Limerick GAA 2023 - League champions means nothing now 🐐

[Aristotle]

I thought we were below-par in the first half to be honest, I thought we were a bit pedestrian in our build-up and found it difficult to break the Tipp line on the '45. I didn’t think Tipp themselves were that great but seemed to have a bit more joy in that opening period with direct ball inside, and kicked some good scores, as well as Jack Kennedy landing the '45s/frees from the ground. When we did move the ball quickly, we did show we could open them up, Cillian Fahy kicked a lovely score after Adrian Enright had found a ball inside and the goal came from a slick move, Josh putting home the rebound after Brian Donovan’s shot was saved. I did think 6 scores to 4 in favour of Tipp was probably a fair reflection of the first half, and would have been pretty satisfied to go in level (even though it was annoying to have them equalise on the stroke of half-time).

But we really kicked on in the second half and were comfortably the better team. When we pressed right up on their kickout, and didn’t allow them go short, we totally dominated. The keeper had a bit of a nightmare, in that a couple didn’t even go past the first Limerick body. And we turned those interceptions into scores. Now, we hit a fair amount of wides aswell and Hughie Bourke missed two goal chances in the early moments of the half… maybe he could have taken a handy point but I won’t fault him for going for goal, I think they were on.

Adrian Enright thundered into the game in the second half, seemed to be everywhere. Brian Donovan was probably MotM, his pace & direct running were the best outlet to get past the Tipp cover. Cillian Fahy’s movement was very good and having the left-footed option for shots from distance is a great asset, I think he finished with 3. Robbie Bourke came on and made a huge impact, scoring-wise, he always has that in him. Donovan got the goal aswell, took it really well after another good move.

You could argue that Corbett wasn’t at his best, I don’t think Josh or Hugh Bourke were either. Fanning was man marking Sweeney so barely got to go forward at all (and I think we missed his ability to burst through tackles) so I think there is scope for improvement aswell. Tipp will be disappointed though that they didn’t really pressure our kickout and didn’t have much of an outball themselves.

Great to be back in a Munster Final, we’ll get the weekend down in Killarney anyway, and hopefully give it a bit of a rattle.

[Copper_pipe]

[TreatyStones]

“Would you like a suite or a villa in Sandy Lane”

[Julio_Geordio]

Just in from the congo bar.

Great win. I’d love to see the stats, not far off 20 handpasses for every kick pass would be my guess.
A fine bad game in the first half.

Very even game until Limericks fitness told. They picked them apart second half.

Tipps best forward was their half back, two lovely scores, only for him and the free taker being immaculate from placed balls they had very little upfront.

Limerick are very good at keeping the ball. But the end product is scarce.

We literally do not play a full forward line.

Hopefully we can make a game of it in Killarney, but the win is in getting there. Billy Lee might actually be a genius

[Elvis_Brandenberg_Kr]

That’s a lovely tie on JP.

[Peejaymc]

[Aristotle]

In the end, you’d be happy enough to get the draw down to 14 and without enough ball sticking in the full-forward line. I thought the momentum had shifted our way before the red card, so that was unfortunate. Dug in and showed resilience to not give Clare space and get a couple of score ourselves.

Kelly is class, he took advantage of a bit of miscommunication at times. Others, fellas of his quality will score if they get the ball. In the first half, he carried their attack, they had no other threat and I don’t think Limerick would have been too disappointed with that. Some of the frees conceded, we’d be less happy with that.

I thought the full-back line were excellent; Nash again absolutely outstanding, what a player he is.

Half-back line had a bit of trouble keeping tabs on Kelly but Byrnes had a massive game at the same time. His point from play was unreal, and his freetaking was off the charts. 9 points from wing-back, and none of them were easy. Couple of big catches and flicks aswell. Hannon good again. Dan possibly struggled a little bit.

A monstrous performance from Will O’Donoghue. He was poor last week but was phenomenal today. How many tackles did he have, how many breaks did he win? Superb. I presume Kelly was MotM with RTE but Will can’t have been far behind. Hanley is basically Will mark2, I thought he was really good in a similar role, again hit a lot of fellas, won a lot of breaking ball; we just missed DOD to complement that player. DOD hit a lovely score when he did come on, and a lovely piece of simple skill to win the ball under pressure and get it away for the free to level it at the end.

Hegarty had a big, big game. Four points from play, won some lovely ball, he’s flying this year. Think both yellow cards were harsh in all honesty. I genuinely thought there was an off-the-ball incident that I missed for the second yellow, but if it was for the moment in play, no yellow. Reidy worked hard but I’d be disappointed he didn’t get any shots away. He is a shooter and you’d think that Cathal would have got a few shots in today. Tom worked hard, still not there yet but I do think he’s coming.

Full-forward line was an issue, in that we didn’t have a real focal scorer. Without Gillane & Casey, we don’t have that. All the others are good at supporting that main scorer. Kyle took his goal really well and won some great dirty ball, but that’s not what you really want from your main forward, the wides were a killer. He was still better than Flanagan who just looks so rusty. Surprised Mul didn’t start in the circumstances. Boylan did really well for the goal and did work hard, just again, not a natural inside forward really. OOR got a nice score when he came on but also missed a couple of balls. Mul didn’t really do a whole pile.

Gillane was a huge loss today, just the shape of the team without him and with Flanagan off meant that we couldn’t get the ball to stick inside. And then no Cathal either, he’d have made a big impact today. Darragh also, carrying the knock, but he’s probably been our best player this year and his distribution and link-play is off the charts.

A good game, a cauldron of an atmosphere, it felt like Championship even though both teams were already in a Munster Final. We’ll be stronger the next day, you would think, Clare possibly hoping to get 1 or 2 players back aswell and get more from a couple that did start today.

[neilld]

The Limerick attack is really missing Peter Casey. Most natural and skilfull forward.

[LionelRitchie]

@Aristotle

thought the full-back line were excellent;

I’m surprised by that. I thought Casey was troubled a lot as the match went on

[glasagusban]

What was scored off him?

[PasqualePaoli]

Duggan had the company of three players when the ball landed on top of him, Casey couldn’t lay a glove on him

[glasagusban]

If Casey laid a glove on him you’d have been squealing for cards.

[PasqualePaoli]

? Casey did nothing but pump his chest out. Duggan kept him at arms length

[neilld]

Duggan is a monster in fairness. Anyone would struggle on him really.

[myboyblue]

@PasqualePaoli

? Casey did nothing but pump his chest out. Duggan kept him at arms length

Tis some chest he has all the same

[LionelRitchie]

And he’ll only get better and better as the championship goes. Id have put Morrissey on him tbh, think better match up

[glasagusban]

I think Duggan is class but what did he get off Casey today? He didn’t score. I don’t think he won any frees off Casey. Did he win balls and lay them off for scores maybe? I didn’t see him do much of it in fairness.

[Aristotle]

I thought he did fine. Did Duggan set up one or two scores maybe?

Casey generally spoiled him well enough, a lovely flick on TK towards the end too.

Nash dictated things from corner-back, he’s some outlet.

[neilld]

Agreed, two absolute monsters physically. Casey is also a fine corner back.

[PasqualePaoli]

The real question is what did he get off a combination of Casey,Finn and Hannon. You might not have seen it on the TV.