LIMERICK will be without talented Diarmaid Byrnes for the time being after the Patrickswell performer was red-carded by referee Thomas Walsh (Waterford) late in Sunday’s National Hurling League loss, 1-21 to 0-21, to neighbours Clare at the Gaelic Grounds.
Byrnes will be sidelined for a while as Limerick prepare next for a visit from Galway on this Saturday, followed by a trip to Kilkenny and a home tie with Wexford over the following couple of weeks.
It was Byrne’s first ever dismissal.
“Diarmaid led with the leg to get in over the ball,” explained manager John Kiely. “Every player that goes into a ruck tries to get their leg in across the ball to get over the ball. That’s what they’re coached to do.”
“He got it completely wrong in his timing and made contact with one of the opposition players. He’s never been sent off before in his career so I think we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. It was what it was. The reaction was a bit over the top.”
It was a Jack O’Neill and Tony Kelly inspired Clare side that upset a Limerick outfit that underperformed.
David Reidy whipped home the only goal of a contest watched by a crowd of almost 17,000.
Limerick: Jason Gillane (0-2); Barry Murphy, Mike Casey, Barry Nash (0-2); Diarmaid Byrnes (0-2), Ethan Hurley, Colin Coughlan; Adam English, Cian Lynch (0-1); Cathal O’Neill, David Reidy (0-2), Eddie Stokes; Shane O’Brien (0-2), Aaron Gillane (0-8) 7, Séamus Flanagan.
Substitutes: Aidan O’Connor (0-2), Patrick O’Donovan, Tom Morrissey, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Vince Harrington.
