #sportlk pic.twitter.com/YYRQju5tAO

— Sporting LK (@SportingLK) July 7, 2018

Peter Casey added his first point of the game as Darragh O’Donovan came on for Kyle Hayes. Seamus Flanagan then added his first of the game to make it Limerick 3-12 Carlow 0-6 on 48 minutes.

O’Donovan made his presence felt with a fine shot from 5o metres out on the left hand sideline. Jack Kavanagh and Peter Casey swapped points but the visitors maintained their stranglehold of the game with a 16 point lead.

A fine Diarmaid Byrnes goal made it 4-14 to 0-7 as Carlow emptied the bench. Chris Nolan slotted Carlow’s 8th point of the game quickly followed up by substitute Seamus Murphy as the McDonagh winners battled gamely.

Seamus Hickey then came on for Declan Hannon who had put in a huge shift at centre back. Diarmuid Byrne scored Carlow’s tenth of the game before Limerick responded with a Tom Morrissey point quickly followed by a Peter Casey goal.

Tom Morrissey, Barry Nash, Diarmaid Byrnes (65) and Gillane all pointed to make it Limerick 5-19 to Carlow 0-10.

Peter Abbey pointed for Carlow before his namesake of the Peter Casey variety added Limerick’s 20th point of the game quickly followed by another Tom Morrissey score from fifty metres.

John Michael Nolan and Peter Abbey addd quality points for Carlow to take their tally to 13 for the evening with 2 minutes injury time signalled by the 4th official.

Limerick would have the last word as Aaron Gillane pointed to make the final score Limerick 5-22, Carlow 0-13. Limerick will know that much bigger challenges lie ahead next weekend with either Galway of Kilkenny next up for John Kiely’s side.

Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane 1-6 (2fs), Peter Casey 1-3, Tom Morrissey 0-5, Graeme Mulcahy 1-1, Diarmuid Byrnes 1-1 (1’65), Kyle Hayes 1-0, Gearoid Hegarty 0-2, Cian Lynch 0-1, Barry Nash 0-1, Seamus Flanagan 0-1, Darragh O’Donovan 0-1,

Scorers for Carlow: Denis Murphy 0-4 (3fs, 1’65), Peter Abbey 0-2, John Michael Nolan 0-2, Edward Byrne 0-1, Jack Kavanagh 0-1, Diamuid Byrne 0-1 (f), Chris Nolan 0-1, Seamus Murphy 0-1.

CARLOW: Brian Tracey; Dion Wall, Paul Doyle, Michael Doyle; Kevin McDonald, David English, Richard Coady; Jack Kavanagh, Diarmuid Byrne (c); John Michael Nolan, Paul Coady, Edward Byrne; James Doyle, Denis Murphy, Chris Nolan.

Subs: Seamus Murphy for Denis Murphy (48), Conor Foley for Paul Coady (53), Ross Smithers for Chris Nolan (56), Eoin Redmond for Michael Doyle (57), Peter Abbey for Edward Byrne (63).

LIMERICK: Nicky Quaid; Mike Casey, Richie McCarthy, Richie English; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey; William O’Donoghue, Cian Lynch; Gearoid Hegarty, Kyle Hayes, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Seamus Flanagan, Graeme Mulcahy.

Subs: Peter Casey for Kyle Hayes (36), Barry Nash for Graeme Mulcahy (36), Darragh O’Donovan for Cian Lynch (46), Sean Finn for Richie English (53), Seamus Hickey for Declan Hannon (58).

REFEREE: John Keenan (Wicklow).