LIMERICK will reappear in the Senior Football Championship via the Tailteann Cup following Sunday’s 4-16 to 1-16 loss to Cork in the opening round of the provincial competition at Páirc Uà Chaoimh.
The contest was decided by half-time, at which point the goal-hungry Leesiders had jumped into an unassailable 4-10 to 0-7 advantage.
Jimmy Lee’s outfit, however, easily outscored their opponents in the closing period to offer encouragement ahead of another Tailteann adventure, which brought a famous Final appearance at Croke Park last summer.
The Shannonsiders have been hit by a series of injuries of late, but it’s hoped that some will become available in the coming weeks, such as Oran Collins, Tommy Childs and Conall Ó Duinn, while Cormac Woulfe returned at the weekend.
Limerick are this week engaged in a warm-weather training camp.
The second-tier All-Ireland Championship will commence on Saturday May 9.
Meanwhile, Cork face Tipperary in the Munster semi-final, while the other semi involves 86-time winners Kerry and Clare.
In the Munster U20 ‘B’ Championship Final, Limerick suffered a heavy 2-15 to 2-2 loss against Tipperary at Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale.
Goals by Callum Kiely (Claughaun) and Aidan O’Shea (Cappagh) helped the home side to a 2-2 to nil interval lead, but only Tipp caught the attention in the second half.
In the Munster Minor Football Chamionship, Limerick exited after an unexpected 1-13 to 1-12 loss against Waterford in Leamybrien on Monday.
Limerick let slip an eight-point interval lead, with the bulk of their scores coming through Conor O’Dwyer (0-4, Rathkeale), Charlie McCarthy (0-5 – a couple of two-pointers – Adare) and Brooklyn Delahunty (1-0, Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan).
It’s now been all of 70 years since Limerick won its last provincial title at this grade with a famous two-point defeat of Kerry in the 1956 Final, achieved under the captaincy of Eamonn O’Connor (Abbeyfeale).