Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship Semi-Final – Clare 3-13 Limerick 0-12

Clare defeated Limerick by 3-13 to 0-12 in the Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship Semi-Final on Wednesday May 10th at the Gaelic Grounds Limerick.

Goal blitz seals victory for #Clare https://t.co/T4twkEtECd (SN) pic.twitter.com/PsmcrinxzD

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) May 11, 2017

Goal blitz seals victory for Clare

Report by Stephen Gleeson for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Limerick 0-12 Clare 3-13

A early goal in either half propelled the minor footballers of Clare into their first Munster MFC final since 1994.

Paudie Kelly struck after four minutes, while 90 seconds into the second half Gavin Cooney found the net for a Clare side managed by 1992 All Star Seamus Clancy.

Limerick led 0-10 to 1-5 at half-time and that was after Clare had a blitz of 1-2 inside five minutes. The fourth minute Kelly goal had Clare in the driving seat but they then went 10 minutes without a score. Six different Limerick players were on the mark as they led 0-6 to 1-2 by the 11th minute with captain Karl Moloney, Barry Coleman and Adam Costelloe scoring points.

Gavin Cooney interrupted the Limerick run but two each for Sean Ryan and Rory O’Brien ensured the interval lead for Limerick. Limerick remarkably scored just twice in the second half and had to wait until injury time for an O’Brien point from play. Clare wrapped up a first Munster final spot in 23 years with a late Ross O’Doherty goal.

Scorers for Limerick: R O’Brien 0-6 (2f), S Ryan 0-2, P Power, K Moloney, B Coleman, A Costelloe 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: G Cooney 1-5 (0-2f), P Kelly 1-2 (0-1 ‘45), R O’Doherty 1-0, D Ryan 0-3, G Cahill 0-2, D Coughlan 0-1.

LIMERICK: C Walsh; M Quinlan, E Burke, C Ferris; P Power, J Fitzgerald, J Cummins; K Moloney, L Kennedy; B Coleman, N Callanan, R O’Brien; A Costelloe, C Moran, S Ryan
Subs: D Burke for Callanan (46), C Moran for Ryan (50).

CLARE: M Lillis; J Sheedy, J O’Sullivan, J Miniter; D Ryan, F Donnellan, K White; C McMahon, D Griffith; P Kelly, S Rouine, D Coughlan; G Cooney, C O’Sullivan, G Cahill
Subs: C Dillon for McMahon (h-t), R O’Doherty for O’Donoghue (40), R Considine for Cahill (55), A O’Brien for Griffin (58), B Clancy for Coughlan (61).

Referee: D Murnane (Cork).

Clare outscored Limerick by 2-8 to 0-2 in the second half to reach a first Munster final since 1994 https://t.co/nlMjTVyJ6M pic.twitter.com/DIciQxcfcB

— The42.ie GAA (@The42GAA) May 10, 2017

Team News

Minor Football Semi Final tomorrow. Limerick at home to Clare. Throw in at the Gaelic grounds 7.00pm. All support appreciated #LuimneachAbu pic.twitter.com/dMGmaksfie

— Limerick Footballers (@LmkFootballers) May 9, 2017

Limerick minor football team and match panel is released by the management team of John Ryan manager, coach/selector Brian Nolan and selectors Cathal Minihane and David O’Connor this evening. Limerick will take on Clare in the Munster minor football championship semi final this Wednesday evening at the Gaelic Grounds with a starting time of 7pm.

The Limerick minor football team is as follows 1. Cian Walsh (St. Senans), 2. Mark Quinlan (Galbally), 3. Eoin Burke (St. Kierans), 4. Cillian Ferris (Ballysteen), 5. Padraig Power, (Rathkeale), 6. Jack Fitzgerald (Adare), 7. James Cummins (Galbally), 8. Karl Moloney (Crecora/Manister) (Captain), 9. Liam Kennedy (St. Kierans), 10. Barry Coleman (Rathkeale), 11. Noel Callanan (St. Kierans), 12. Rory O Brien (Fr. Caseys), 13. Adam Costelloe (Banogue), 14. Colm Moran (Mungret/St.Pauls) (V.Captain) 15. Sean Ryan (Athea).
Subs: 16. Michael Uwatse (Mungret/St.Pauls), 17. Paul Collins (Crecora/Manister), 18. David Burke (Mungret/St.Pauls) 19. Niall McAuliffe (Newcastle West), 20. Adam Shier (Ballybricken/Bohermore), 21. Diarmuid Mulcahy (St. Kierans), 22. Alan Kelly (Athea), 23. Calvin Moran (St. Patricks), 24. Eoghan Killian (Mungret/St.Pauls).

Clare MF team v Limerick

1. Mark Lillis (Cooraclare)
2. Jack Sheedy (St Breckan’s)
3. Jayme O’Sullivan (Wolfe Tones)
4. Joe Miniter (Kilrush)
5. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
6. Fergal Donnellan (Cooraclare)
7. Keith Whyte (Inagh-Kilnamona)
8. Conor McMahon (Cratloe)
9. Danny Griffin (Éire Óg)
10. Paudie Kelly (St Breckan’s)
11. Sean Rouine (Ennistymon)
12. Dermot Coughlan (Corofin)
13. Gavin Cooney (Kilmurry-Ibrickane)
14. Ciaran O’Donoghue (Cooraclare)
15. Gearoid Cahill (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield)