AHEAD of a fortnights’ break, Limerick footballers can take a giant step towards qualification for the quarter-finals of the Tailteann Cup with victory away to Carlow on Saturday at 3pm.
Although it was far from the routine victory anticipated, Limerick opened their campaign with a win over Longford at the Gaelic Grounds.
Mark Fitzgerald’s home side were pushed for much of the journey before emerging as pretty comfortable 2-16 to 1-16 winners.
It was Limerick’s first competitive win since the dramatic penalty shoot out defeat of Clare in the Munster Senior Championship in Spring of 2022.
The Limerick goals came in either half through midfielder Cathal Downes of Kildimo/Pallaskenry and stylish attacker Brian Donovan of Monaleen.Both Downes and Donovan were named on GAA.ie’s Tailteann Cup Team of the Week.
James Naughton of St Senan’s top-scored for Limerick with a fine contribution of six points, five of which arrived from frees. Long-serving Peter Nash (Kildimo/Pallaskenry) also chipped-in with a couple of neat points.
Limerick were 1-8 to 0-7 ahead at the interval and pushed this out to six points late in the closing-half before Longford squeezed home a consolation goal at the death.
Joint captain Iain Corbett missed the outing through a hamstring problem and will again be unavailable for the upcoming trip.
Carlow are buoyed by a rare victory (0-17 to 1-13) over Wicklow in Aughrim on Sunday, a success achieved on the back of an impressive comeback spearheaded by scoring threats Darragh Foley, Ross Dunphy, Conor Doyle, and Jonah Dunne, who fisted home the match-winner.
Also on Saturday, Longford are at home to Wicklow.
