NHL Division One/ Limerick 4-24 Antrim 2-11: Up the big motorway then in search of a little sensation or intrigue. Antrim went into yesterday's Allianz National Hurling League game with the possibility of advancement if they won or the chance of relegation trouble if they lost. In fact depending on results they could have won and still struggled. Limerick have been looking trim and spruce all spring but two draws on their ledger suggested some vulnerability.
In the end it was a cakewalk. A waste of toll money. A hard day for Antrim hurling.
The game was drained of all suspense by half-time when Limerick went to their victuals with a nine-point lead in their back pockets. The Casement Park pitch was holding up well given that it had two schools games on Saturday and a steady pouring of rain for nearly 24 hours afterwards.
Limerick, though, were better equipped for their day out. Half a yard quicker to the ball and half a second crisper with their striking, they enjoyed the considerable benefits too of Mark Keane's ongoing renaissance as a county hurler. Keane's return after a probation on the junior side last year will be a huge benefit for Limerick this summer. He scored freely all day yesterday and should have had at least two more goals in the second half. When Keane wasn't scoring Andrew O'Shaughnessy was tormenting the home defence.
There's a meanness about Limerick this season which will have pleased manager Joe McKenna greatly. In the first half any time Antrim threatened to raise a gallop they were hobbled by an instant response from Limerick. It was tough to watch at times.
In the 29th minute Karl McKeegan launched a big free which sailed over the bar and caused a stir in the small crowd. Limerick came down the field and Donie Ryan scored within seconds at the other end. A minute later McKeegan drove a fine 65 over the Limerick bar. Another sign of life that was greeted with enthusiasm. This time from the puck-out the ball floated in behind the Antrim defence, Brian Beglay held off all-comers and slid the ball left along the floor to Mark Keane who planted it in the net. A minute later he added a point to conclude that exercise in retribution.
The second half became very loose with three goals in the first 10 minutes and a few misses from chances which were better than the ones the goals came from.
O'Shaughnessy burst through for a fine score after just three minutes of the half by which time Keane had already added another couple of points.
Antrim would have been forgiven at that stage for abandoning all hope. It almost got much worse seconds later when Keane went through and was distracted by a whistle from the crowd as he was about to shoot for goal.
Antrim were game, though, and two goals within three minutes from Conor Cunning and Brendan Quinn put a little dignity on the scoreboard without threatening to make a contest of it.
Whatever daydreams Antrim entertained at that stage ended minutes later when Keane put goalkeeper Damien Quinn under pressure. Quinn's save was flicked against the bar by Keane and O'Shaughnessy came in to flick home.
O'Shaughnessy looked yesterday like a player capable of delivering on his immense underage promise. He was sharp all day and the best indication of his hunger came late on when, having scored three goals already, he took a 21-yard free and drove it low looking for a fourth green flag.
His mood was reflected all over the field by his colleagues and Limerick on another day and a quicker surface could have had seven or eight goals. When Keane was taken off with 10 minutes or so remaining there was a sigh of relief from the stands. The worst was over.
For Limerick the win ensured progress in the league, something which McKenna was quite philosophical about afterwards. "We're delighted but we'll let things fall as they may now. We've progressed, that's the important thing, it was nice to get a game like that. The forwards got a lot of freedom when we took command but we played well generally."
Towards the end Antrim lost their captain Karl McKeegan to a red card given for backchatting the referee. It was that sort of day for the home team.
LIMERICK: B Murray; D Reale, TJ Ryan capt, M Foley (0-1); O Moran (0-1, free), B Geary, D O'Grady; P O'Grady (0-1), D Ryan (0-1); M O'Brien, S Lucey (0-1), C Fitzgerald (0-4, one free); A O'Shaughnessy (3-1), B Begley (0-1), M Keane (1-10, six points from frees). Subs: N Moran (0-1) for P O'Grady (30 mins), T Houlihan for Murray (47 mins), P Kirby for Keane (57 mins), E Benson for Reale (57 mins), N Collins (0-2) for Begley (62 mins).
ANTRIM: D Quinn; B McCauley, M McCambridge, G Cunningham; M Molloy, K McKeegan capt (0-2, frees), J Campbell; C Herron, C Cunning (1-0); M Herron, G Bell (0-1), B Delargy; J McIntosh (0-3, one free), P Redmond (0-1), J Scullion (0-1). Subs: B McFaul (0-2) for M Molloy (29 mins), B Quinn (1-1) for B Delargy (44 mins), C Hamill for J Scullion (59 mins), M Dallas for A Richmond (62 mins).
Referee: E Morris (Dublin).
