Sport

Promising finish for Limerick

Limerick 5-18 Laois 2-12: If Limerick were looking for a source of encouragement in advance of their upcoming Munster senior…

Mon Apr 25 2005 - 01:00

Limerick 5-18 Laois 2-12: If Limerick were looking for a source of encouragement in advance of their upcoming Munster senior hurling championship clash with Tipperary, they found it at Kilmallock on Saturday when they took Laois apart in their final National League relegation outing.

While this was not the complete performance, they at least put wins back-to-back for the first time under their new management this season.

"There were many positives for us, more especially the haul of five goals and the return to form of Andrew O'Shaughnessy," said selector Liam Lenihan.

It is a different story for Laois as, apart from the opening minutes of the second half when snap goals from James Young and Tom Fitzgerald helped them cut an interval deficit of 16 points to eight, they were very much out of sorts.

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Laois took advantage of Limerick's early problems when Young pointed two frees, but once O'Shaughnessy set up Donnacha Sheehan for the opening goal it became a succession of scores for the home team.

Donie Ryan claimed their second goal on 21 minutes and Niall Moran bagged the best goal of the day when he raided down the flank before unleashing a shot past Kevin Galvin.Limerick led 3-13 to 0-6 at the interval.

Laois started the second half well and reduced the deficit to eight points, but Limerick finished on a high with goals from Alan O'Connor and Niall Moran.

LIMERICK: T Houlihan; D Reale, S Lucey, M Foley; P Lawlor, B Geary, O Moran (1-1); P O'Grady, D O'Grady; C Fitzgerald (0-4, frees), N Moran (1-3), A O'Shaughnessy (0-5); D Ryan (1-0), TJ Ryan (0-4, two frees), D Sheehan (1-1). Subs: P Cahill for D O'Grady (yellow card), P Sheehan for Geary (yellow card), M Cahill for Reale (yellow card), A O'Connor (1-0) for Fitzgerald, G Heagney for Cahill.

LAOIS: K Galvin; B Campion, P Cuddy, C Healy; C Coonan (0-3, one free), S Dwyer, M McEvoy; J Young (1-5), J Walsh; J Phelan (0-1), D Rooney, L Tynan; T Fitzgerald (1-1), M Rooney, D Culleton (0-1). Subs: P Russell (0-1) for M Rooney, E Jackman for Phelan, C Brophy for Young (yellow card).

YELLOW CARDS: Limerick: D O'Grady, B Geary, D Reale. Laois: J Young.

Referee: M Haverty (Galway).