Wrap-up
Just like last year, when they went down by a point to Cork, Limerick failed to really have the belief to close it out. Amazingly, they trailed by seven points playing into the teeth of the gale but recovered to level it up. From there, however, they spurned a few decent chances to go in front and they were never going to have an answer when Kerry picked themselves up off the canvas to hit those three late points in the space of 90 seconds.
All in all, a truly exceptional game of football. Can Limerick recover in time to make any impact in the qualifiers? They have certainly looked good enough in their games against Kerry and Cork over the past 12 months.
Thanks for joining me for this one. I’ll be back in 15 minutes or so over there for Galway and Kilkenny.
Limerick win a 14-yard free and with Kerry lining the goals Stephen Lavin aims for the net. It’s blocked, the follow-up is blocked and referee Pat Fox blows the final whistle.
John Galvin named as Man of the Match by TV3. Hard to dispute that one, even if he is going to end up on the losing side again. And to underline his excellence, he catches a long ball into the Kerry square, tries to hold off eight Kerry defenders but there’s no way through.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Just like that, Kerry are three in front. Tomas O Se this time, attacking from right back, cutting in on his left and curling it over. We tick into injury time.
And now David Moran fists and easy score over the bar when a goal looked on. Limerick, yet again, look like falling short.
Kerry just look the more composed. And just as I type that Kieran O’Leary wins the ball, has the presence of mind to fist it to Gooch and he doesn’t miss this one.
They’re both missing chances. David Moran and Barry John Keane, two of several players introduced by Jack O’Connor in the last few minutes, both kick wide and even the Gooch fists against the post when he looked certain to score. Three minutes left…
Brian Scanlon has made the trip to the forward line on a few occasions during this game and he’s up for another 45. This effort is even worse than the previous one, though. They’re not easy, especially against the wind, but they’ll still go down as chances.
Stephen Kelly is off and Eoin “Express” O’Connor is in for Limerick. He sounds quick.
Stephen Lavin coaxes a foul out of Michael Quirke. It’s about six or eight yards inside the 50 but it’s into the teeth of the wind, and the goalkeeper comes forward to kick it.
This time, though, Brian Scanlon can’t control the accuracy and it slices wide.
Barry John Keane and John Reidy on for Kerry. Tom O’Sullivan is one of those to make way. He’s been filleted by Ger Collins since the first few seconds of this one.
Bryan Sheehan has a chance to restore Kerry’s lead but he’s off target. The tide has turned this way and that. Will it turn Kerry’s way again?
And they’re level!
What a performance from John Galvin. Stephen Kelly and Ger Collins are involved, Galvin bursts through from midfield and kicked the leather off the ball to make sure it went over.
John Mullane (not the hurler) and Eoin Joy are on for Limerick as Mickey Ned shuffles his pack. They’re on top everywhere. Do they believe they can do it?
We’ll find out fairly soon.
This should be down to one. Ger Collins, who has been nothing short of brilliant today, is tripped by Tom O’Sullivan. Collins himself to take the kick…
…and he scores.
After Kerry’s 1-7 burst, it’s now 1-3 without reply for Limerick. Against what looks like a gale force wind.
And the gap is down to two!
James Ryan runs and runs and runs down the left wing and in along the end-line before fisting over from a tight angle. An exceptional bit of spirit by the Limerick lads.
Goal Limerick!
Is there life in the Limerick dog yet? A short kick-out by Brendan Kealy is robbed by John Galvin and he hammers a goal for the underdogs. Only three in it. This would be an astonishing turnaround.
Goal Kerry!
If the game wasn’t over before this, it certainly is now. Donnacha Walsh soccer-styles it to Colm Cooper and the Gooch provides the emphatic finish high past Brian Scanlon. That’s 1-7 without reply since half-time for Kerry.
Declan O’Sullivan is as good as there is in the game when he’s playing like this. A minute of keep-ball and probing more often seen on a Spanish soccer field ends with the centre forward slamming one over from 50 yards out. Easy.
Declan O’Sullivan adds another, this time with his right, and Mike McCarthy ghosts in behind the Limerick cover to get on the end of a Gooch pass to fist over his second point of the game. Three in it now.
But no. Stephen Lavin runs forward and from inside the 21-yard line he tries to curl it over but it fades well wide. Another chance goes by the wayside.
And to underline the difference between the sides, Mike McCarthy tees up Declan O’Sullivan to give Kerry the lead.
Easy. As. You. Like.
Kerry’s first wide, says Mike Finnerty, as Kieran Donaghy scuffs one wide while lying on the ground. One wide? Find that hard to believe but if it’s true, it just shows the extent of the task facing Limerick. They have to score from every scoring chance to match Kerry against the breeze, and you’d imagine they have to at least do that if they’re to have a chance of winning this one.
Jim O’Donovan is penalised for a dodgy handpass and Gooch puts on the blindfold, allows Mickey Ned O’Sullivan to spin him around three times but he still curls it over. A great free, made to look easy, and the sides are level.
Kerry’s first half tally will, in hindsight, look very good. I’ll buy everyone a pint if Limerick kick seven points into this wind. Ian Ryan has a go but it tails off badly on the wind.
The margin is down to one. Michael Quirke trundles forward from midfield and fists it over from 21 metres out.
Evidence of the wind clear there. Seanie Buckley had a go and the trajectory suggested it was on its way over the bar but it dropped well short into the lap of Brendan Kealy. Kerry work it up to Gooch, who dummies past Pa Ranahan and curls it over the bar.
We’re away again. The attendance is just short of 24,000, we’re told by Mike Finnerty.
Liam Hayes in the TV3 studio is in agreement with my good self. “Tomas O Se should have been sent off at least twice in that half,” he says.
Half-time
Limerick lead by three at half-time but I’d be surprised – no, I’d be stunned into a four-day silence – if Kerry don’t win this one. Paddy Power’s live betting has Kerry at 3/10 favourites, which is a big drift from their 1/6 price going into the game but they’re still hot, hot favourites to win.
And they will.
Back for more in a few minutes’ time.
If I was a Limerick man I’d be frustrated by that one. Bryan Sheehan takes about 44 steps but eventually gets a free, which the Gooch slots.
Michael Quirke is in for Kerry, with Anthony Maher going off. Kerry’s midfield has been a malfunctioning mess all year.
Really, you could watch this one over and over and over again. Incredible, incredible point from Seanie Buckley. He’s chasing a bouncing ball to the corner flag, with Tomas O Se in close pursuit. How does he score from there? Well he does. He flicks it over his head, holds off O Se and curls over a cracker.
It’s all happening. Mike McCarthy runs forward unchecked to chip a fine point.
James Ryan takes a fine point off his left to open up the margin to four. Looking at the breeze – and I stress that I’m in an office watching on TV – I reckon four points won’t be close to enough.
“Tomas O Se is lucky to be on the field at this stage,” says Paul Earley. And he hasn’t even been booked. Crazy stuff.
Tomas O Se continues to foul Stephen Kelly with impunity but there’s no such lenience shown to Limerick midfielder John Galvin, who goes into the book for a harmless skirmish with Kieran Donaghy.
After a few quiet games this summer, Declan O’Sullivan is on a going day today. His hard running brings a foul from Pa Ranahan, whose protestations fall on the deaf ears of referee Pat Fox. Bryan Sheehan points the free.
A long ball drops dangerously into the Kerry square but Kealy manages to get something on it. Limerick attack once again and Ger Collins finds himself in space 30 metres out, straight in front of goal. From one of Limerick’s easiest opportunities, however, he fails to find the target. Every miss like that could be vital in the final reckoning.
Up comes the keeper again. John Galvin won the free on the 45-metre line and Brian Scanlon sends this one over with a much better striker.
Tomas O Se, who tripped Kelly so ruthlessly earlier, stuck an elbow into him just as he hit that score. Amazing that the Kerry wing back has avoided a yellow so far. He could easily be off by now, and you never know – video evidence could be used for this one after tonight’s Sunday Game…
As good a point as you’ll see. Stephen Kelly runs straight through the heart of the Kerry defence and arcs one with the outside of his boot.
There’s something you don’t see every day. Brian Scanlon, the Limerick goalkeeper, comes up for the 45 and although the contact didn’t look perfect, it easily goes over with the aid of the breeze.
Brendan Kealy is a real weak-link under a high ball, and it would be a surprise if some team failed to exploit that again before the end of the year. He clutched one gratefully underneath his crossbar a moment ago and managed to spoil James Ryan under a dropping ball just now, the ball eventually going behind for a 45.
It’s always amusing to see Kerry, wearing 70 per cent green jerseys, take on Limerick wearing 95 per cent green jerseys. Admirably, though, there have been precious few stray passes yet.
Bryan Sheehan opens his account for the day after Declan O’Sullivan’s direct running draws the foul out of Limerick. Kerry have responded brilliantly to Limerick’s whirlwind opening.
From Ger Collins’s first the ball ends up in the net but Jim O’Donovan was in the square before the ball came in. Looked like a good decision, but between them goalkeeper Brendan Kealy and midfielder Anthony Maher didn’t exactly look convincing.
Meanwhile, Darran O’Sullivan fires one over with the outside of his left boot. Great game, this.
Stephen Kelly is the Arjen Robben of this Munster final. Bryan Sheehan was booked for a high tackle on the Limerick playmaker earlier and Tomas O Se is lucky not to follow his captain into the notebook after a cynical trip on the rugby star just now.
Limerick maintain their 100 per cent record, and once again the midfielders are playing the central role. John Galvin fields the kick-out, it’s worked out to Jim O’Donovan and the London-born Limerickman kicks a fine point.
Kerry have woken up. Donaghy plucks from the sky in front of Stephen Lucey, tries to turn his man and Lucey is deemed to have fouled. From 13 metres, the Gooch applies the simple finish to bring the deficit back to two.
There hasn’t been a wide yet, Paul Earley tells us.
They may not have Darragh but there’s another O Se or two in the Kerry ranks. Tomas gets forward and fists Kerry’s first score of the game.
If it’s a four-point breeze, Limerick have opened up that lead within FIVE MINUTES. If they can build on this Kerry could be in with a really tough afternoon. The Kingdom’s midfield is still cearking without Darragh O Se and they’ve no Paul Galvin to call on today. Intriguing stuff.
And yet another. Ger Collins taking Tom O’Sullivan to the cleaners here. He’s out in front and slots another score with ease.
Wow. Scintillating stuff. Jim O’Donovan soars to take Brendan Kealy’s kick-out, releases Stephen Kelly who finds Ger Collins in the corner. Collins doesn’t even need to beat Tom O’Sullivan to score from a tight angle.
Within 70 seconds, they’re two in front. Ger Collins from a free.
Limerick are playing with a strong wind advantage for the first 35 minutes. “It’s a five- or six-point wind,” says Earley.
And straight from the throw-in, John Galvin runs down the field, bulldozes past Seamus Scanlon and fists the opening score. Cracking start for the Shannonsiders.
We have Mike Finnerty and Paul Earley in the gantry for TV3. I, for one, have been impressed by TV3 coverage over the past year or two. I reckon Finnerty and Earley are the nuts when it comes to GAA commentary. While great commentators can make the most mundane match appealing, Ger Canning, Marty Morrissey et al can transform the best of games into something you’d rather watch with the sound down.
Disagree? Shout.
A reminder of the contact details. We welcome your pointers, feedback, criticism or abuse at shout@joe.ie. You can also become a Facebook fan or follow us on Twitter.
For Limerick, today’s game is a fourth Munster final in eight years. They lost to Kerry by five points (1-11 to 0-9) in 2003 and by four (3-10 to 2-9) after a replay in 2004, and went down by just one (2-6 to 0-11) to Cork a year ago.
The TV3 lads have pinpointed Ian Ryan as the main scoring threat, with Stephen Kelly dropping from corner forward to an orthodox centre half forward spot. Stephen Lucey will wear number 6 but could start at full back on Kieran Donaghy, with Mark O’Riordan playing, as Peter Canavan describes it, as “a roving corner back”.
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Kerry, of course, are without the suspended Paul Galvin, who started on the bench for each of his side’s games against Cork in any case. Darran O’Sullivan, last year’s All-Ireland winning captain, continues his in-out relationship with the county side by returning to the team in place of David Moran in the half-forward line.
Colm Cooper was Man of the Match in the win over Cork despite failing to score from play. The Gooch and Kieran “Star” Donaghy have been in fine form this year but only one of them is currently holding down a place on the JOE All-Star XV. Find out who here.
“Limerick have to make it defensive, a war of attrition,” says Peter Canavan in the TV3 studio. “If this is a free-flowing game, there’s only going to be one winner.”
He didn’t say who was going to be the winner, but I think he means Kerry.
A reminder of the teams.
Kerry: Brendan Kealy; Marc O Se, Tommy Griffin, Tom O’Sullivan; Tomas O Se, Mike McCarthy, Killian Young; Seamus Scanlon, Anthony Maher; Darran O’Sullivan, Declan O’Sullivan, Donnacha Walsh; Colm Cooper, Kieran Donaghy, Bryan Sheehan.
Limerick: Brian Scanlon; Mark O’Riordan, Johnny McCarthy, Andrew Lane; Stephen Lavin, Stephen Lucey, Pa Ranahan; James O’Donovan, John Galvin; Padraig Browne, James Ryan, Seanie Buckley; Ger Collins, Ian Ryan, Stephen Kelly.
Some cold-blooded-assassin talk from Kerry legend and Limerick manager Mickey Ned O’Sullivan as the teams prepare for action in Killarney. “We’re not going to lose today,” he says.
