Munster Minor Hurling Final – Sunday, 30th June 2019
Limerick 1-17 Clare 1-11
Clare will have to go the quarter-final qualifer route if they are to reach the All-Ireland minor hurling semi-finals this year.
Fergal Lynch’s side fell to a disappointing six-point loss to the Shannonsiders as they couldn’t turn the second half breeze in their favour.
Shane Meehan’s goal on 46 minutes put the Banner back into the tie but when Patrick O’Donovan replied straight away with a Limerick three-pointer, the home side never let their control slip again.
Clare started the brightest racing into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead with Tony Butler and Shane Meehan opening the scoring.
After Cathal O’Neill and Aidan O’Connor reduced arrerars, Shane Meehan, Cian Galvin and Diarmuid Cahill created the three-point margin on the quarter hour.
But the second quarter, and most notably the last 10 minutes belonged to Limerick as they outscored the visitors by 0-7 to 0-2 with Cathal O’Neill registering five scores.
Killian O’Connor and Cormac Murphy contributed the Clare points to leave the interval deficit at 0-9 to 0-7 but Limerick started quicker upon the restart through Aidan O’Connor and Adam English.
Cian Galvin and Cathal O’Neill traded minors but Clare needed a major and it arrived when Shane Meehan’s screamer on 46 minutes punctured a hole in the net reducing arrears to 0-12 to 1-8.
It was set up for Clare but they were caught out within 60 seconds as Patrick O’Donovan got Limerick’s goal and points from Aidan O’Connor and Patrick Reale stretched the margin to six.
That remained the case as the teams shared the last six white flags equally sending Limerick to Croke Park.
Clare can get there but they’ll have to negotiate Galway, and Kilkenny next week, to book their place in the final four.
Scorers – Clare: Shane Meehan 1-2, Cian Galvin 0-2, Conner Hegarty 0-2, Tony Butler 0-1, Diarmuid Cahill 0-1, Killian O’Connor 0-1, Cormac Murphy 0-1, Keith Smyth 0-1.
Scorers – Limerick: Cathal O’Neill 0-9, Patrick O’Donovan 1-1, Aidan O’Connor 0-3, Adam English 0-2, Patrick Reale 0-2.
Clare: Aaron Shanahan; Storm Devanney, Adam Hogan, Cillian McGroary; Ja Collins, Cian Galvin, Tony Butler; Colm O’Meara, Cormac Murphy; Killian O’Connor, Oisin Clune, Keith Smyth.
