NHL fixtures:
Allianz HL Division 1A: Limerick (0-30) v Tipperary (1-23) FT, TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick 3.45pm - TG4
Allianz HL Division 1B: Waterford 1-27 Laois 0-20 (FT); Westmeath 0-18 Dublin 1-22 (FT); Offaly 2-26 v Antrim 0-15 (FT)
Allianz HL Division 2: Down 3-17 Donegal 0-17 (FT); Tyrone 2-14 Meath 2-22 (FT); Kerry 5-20 Derry 1-12 (FT)
Allianz HL Division 3: Armagh 0-16 Wicklow 2-19′; Sligo 0-13 Mayo 1-12; London 1-19 Cavan 1-10 (FT)
Allianz HL Division 4: Fermanagh 2-14 Monaghan 0-15 (FT)
FULL-TIME: Limerick 0-30 Tipperary 1-23
One more injury-time free from McCarthy reduces the gap to four, but Limerick prove deserving winners, getting their Division 1A campaign back on track, after soaking the best Tipp could throw at them in the second half with a typically robust defensive display.
Limerick 0-30 Tipperary 1-22: A brilliant point from replacement from Ethan Hurley and two more long-range frees from Byrnes has the home team five in front on 72 minutes.
Limerick 0-27 Tipperary 1-22: Barry Murphy wins the free for Limerick, and up steps Gillane to extend their advantage back to two points, with two minutes of normal time remaining.
Limerick 0-26 Tipperary 1-22 After a another brilliant catch, Diarmuid Byrnes wins a free which he duly converts from distance, and Limerick are brielfy back in front by two, before McCarthy adds another cool free for Tipp with four minutes of normal time remaining.
Limerick 0-25 Tipperary 1-21: Cian Lynch and Bryan O’Mara are given a warning for what appeared a harmless off the ball incident, before Darragh McCarthy’s latest free makes it a one-point game.
Limerick 0-25 Tipperary 1-20: Aaron Gillane and Darragh McCarthy exchange frees, and it remains a two-point game on 57 minutes.
Limerick 0-24 Tipperary 1-19: Two excellent frees from Darragh McCarthy has Tipp back to within two points on 53 minutes.
Limerick 0-24 Tipperary 1-17: Two scores, from Byrnes and captain Cian Lynch, has the home team three points clear, before Shane Dowling makes two close-range saves for Limerick. Adam English then adds another for Limerick, and their advantage is up to four as the game approaches 50 minutes.
Limerick 0-21 Tipperaty 1-17: Still only the point between them, Jake Morris replying to a point from Patrick O’Donovan in what’s turning into an end-to-end battle.
Limerick 0-20 Tipperary 1-16: After points in succession from David Reidy and Patrick O’Donovan, Tipp get on back thanks to Alan Tynan, and the margin is back to the minimum.
Limerick 0-18 Tipperary 1-14: Aidan O’Connor finds himself in open space to briefly extend Limerick’s lead to two, before Kenneally gets one back from play for Tipp.
Limerick 0-17 Tipperary 1-13: Back underway at the Gaelic Grounds, and Patrick O’Donovan promptly levels it for Limerick, before Diarmuid Byrnes edges them in front.
Limerick 0-14 Tipperary 1-12: It’s back to a one-point game, Byrnes and Aidan O’Connor scoring two in succession for the home team.
HALF-TIME: Limerick 0-15: Tipperary 1-13: Only one minute off added time before the break, and Tipp keep their noses in front by a single point.
Limerick 0-12 Tipperary 1-12: Tipp are building some momentum again, Gearoid O’Connor pushing their lead out to three points as the game approaches the half hour.
Limerick 0-11 Tipperary 1-9: A smashing goal on the volley from Sean Kenneally has Tipp back in front, finished brilliantly from the far right of the goal.
Limerick 0-11 Tipperary 0-8: A cool free from Darragh McCarthy gets one back for Tipp, before Limerick respond with two points from play in quick succession, including a second from O’Connor. McCarthy then adds his second free.
Limerick 0-11 Tipperary 0-9: Scores a little harder to come by now, Jake Morris scoring from distance to bring Tipp back to within two on 24 minutes. Kyle Hayes meanwhile is replaced through injury.
Limerick 0-9 Tipperary 0-6: The home team edge ahead thanks to points from David Reidy and Diarmuid Byrnes and then Aidan O’Connor after 15 minutes.
Limerick 0-6 Tipperary 0-6: Limerick are settling more into their attacking play, Eddie Stokes bringing the sides level after 12 minutes.
Limerick 0-4 Tipperary 0-5: No let up from either team inside the first 10 minutes, Bryan O’Mara briefly putting Tipp two points clear, before Limerick strike straight back.
Limerick 0-3 Tipperary 0-3: A fast start as expected in the bright evening sunshine at the Gaelic Grounds, Willie Connors opening the scoring for Tipp.
Dublin have also contined their winning start to Division 1B, coming away from Mullingar with a 1-22 to 0-18 victory over Westmeath.
Full-time in Walsh Park and Waterford have recorded an important win over Laois, finishing 10 points clear, 1-27 to 0-20.
FULL-TIME: Offaly 2-26 Antrim 0-17: It’s all over in O’Connor Park in Tullamore, a couple of late points from McNaughton and Keelan Molloy little consolation for what was a rough beating from Offaly, who continue their fine form in Division 1B.
Offaly 2-26 to 0-13: It’s turning into an afternoon to forget for Davy Fitzgerald’s Antrim, as another Duignan free further extends Offaly’s lead on 68 minutes.
Offaly 2-24 Antrim 0-13: Replacement Sam Burke scores his first from play to bring Offaly’s overall tally to 30.
Offaly 2-23 Antrim 0-12: Killian Sampson scores Offaly’s second goal of the afternoon just after the hour mark, and it’s becoming target practice in Tullamore.
Offaly 1-23 Antrim 0-11: with 59 minutes gone in Tullamore, Scott Walsh and Molloy get two back for Antrim, in between another fine score from Charlie Mitchell.
Offaly 1-22 Antrim 0-9: All one-way traffic now as another rocket point from play from Brian Duignan has the home team up by 16 points
Offaly 1-19 Antrim Offaly 0-9: The home team press further ahead after 47 minutes, thanks to Oisin Kelly, Duignan and another from play from the excellent Charlie Mitchell.
Offaly 1-15 Antrim 0-8: Back underway in Tullamore, and after Paul Boyle’s shot on goal is deflected wide, McNaughton sends over the 65m free. Ros Ravenhill then scores one from play for Offaly.
It’s also half-time in the Division 1B meeting between Waterford and Laois at Walsh Park in Waterford, the home team up 1-13 to 0-12.
Meanwhile also in Division 1B this afternoon, Dublin are ahead of Westmeath at half-time in Mullingar, 1-12 to 0-12.
HALF-TIME: Offaly 1-14 Antrim 0-7: An added time free from Duignan leaves the home team 10 points clear, and leaves Davy Fitzgerald’s Antrim needing something special to get back into this game in the second half.
Offaly 1-13 Antrim 0-7: Two more points from play from Mitchell and Duignan and the home team are cruising, with four minutes of added time announced.
Offaly 1-11 Antrim: 0-7: Dan Ravenhill follows up a free from Brian Duignan with a sweet goal from close range after 32 minutes, Sampson’s point from play then giving the home side the first clear advantage.
Offaly 0-9 Antrim 0-7: Two points from play in quick succession from Sean Elliott has Antrim back to within two points.
Offaly 0-9 Antrim 0-5: Duignan and Dan Burke press Offaly further ahead, McNaughton gets one back for Antrim, before a Ravenhill free opens the gap to four after 25 minutes of play in Tullamore.
Offaly 0-6 Antrim 0-4: Points from Duignan and Sampson push the home team three points clear, before McNaughton claws one back for Antrim.
Offaly 0-4 Antrim 0-3: A fine score from Charlie Mitchell edges Offaly two points clear, before James McNaughton replies for Antrim.
Offaly 0-3 Antrim 0-2: Dan Ravenhill edges the home team in front, scoring his first from play.
Offaly 0-2, Antrim 0-2: Another exchange of scores, Niall O’Connor for Antrim and Killian Sampson for Offaly, levels it again after seven minutes
Antrim 0-1, Offaly 0-1: Keelan Molloy gets Antrim off the mark from play, scoring from close range, before Brian Duignan levels it for Offaly from a 65m free.
Here’s how the Division 1A and 1B tables look to date -
Allianz HL 1A / P W D L Dif Pts
Tipperary 2 2 0 0 18 4
Kilkenny 3 2 0 1 7 4
Galway 3 2 0 1 -2 4
Cork 2 1 1 0 15 3
Limerick 1 0 1 0 0 1
Clare 2 0 0 2 -9 0
Wexford 3 0 0 3 -29 0
Allianz HL 1B / P W D L Dif Pts
Offaly 2 1 1 0 9 3
Carlow 2 1 1 0 5 3
Dublin 1 0 1 0 14 2
Antrim 2 1 0 1 -5 2
Waterford 1 0 0 1 -5 0
Laois 1 0 0 1 -9 0
Westmeath 1 0 0 1 -9 0
Hello, Ian O’Riordan here and welcome to live updates of the hurling matches today in the National League. Old rivals Limerick against Tipperary meet in Division 1A later, but first of all it’s the Division 1B clash Offaly against Antrim in Tullamore at 1.45pm. Here is Seán Moran’s preview:
“An interesting tussle to see where Antrim are after two matches. Offaly impressed against Laois and their failure to beat Carlow was put in context by the latter’s defeat of Waterford and look to have the firepower here.”
Let’s see what happens.
