2024 Tailteann Cup Football – Limerick 2-10 Offaly 0-8

Limerick defeated Offaly by 2-10 to 0-8 in Round 2 of the Tailteann Cup Football on Saturday May 18th at Mick Neville Park Rathkeale.

REPORT: @LimerickCLG earned a morale boosting Tailteann Cup victory against @Offaly_GAA #GAA

— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 18, 2024

Tailteann Cup: Limerick register win

Limerick 2-10 Offaly 0-8

Report By Tom Clancy at Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale for GAA.ie

Limerick picked up their first win of 2024, thanks to a richly deserved double scores win over Offaly at Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale.

Manager Jimmy Lee had yet to taste success with his native county but two goals from clubmate Emmet Rigter ensured they’d collect a first success since defeating Carlow at the same stage of the Tailteann Cup 12 months ago. A 13-game winless run since then has understandably affected confidence on Shannonside but they played with certainty today, something which Offaly lacked.

For Offaly, they were unable to raise their game after a heavy defeat to London a week ago.

The victory was made possible by two goals from Rigter, both in the second half. He was returning to the side having featured in the All-Ireland U20 ‘B’ semi-final loss to Westmeath last weekend.

Tied 0-5 each after an underwhelming second-half, Limerick hit the front, 0-7 to 0-6 at didn’t look back. Nigel Dunne and Ruari McNamee looked sharp for the visitors early on but so too did Cathal Downes and Barry Coleman. Those players were among the scorers and it meant it was 0-3 each after 22 minutes.

The half ended with Peter Nash (free) and Jack Bryant swapping scores. As well as the parity on the scoresheet, the wide count was level, three each.

However, Offaly failed to go through the gears, disappointingly so after Dunnes second put them ahead early in the third quarter.

Instead, Downes (mark), Coleman and James Naughton were accurate before youngster Rigter pounced for a green flag. He drilled low to the corner after quick-thinking from Downes opened up the Offaly defence.

Declan Kelly’s men managed just once score in the final 20 minutes of action, with Limerick finishing with Rigter’s second goal – this time a palmed effort – and then a point from another Newcastle West man, Darren O’Doherty.

It puts Limerick back into contention, ahead of a round three meeting with London.

Scorers for Limerick: Emmet Rigter 2-0; Cathal Downes 0-3 (1m); Peter Nash 0-2 (2fs); Barry Coleman 0-2; James Naughton 0-1; Robbie Childs 0-1; Darren O’Doherty 0-1.
Scorers for Offaly: Nigel Dunne 0-3 (1f); Ruairí McNamee 0-2; Peter Cunningham 0-1; Jack Bryant 0-1; Eoin Carroll (m) 0-1.

Limerick: Josh Ryan; Tony McCarthy, Seán O’Dea, Paul Maher; Barry Coleman, Cillian Fahy, Cormac Woulfe; Tommie Childs, Emmet Rigter; Tommie Griffin, James Naughton, Cathal Downes; Brian Ahern, Robert Childs, Peter Nash.
Subs: Ruadhan O’Connor for Fahy (25-35, blood); Iain Corbett for T Childs (53); Danny Neville for B Ahern (56); Bryan Nix for Nash (63); Darren O’Doherty for Woulfe (64); Andrew Meade for Naughton (68); Shane Costelloe for Neville (72-74 blood).

Offaly: Ian Duffy; Lee Pearson (C), David Dempsey, John Furlong; Cormac Egan, Peter Cunningham, Jack O’Brien; Eoin Carroll, Declan Hogan; Dylan Hyland, Ruairí McNamee, Jordan Hayes; Nigel Dunne, Keith O’Neill, Jack Bryant.
Subs: A Sullivan for Hyland (50); C Flynn for Hyland (51); C Farrell for Dunne (60); K McDermott for Hayes (64).

Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo).

Team News

Jimmy Lee announced his Tailteann Cup Team:
Limerick Senior Football team and match panel has been announced by Jimmy Lee and the management team for Saturdays Tailteann Cup round 2 game against Offaly at Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale pic.twitter.com/oDUk6v5LRU

— Limerick GAA (@LimerickCLG) May 16, 2024

Limerick: Josh Ryan; Tony McCarthy, Seán O’Dea, Paul Maher; Barry Coleman, Cillian Fahy, Cormac Woulfe; Tommy Childs, Emmett Rigter; Shane Costelloe, James Naughton, Cathal Downes; Danny Neville, Rob Childs, Peter Nash.
Subs: Jeffrey Alfred, Darren O’Doherty, Ruadhan O’Connor, Joe Sweeney, Iain Corbett, Tommy Griffin, Bryan Nix, Diarmaid Kelly, Eoin Hurley, Brian Ahern, Andrew Meade.

Offaly: Ian Duffy; Lee Pearson, David Dempsey, John Furlong; Cormac Egan, Peter Cunningham, Rory Egan; Eoin Carroll, Cathal Donoghue; Dylan Hyland, Cathal Flynn, Jordan Hayes; Cian Farrell, Keith O’Neill, Jack Bryant.
Subs: Mikey Cunningham, Diarmuid Finneran, Jack O’Brien, Daire McDaid, Declan Hogan, Ruairi McNamee, Kevin McDermott, Anton Sullivan, Nigel Dunne, Nathan Poland, Dan Wyer.