IN FRONT of more than 20,000 roaring onlookers, the greater majority of whom turned out to support the reigning All-Ireland and Munster Champions, it was with minimum fuss that Limerick accounted for The Cats.
Ahead 1-13 to 0-10 at the interval (with an opening goal from Barry Nash), Kiely’s outfit kicked for home when Aaron Gillane flashed to the net with a quarter-of-an-hour still to run on Leeside.
Gillane was a clear force on the field, racking up 1-7 throughout. Diarmaid Byrnes also contribued a handsome five points.
The men from the Shannonside walked home clear victors at the final whistle, giving Derek Lyng’s Kilkenny a 2-20 to 0-15 run for their money.
Were it not for no fewer than 15 second-half wides, Kiely’s men may have come home with an even more impressive tally on the already gaping scoreline.
It represented a 14th League win for Limerick, adding to the previous triumphs of 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1947, 1971, 1984, 1985, 1992, 1997, 2019, and 2020.
Only minor ailments prevented Declan Hannon and Kyle Hayes from featuring in yesterday’s snug defeat of Kilkenny at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, according to manager John Kiely.
The pair had been listed to start in the half-back line but were replaced by Dan Morrissey and Colin Coughlan, respectively.
Revealed Kiely: “Declan just has the flu and he’s had it all week. He’ll be fine next week and back in training.”
“Kyle just got a minor strain on Tuesday night that didn’t respond well earlier in the week. He could have played today but obviously that wouldn’t be a wise decision.”
The loss of such colossuses may have diminished the winning prospects of many a side but Morrissey and Coughlan (who knocked one over the bar) slotted-in seamlessly.
In the absence of regular captain Hannon, two-time Player of the Year Cian Lynch ably deputised.
Limerick also lost full-back Mike Casey through a High Injury Assessment, and this will be monitored in the coming days. His Na Piarsaigh clubmate William O’Donoghue was an enforced absentee through a one-match suspension.
For anyone keeping track, the already skimpy odds available on Limerick completing the four-in-a-row in the All-Ireland Senior Championship later this year have already been shortened by bookies to just 1/2.
