THREE of the most rapid-fire goals in the prized history of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship propelled Limerick to an often unlikely opening-round 3-15 to 1-18 win over Clare at a heaving Cusack Park, Ennis (attendance 20,055).
At one stage, Limerick were nine points in arrears.
Around the hour mark, John Kielyโs side looked as likely to emerge winners as all of us who had wished to be the holder of the ะ9 million winning ticket sold in Limerick from the previous eveningโs National Lottery Draw, but somehow the All-Ireland kingpins came up trumps with a trio of goals to register a first championship victory at the venue since 1990.
The goals came through Aaron Gillane (2) and debutant Donnacha ร Dalaigh.
A stunning return of 3-6 to just 0-3 propelled Limerick to this brilliant success.
โWe kept our composure even if things weren’t going our way, we kept doing what we always do, creating the chances, trusting ourselves, maybe that’s what our experience is, and it carried us through,โ was the clinical reaction of Kiely.
Limerick:ย Nickie Quaid; Mike Casey, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Kyle Hayes (0-01); William OโDonoghue, Cian Lynch (0-01); Gearoid Hegarty (0-03), Tom Morrissey, Cathal OโNeill (0-02); Seamus Flanagan, Aaron Gillane (2-05)), David Reidy (0-02)
Substitutes used: Seรกn Finn, Donnacha ร Dalaigh (1-01), Conor Boylan, Adam English, Aidan OโConnor.
