ALL-IRELAND SHC QUARTER-FINAL Limerick 2-18 Dublin 1-17: ANOTHER HARSH lesson for Dublin but you can't be learning all your life. Not this reporter's words but straight from Anthony Daly's mouth. His charges simply couldn't close the deal.
There were many who did not believe in Dublin hurling’s capability to rise up and overthrow an ancient dynasty. For another year at least, this is true.
Daly hatched a defensively solid plan to stay with Kilkenny in the Leinster final. It worked, but yesterday the idea was to go man on man with Limerick, letting youthful vigour and natural talent prevail. A return to Croke Park for an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Tipperary looked probable until Limerick took the lead for the first time on 59 minutes with James Ryan pointing his third from play. The free-takers Andrew O’Shaughnessy and Gavin O’Mahony did the rest, shutting matters down in a manner Dublin are yet to fully comprehend.
Basically, Limerick refused to be the first Munster side to fold against the sport’s coming force. Veterans like Brian Geary and Mark Foley have never considered defeat to Dublin and yesterday, for them at least, was no different.
Uncertain performances in sometimes atrocious conditions against Waterford, Wexford and Laois allowed Justin McCarthy time to iron out the creases.
Sometimes belief in your own superiority can be enough. Dublin hurling’s main obstacle in the coming years will be the psychological wall they must scale, like coming down to Thurles and finishing off the next Limerick that stands in their way.
It all began so perfectly for them, only to end in a disappointingly docile manner. Seconds in and Alan McCrabbe dropped a free on Limerick goalkeeper Brian Murray. The 2007 All-Star mishandled the bomb, allowing an alert Liam Rushe to poke home a goal.
David Sweeny showed great skill to drive over a point moments later. Then McCrabbe sliced over a sideline cut – 1-2 to no score and Dublin were coasting.
O’Mahony’s dead-eye accuracy kept Limerick afloat before an assault on some of Dublin’s core areas. Paudie McNamara outmuscled full back Tomas Brady to kick past Gary Maguire on 14 minutes for their first goal. Follow-up points from Ryan and O’Mahony levelled up the tie.
Then Liam Rushe showed his beacon-like qualities and natural touch to set up David O’Callaghan for a score that got Dublin rolling again. But little things hindered their progress, like two McCrabbe wides from frees or McNamara rolling Brady again only to be foiled by Maguire’s alert save.
Daly withdrew strangely anonymous midfielder Johnny McCaffrey while Justin McCarthy reacted by springing Ollie Moran from the dugout on the half hour. He didn’t seem fit and had little impact. The Dublin full back line continued to struggle under pressure with Niall Corcoran, somewhat harshly, adjudged to have pulled down Paul Browne. Goalkeeper Murray blasted home the penalty, levelling matters again at the interval.
Recently returned to fitness, Ross O’Carroll momentarily showed his power with a decent point but sloppy distribution by previously impressive Dublin captain Stephen Hiney allowed Ryan to reduce arrears to the minimum.
David Breen levelled again with a memorable long-range score but Dublin rallied with McCrabbe, switching roles with Rushe and moving to the inside forward line, fist-pumping to a Dublin section of the 30,435 crowd after his seventh point. But the momentum was with Limerick now as Dublin’s ace marksman O’Callaghan posted two poor wides. More avoidable errors saw a two-point margin swing Limerick’s way when Hiney was penalised for overcarrying, thus presenting O’Shaughnessy with a simple chance.
Of their 2-18 total, only 2-5 came from play. On placed balls they look sorted with a late O’Mahony treble, the third a free near his own 45 metre line, securing the win. Dublin sub Kevin Flynn saw a vain late goal effort deflected away by Murray for a ‘65’. In the end, Dublin departed Semple Stadium with another tough experience banked; Limerick grabbed a lifeline and at least another day on the main stage.
