Limerick minor hurlers season is over after heavy defeat to Kilkenny

Limerick’s minor hurlers are out of the All-Ireland series after suffering a 3-22 to 1-12 defeat to Kilkenny in their Quarter Final Round 3 game at Semple Stadium.

Antoin Power’s side had no answer to Kilkenny’s powerful end to the first half in which they hit 1-4 without reply in in the final five minutes of the opening half hour.

Jack Morrissey’s goal helped the Cats into a 1-11 to 0-8 lead at the break with Limerick heavily reliant on the free taking abilities of Cathal O’Neill.

However, Kilkenny managed to get more score scores from play with Jack Buggy, Morrissey and Jamie Harkin sending over fine points in the first half.

O’Neill kept Limerick in touch from placed balls but Morrissey’s goal knocked their confidence and Kilkenny landed the first five points in the second half to extend their advantage to 11 points.

That lead proved too much to claw back and things got even worse for Limerick as Morrissey and Killian Hogan added further Kilkenny goals as the game drew to a close.

Bryan Nix came off the bench to score a superb goal but it proved to be scant consolation for a Limerick side whose season ends with their heads held high after Munster wins against Tipperary, Cork and Clare.

Scorers – Limerick: Cathal O’Neill 0-8 (8fs), Bryan Nix 1-0, Emmet McEvoy, Barry O’Connor, Cormac Ryan and Cian Casey 0-1 each.

Scorers – Kilkenny: Jack Morrissey 2-2, Conor Kelly 0-8 (8f), Killian Hogan 1-1, Jack Buggy 0-3, Ciaran Brennan and Cian Kenny 0-2 each, George Murphy, Cathal O’Leary, Jamie Harkin and Dan Coogan 0-1 each.

Limerick: Bryan Heavey; Padraig Harnett, Ben Herlihy, Michael Keane; Eoin O’Mahony, Emmett McEvoy, Jack Nicholas; Patrick Kirby, Barry O’Connor; Michael Martin, Cormac Ryan, Kyran O’Donnell; Cathal O’Neill, Bob Purcell, Andrew Shanahan; Subs: Colin Coughlan for Kirby (26 mins), Jimmy Quilty for Martin (40 mins), Bryan Nix for Shanahan (42 mins), Cian Casey for O’Connor (50 mins), Diarmuid Hegarty for Purcell (50 mins).

Kilkenny: Jason Brennan; Padraig Dempsey, Jamie Young, Dylan Crehan; Darragh Maher, Shane Staunton, Jamie Harkin; Conor Kelly, Cian Kenny; Jack Morrissey, Ciaran Brennan, George Murphy; Cathal O’Leary, Dan Coogan, Jack Buggy; Subs: Killian Hogan for O’Leary (47 mins), Eoin Guilfoyle for Coogan (50 mins), Padraic Moylan for Morrissey (57 mins), Harry Walsh for Harkin (57), Davod Fogarty for Maher (57).

Referee: Shane Hynes (Galway)