GAA
Limerick have been beaten at the semi final stage of the All-Ireland after falling to a one-point defeat to Kilkenny at Croke Park.
The Cats had a blistering opening to the game and led 1-7 to 0-2 after 14 minutes but Limerick came back to trail by just three at the break thanks to Aaron Gillane’s goal from a penalty.
Brian Cody’s men kept their composure in the second half and led five in the final stages but Shane Dowling’s goal gave Limerick hope of a late comeback.
It was not to be, however, for John Kiely’s men as they could never get level with Kilkenny.
TJ Reid opened the scoring for Kilkenny in the opening minute with a free from midfield and the same man doubled their advantage moments later with another placed ball from long range.
Walter Walsh then copper fastened Kilkenny’s strong start with their first score from play in the fourth minute.
A nervous Limerick followed up with wides from Graeme Mulcahy and Diarmaid Byrnes, before Aaron Gillane fired over their first point on seven minutes.
Reid was in flying form in the early stages and a sideline cut put them 0-4 to 0-1 ahead after eight minutes.
The Cats were firmly on top in the opening 10 minutes and further scores from Walsh and Adrian Mullen saw them five up and in control.
Graeme Mulcahy then got Limerick’s second point of the game but a Padraig Walsh point saw Kilkenny five points clear again.
Things got even worse for Limerick on 14 minutes when Colin Fennelly caught a high delivery and powered his way past Sean Finn to score the game’s opening goal.
A Reid free then put Kilkenny nine clear before Gillane fired over his second point of the game.
Peter Casey then got on the scoresheet after a quick sideline cut by Gearoid Hegarty. That left the score at 1-8 to 0-4 after 20 minutes.
Excellent work from William O’Donoghue set up Mulcahy for his second score of the game moments later but another Reid free put Kilkenny seven ahead once more.
Reid pointed another free on 24 minutes but it was immediately cancelled out by an excellent Gillane score directly from the puck out.
The same two men popped over points again soon after to leave the score at 1-11 to 0-7 in Kilkenny’s favour in the lead up to half time.
A Gillane free brought the deficit back to five on 32 minutes but Limerick hit four wides in the lead up to half time.
However, Limerick were to get a goal at the end of the half after Huw Lawlor was adjudged to have held back Gillane.
The Patrickswell marksman stepped up and buried his shot past Eoin Murphy to cut Kilkenny’s lead to two points.
Richie Hogan responded for the Cats to leave the score at 1-12 to 1-9 at the end of a pulsating first half.
Limerick captain Declan Hannon did not come out for the second half due to injury and was replaced by Barry Nash, with Dan Morrissey moving to centre back.
Fennelly got scoring underway in the second half but Gillane’s sixth of the game immediately cancelled that out.
A long range Diarmaid Byrnes free put two between the teams but Reid soon restored Kilkenny’s advantage with yet another score from a placed ball.
Two Gillane frees then cut the gap to just one point but an Adrian Mullen point from play saw The Cats 1-15 to 1-13 ahead after 10 minutes of the second half.
Kilkenny held that advantage going into the final quarter but Fennelly, after a sublime pass by Reid, put them up by three again.
Mullen and then Fennelly again stretched that lead to five as the game entered the final 10 minutes.
Limerick were given a lifeline six minutes from the end when a Kilkenny turnover in defence saw John Kiely’s men on the attack and Shane Dowling flicked a brilliant effort into the corner from Hayes’s pass.
Another sub, David Reidy, then put one between the teams to leave the score at 2-16 to 1-20 with three minutes of regular time remaining.
James Maher gave Kilkenny a two point advantage early in added time after Byrnes missed a long range free.
Reidy then a glorious chance to give Limerick the lead with a goal chance but his low show was brilliantly stopped by Murphy.
Byrnes sent over the resultant ’65 to put just a solitary score between the sides with three minutes of added time to play.
Limerick had one final chance to level the scores through a Darragh O’Donovan sideline but the ball was well off target.
With that wide, Limerick’s 15th of the afternoon, Treaty dreams of a second All-Ireland in a row ended with a defeat on a 1-21 to 2-17 scoreline.
Scorers: Aaron Gillane 1-9 (1-0 pen, 6f), Shane Dowling 1-0, Graeme Mulcahy and Diarmaid Byrnes (1f, 1 ’65) 0-2 each, Peter Casey, Tom Morrissey, Barry Nash and David Reidy 0-1 each.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Mike Casey, Richie English; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey; Cian Lynch, William O’Donoghue; Gearoid Hegarty, Kyle Hayes, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Graeme Mulcahy, Peter Casey;
Subs: Barry Nash for Hannon (h-t), Shane Dowling for Hegarty (55), Darragh O’Donovan for O’Donoghue (58), David Reidy for Tom Morrissey (64), Pat Ryan for Peter Casey (67).
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