by Donn O’SullivanSports Editor
Sport never ceases to amaze me. I suppose it is why we all love it. The escapism of the victories are coupled with the darkness of defeats.
All that is good and bad about sport was on show last Saturday night in the Gaelic Grounds.
The Limerick footballers, it seemed, forgot that the match started at 7.30. Clare, the massive underdogs, were five points clear after 10 minutes. The Banner men then made it nine points clear at half time. 1-9 to 0-3. Worse was to come.
Limerick rallied back in a truly honourable fashion. Tacking on point after point after point. The Shannonsiders managed to get into a one point lead with little left on the clock. The victory however was not to come. Clare, on this occasion, were not to be denied.
Two late points from full forward David Tubridy, meant that Limerick slumped out of the championship at the semi final stage.
Limerick now have five weeks until the second round of the qualifiers takes place on July 14. This is a blessing in disguise. Limerick will have John Galvin back in midfield for that game (Should the Croom midfielder’s knee last the pace of training between now and then). The management team should also be able to call on the services of Jim O’Donovan from the start of the next fixture. The former rugby star impressed on his introduction against Clare.
The five weeks will also be used however to fix the problems Limerick have. It appears that midfield needs to be looked at. As does the half forward line, whose work rate at times would have to be called into question.
The second half gave many positives, but you cannot get over the fact that those in attendance have every right to say that Clare seemed to want it more than Limerick. A strange fact, seeing as both sides had the carrot of a Munster final hanging in front of them.
Limerick manager Maurice Horan was lost for words to explain the defeat.
“We just don’t know why we didn’t start well. We had talked about how Clare hadn’t played a championship game and said we would bring championship intensity to it but we never did. I can’t explain the first half and I think that’s where the game was lost. They wanted it more they horsed us out of their way, they broke all the tackles. All the things that we talked about doing we didn’t do and I don’t know why”. An honest response from an honest manager, but the time has come, it appears, for his players to be as honest back. The summer is not over by any means. It’s up to the Limerick panel now. How much do they want it?
