ONLY those with hearts of stone wouldn’t have felt for wounded Limerick after the agonising loss to Kildare in the Tailteann Cup final at Croke Park.
With the full-time hooter blaring, a goal was necessary by Limerick to force extra time, and with it the possibility of ending 129 years of excruciating heartbreak.
In a desperate bid for that chance, a fine goal attempt by Rory O’Brien was deflected over the bar by Kildare defender Brian Byrne, leaving the final score at Kildare 1-24, Limerick 2-19.
Limerick trailed by a manageable 1-13 to 1-9 at the interval, following an opening-half in which the margin between them had been out to eight in the early stages.
A contribution of eight points from man-of-the-match Darragh Kirwan proved crucial for the winners.
“I spoke with the lads just now in the dressing room and they’re quite in themselves,” remarked manager Jimmy Lee in the Media Centre afterwards.
“But to a man, they put their shoulder to the wheel all year, and that’s all one can ask of any of them. I’m delighted with the performance they put in, but just obviously disappointed we didn’t get over the line, because they tried so hard.
“Yes, so near yet so far. At the same time I wouldn’t look back and say it was this, that or the other (that cost us).”
Limerick: Josh Ryan (0-3); Jason Hassett, Darren O’Doherty, Mark McCarthy; Killian Ryan (1-1), Iain Corbett (0-1), Tony McCarthy (0-3); Tommie Childs (0-1), Darragh O’Hagan; Paul Maher, Cillian Fahy (1-1), captain, Danny Neville (0-1); Emmet Rigter (0-2), James Naughton (0-2), Peter Nash (0-3).
Substitues: Barry Coleman, Darragh Murray, Rob Childs for Rigter, Tadhg Ó Siochru, Rory O’Brien (0-1).
