DESPITE the two-point, 2-22 to 1-23, loss in Cork to kick-start Championship 2026, Limerick manager John Kiely wasn’t overly discontent about the outcome.
He felt there were a lot of positives to take away from Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
“Really happy with our performance level, to be honest with you,” he said.
“It was a proper performance, worked really, really hard. Got ourselves off to a really great start. Huge energy levels. Very accurate in what we were doing as well.
“Disappointed to concede the goal (Shane Barrett) then – it gave Cork a bit of oxygen and brought them back into the game. But again, just before half-time, I thought our response was really, really good. We gained control of the game at that stage again.”
Limerick led by a couple of points, 0-16 to 1-11, at the turnaround.
“We regrouped then at half-time, came back out. Just a couple of balls got away from us in those early stages, but we managed to steady ourselves again. I think it was a really, really tight game. There was never going to be a whole pile between us,” Kiely continued.
In this spell, there were five-star saves by both goalkeepers, Nickie Quaid and Patrick Collins.
“Obviously, there was the sending-off (Cian Lynch and goal from Alan Connolly) then, and I thought our response to it by the players was really super. Again, we gave ourselves a chance to win the game.
“Just turned over one or two balls here and there and missed a couple of chances. That would have probably seen us across the line or at least got something out of the game.”
Kiely concluded: “We gave ourselves an opportunity (a late Darragh O’Donovan free in around the house that was repelled). We didn’t take it today. If we play like that next weekend (v Clare at Cusack Park, Ennis), we’ll give ourselves a chance again.
“We didn’t pick up any knocks today. We’re fit and healthy and well. We’ll be ready for next weekend.”