HOLDERS Limerick close out their round-robin Munster Senior Hurling Championship campaign against already eliminated All-Ireland winners Clare at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday (May 25, 4pm). Thomas ‘Tyler’ Walsh of Waterford will referee.
Unless a calamity of outrageous proportions befalls Limerick, a 53rd Munster Final beckons for John Kiely’s seven-in-a-row seeking troops on June 7.
“All we can do is control what’s in front of us,” insisted Kiely ahead of the visit of the Banner.
In the wake of the weekend demolition of Cork (who simultaneously host Waterford at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday), he continued: “Every game outside on that pitch matters to us. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing on any given day.”
“We’ll work hard to get back here and be as right as we can for the weekend. There are two points to play for and we’ll go after them with all our might.”
The strong likelihood is either a Limerick/Cork Final at the Gaelic Grounds or a Limerick/Tipperary showdown at Semple Stadium, Thurles.
Last Sunday’s encounter was one in which the fine-tuned Shannonsiders were in control all through, ahead by a whopping 15 points at the interval and at the end winners on a 3-26 to 1-16 scoreline.
Within minutes of a heart-pumping rendition of the National Anthem from Mícheál Ó Riain of Pallasgreen, a lovely goal from Aaron Gillane (scorer of a brilliant 2-7 in total) had already helped Limerick into a commanding position, and from there on the daylight between the teams only grew.
The joyous home supporters among the sold-out attendance of 42,477 engulfed the pitch after one of the great wins by Limerick in the championship arena.
Limerick are now 4/6 favourites to win out in Munster, followed in the betting market by Cork at 5/4 and Tipperary at 14/1.
