Limerick 1-36 Antrim 1-9
Limerick began their competitive 2024 season off to a superb start with a facile 1-36 to 1-9 victory against Antrim at Semple Stadium. A total of 1-22 from their full forward line propelled John Kiely’s men to a win in their opening Allianz Hurling League fixture.
Adam English landed 0-10, Shane O’Brien 1-5 and Donnacha Ó Dálaigh 0-7 as the full forward line ran riot against a hapless Antrim rear guard fight.
Antrim had an early two-point lead but Limerick soon wiped that out with English striking twice and O’Brien once. Fred McCurry did land a blow to Limerick with an 18th-minute goal but Kiely’s charges then fired over nine of the next 10 points to take complete control of the contest.
Ó Dálaigh raised three white flags, while English was also sensational in front of goal in the opening 35 minutes.
English was a menace throughout and was also exquisite from placed balls, while O’Brien was also a constant danger. Cathal O’Neill also got in on the act as Limerick increased their advantage to a 0-16 to 1-7 scoreline at half time.
O’Brien quickly struck a goal in the first minute of the second half after Tiernan Smyth’s free was blocked down by Gearóid Hegarty.
English, Hegarty and Micheál Houlihan then fired over points for a dominant Limerick side. It was all too much for Antrim at this stage with Hegarty, again, O’Brien and a Mark Quinlan effort from range helping Limerick to a 1-22 to 1-7 lead.
The scores continued to come at ease for Limerick with Ó Dálaigh the star of the show in the second half. He struck four points, while O’Brien, Hegarty and David Reidy also landed scores. Limerick emptied their bench with four players – Ethan Hurley, Joe Fitzgerald, Paddy O’Donovan and Emmet McEvoy – all handed league debuts but it was the vastly experienced Graeme Mulcahy that produced a cameo late on.
The Kilmallock man sent over two points to bookmark a good day at the office for Limerick as they prepare for their second game in the league against Westmeath in Mullingar next week.
Limerick: J Power; F O’Connor, D Morrissey, A Costello; D Byrnes, D Reidy (0-2, 1f), M Quinlan (0-1); B Murphy, C Coughlan; G Hegarty (0-3), C O’Neill (0-3), C Boylan; D Ó Dálaigh (0-7), S O’Brien (1-5), A English (0-10, 6f). Subs: M Houlihan (0-2) for Boylan (h-t), E Hurley for Byrnes (h-t), J Fitzgerald for Murphy (45), G Mulcahy (0-2) for English (51), P O’Donovan (0-1f) for Hegarty (61 blood), E McEvoy for O’Connor (63).
Antrim: T Smyth; P Duffin, R McCloskey, P Burke; S Walsh (0-1), R McGarry, C Boyd; S Rooney, N O’Connor (0-2); R McMullen (0-1f), A O’Brien, C McCann; C Cunning (0-4f), A Bradley (0-1), F McCurry (1-0). Subs: E Trainor for Rooney (48), C McGarry for McCann (52), J McLaughlin for Bradley (52), R McAteer for O’Brien (64), N McGarrel for McMullen (68 mins).
Referee: T Walsh (Waterford).
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