Gaelic Games

Limerick make light work of Antrim as they roll on

The visitors trounced their hosts in a mismatch at Cushendall

Limerick’s Aaron Gillane scored a goal in their Allianz Hurling League Division 1B trouncing of Antrim. Photo: Oisin Keniry/Inpho
Limerick’s Aaron Gillane scored a goal in their Allianz Hurling League Division 1B trouncing of Antrim. Photo: Oisin Keniry/Inpho
Sun Feb 25 2018 - 19:15

Antrim 0-13 Limerick 3-21

Limerick’s hurlers kept their 100 per cent record in Division 1B of the Allianz Hurling League intact with a comfortable 17-point victory over Antrim at Cushendall.

Goals from Oisin O’Reilly, Graeme Mulcahy and Aaron Gillane put the game beyond the reach of the Saffrons who trailed by just one point on 27 minutes.

The home side opened the scoring through Neil McManus in the first minute, with a long range David Byrnes free levelling moments later. Antrim goalkeeper Nigel Elliott then picked up a yellow card after dragging down Seamus Flanagan but Gillane’s penalty cannoned off the upright.

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The Limerick goal duly arrived before the break when O’Reilly cut inside the Antrim defence and batted the ball to the net on 29 minutes to put the Treaty ahead by 1-7 to 0-6, and further points from Gillane, Byrnes, Mulcahy and O’Connell gave Limerick a 1-13 to 0-8 interval lead.

The visitors notched the first three scores with David Reidy and Mulcahy registering points and Gillane quashing any hopes of a Saffron comeback with his side’s second goal on 42 minutes.

The third goal arrived on 73 minutes with the points already in the bag for John Kiely’s side who now look forward to a promotion showdown with All-Ireland champions Galway next week at Pearse Stadium.

Antrim: R Elliott; A Graffin, J Dillon, S Rooney; R McCambridge, D Kearney, J Maskey; E Campbell (0-1), C McKinley; J McNaughton, M Armstrong (0-1), N McManus (0-8, 5f); D McKinley, C McCann (0-1), N Elliott (0-2).

Subs: N McAuley for J Maskey (26), C Carson for J McNaughton (ht), P Burke for R McCambridge (48), D McCloskey for D McKinley (51), E O’Neill for M Armstrong (55).

Limerick: B Hennessy; T Condon, R McCarthy, R English; D Byrnes (0-4, 3f), D Hannon, D Morrissey; P Browne (0-2), C Ryan (0-2); D Reidy (0-4, 1f), C Lynch, B O'Connell (0-1); A Gillane (1-6, 3f), S Flanagan, G Mulcahy (1-2).

Subs: O O’Reilly (1-0) for S Flanagan (10), A La Touche for A Gllane (58), P O’Loughlin for R English (60), D Fanning for D Morrissey (60).

Referee: J O'Brien (Tipperary).