Resilient Limerick, Scorers Aplenty & Survival Hopes | Talking Points after Limerick’s draw with Meath

The draw in the TUS Gaelic Grounds ensures safety is still in their own hands after their final two opponents suffered another pair of losses.

A draw was certainly the fair result between Limerick and Meath in the fifth round of the National Football League over the weekend as both took a step towards safety. After a pair of losses, Meath look safe now with another couple of points in the final rounds enough to guarantee safety. Limerick maintained their survival hopes in their own hands with the point in the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

It was a topsy-turvey contest that could have gone either way but both sides will be pleased with their performances ahead of a week break prior to the concluding rounds.

We take a look at some of the talking points to emerge from the contest below.

Resilient Limerick

The first half couldn’t have gone much better for Limerick who were four to the good at the break and dominating in all sectors. The full back line of Sean O’Dea, Brian Fanning and Michael Donovan were not only completely on top in their defensive duels but a constant outlet going forward with Limerick bettering their tally in Pairc Ui Chaoimh by a distance in the first 35 minutes.

Yet, that good work was wiped out inside ten minutes of the restart, Matthew Costello goaling and then pointing to bring the sides all square in the 46th minute. Jordan Morris had them in the lead for the first time in a half hour shortly after. But the Limerick response came from Brian Donovan and Cathal Downes. Adrian Enright and James Naughton pointed to give the hosts a two point cushion with just over ten to play. Again Meath hit the front through a goal that had them two in front but Limerick showed their resilience to draw level in the 69th minute and again in the 71st.

And for a team, who had lost four on the bounce, the most recent a 24-point drubbing at the hands of a Munster rival, Limerick showed tremendous heart to continue battling until the very end. Meath had chances to win it, but so did Limerick, twice opting for points when through on goal. It is the resilience that will give Limerick heart going into the final two rounds where they will know that wins are a must.

But if they can repeat the performance of the draw with Meath, they will certainly be in with a shout.

Spread of scorers

The seventeen scores kicked against Meath was Limerick’s largest tally of the year thus far, bettering the 1-13 notched against Louth in Ardee. What’s more impressive is the fact that just four came from frees, James Naughton converting each of his attempts. Interestingly, neither team scored from a free in the second half with each of the 14 scores coming from play. Cork aside, it continues Limerick’s trend of increasing their tally game on game.

In their opener against Derry, they scored 0-4 which increased to 1-11 against the Dubs. 1-13 was the final tally in Louth while it was reduced to just 0-6 in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Ray Dempsey has spoken each week about “learnings” and playing in the division and it is clear that Limerick are taking those lessons week to week, barring the “embarassing” Cork loss. The players seem to be far more comfortable at this level and that was seen on Sunday with the fact that ten different players got on the scoresheet.

Naughton was one of three to score a brace from play, joining Downes and Donovan in that regard. Cian Sheehan, Cillian Fahy, Adrian Enright, Paul Maher, Davy Lyons, Hugh Bourke and Iain Corbett all chipped in with a score. Indeed, Enright, Maher and Lyons were all introduced with a scoring impact from the bench. Michael Donovan had an effort blocked down while the likes of Tony McCarthy, Colm McSweeney and Brian Fanning have shown their ability to get forward from deep already this year.

That spread of scorers makes Limerick a far more difficult opposition to prepare for as Kildare and Clare will have to do their dilligence in trying to prevent the Shannonsiders building momentum in the final two rounds.

Survival still on offer

And speaking of the final pair of rounds, Limerick now know exactly what’s needed from the clashes with the Lilywhites and the Banner. Limerick are on one point with Kildare and Clare having two to their name. Limerick meet the Leinster outfit on March 19 with Clare the following week. Kildare round out their campaign against Meath at home while Clare have Derry in Owenbeg. Meath’s draw in Limerick has them three clear of Kildare and Clare while Louth and Cork appear to be safe on six points with one more guaranteeing safety.

Two wins for Ray Dempsey’s side will bring them to five and would ensure safety as it would mean that Kildare and Clare can only get to a maximum of four. Conversely, a loss in either will see them relegated. A draw and a win could be enough but they would need results elsewhere to go in their favour and with a sizeable margin in the scoring difference (Limerick -47, Clare -13, Kildare -22) it would be a tall ask.

But the draw in the TUS Gaelic Grounds ensures safety is still in their own hands after their final two opponents suffered another pair of losses.

And if recent years are anything to go by, Limerick have often saved their best for last. In 2022, Billy Lee’s men left it late in Portlaoise to bring promotion chances to the final day before putting in their performance of the season against Fermanagh. The previous year, Limerick beat Wicklow in Aughrim in their penultimate league game to qualify for the semi-finals where they had a credible performance against Derry. In 2020, they travelled to Markievicz Park to secure promotion to the third tier in the final round.

The majority of that squad is still in tow and they will take heart in their recent league experiences.