WINS over Longford and Carlow had Limerick qualified for the quarter-finals a fortnight ago, but on Sunday, Mark Fitzgerald’s side suffered a surprising loss (2-14 to 1-10) in their concluding group fixture to Wicklow at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise.
Limerick, Meath, Cavan, and Antrim are all assured home fixtures in the last eight (June 17), with opposition to come from the winners of this weekend’s preliminary quarter-finals: Offaly v Wexford; Fermanagh v Laois; Down v Longford; and Carlow v New York.
After the shock defeat to Wicklow, Limerick manager Fitzgerald didn’t appear unduly bothered given that his side had already reached the knock-out stages.
Still, the Kerryman will be only too keenly aware that his team will need to improve on this performance if advancement is to occur.
In Laois, Limerick’s goal arrived from the penalty spot courtesy of captain Iain Corbett ten minutes from the finish. That score reduced the deficit to a mere two points but Wicklow kicked on from there, quickly claiming their second goal – credited to Jack Kirwan – after his effort took a wicked deflection.
Limerick: Aaron O’Sullivan; Cormac Woulfe, Seán O’Dea, Brian Fanning; Barry Coleman, Iain Corbett, captain, Tony McCarthy; Colm McSweeney, Cillian Fahy; Cian Sheehan, Brian Donovan, Adrian Enright; James Naughton, Hugh Bourke, Peter Nash.
Substitutes used: Cathal Downes, Jim Liston, Killian Ryan, Robbie Bourke, David Connolly.
