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January 3 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Tulla Referee: Conor Doyle (Tipperary)

Competition:

Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League

Description:

Clare defeated Limerick by 3-20 to 3-18 in the Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League on Saturday January 3rd at Tulla.

Match Highlights

Last gasp Mark Rodgers penalty ensures Clare take Shannonside derby spoils

Report by Eoin Brennan courtesy of the Irish Examiner newspaper

Munster Hurling League Rd 1: Clare 3-20 Limerick 3-18

A last gasp Mark Rodgers penalty ensured that the first Shannonside derby spoils of 2026 would edge Clare’s way after a typically seesaw battle for supremacy with Limerick in Dr. Daly Park, Tulla.

With a capped attendance of 2,000, those fortunate enough to get their hands on a golden Munster Hurling League opening ticket would be rewarded by a frenetic neighbouring tussle that saw the lead change hands nine times and the sides locked together on ten occasions as late as the 66th minute.

Indeed, the only real downside to such a worthy opening work-out was a head injury to Clare’s Jack Kirwan midway through the second half that saw proceedings halted for over ten minutes before the Parteen-Meelick clubman was precariously stretchered off.

Kirwan had excelled with a superb solo goal in what was a thrilling start to the second half that began with Donnacha Ó Dálaigh’s second goal after only twenty seconds of the restart before Kirwan fielded on the right wing and bore down on the Limerick goal before batting past new goalkeeper Colin Ryan at 2-14 to 2-10.

Jack Kirwan Goal for Clare

Limerick had just made amends through a Fintan Fitzgerald back post goal after punishing a home defensive lapse predominantly thanks to the initiative of substitute Adam English, with Aidan O’Connor regaining full parity for the visitors on the resumption of play at 2-15 to 3-12.

Kirwan’s replacement Peter Duggan arrowed over a brilliant lineball while Mark Rodgers frees managed to keep the hosts in front by the 64th minute.

However, as the twelve minutes period of additional time developed, it was Limerick who incrementally looked the fresher side as a four point unanswered rally through O’Connor (2) and replacements Shane O’Brien and Peter Casey put the visitors two clear by the 68th minute.

Brian Lohan’s men would not be denied though as Rodgers halved the arrears before teeing up David Fitzgerald to take on Limerick’s last line and play in Colm O’Meara to be held for a 70th minute penalty.

Rodgers duly stepped up to rifle to the right corner of the Limerick net and complete their third successive competitive victory over their neighbours.

Goals were also the ignition of the first half intensity as first David Fitzgerald picked out Shane Meehan at the back post to finish at 1-6 to 0-6 in the 13th minute, only to see it cancelled out four minutes later when the home side failed to clear their lines and Aidan O’Connor flicked to Donnacha Ó Dálaigh to race through and give debutante Mark Sheedy no chance.

Mark Rodgers would hit the side netting soon after but he did ensure that his side held a 1-12 to 1-10 half-time edge and would subsequently end up being the hero at the death which means that Wednesday’s latest derby between Limerick and Cork in the TUS Gaelic Grounds (7.35pm) is now must-win for John Kiely’s men.

Mark Rodgers of Clare in action against Limerick players, from left, Vince Harrington and Darragh Langan during the Co-Op Superstores Munster Senior Hurling League match between Clare and Limerick at Páirc an Dálaigh in Tulla, Clare. Photo by John Sheridan/Sportsfile

Scorers for Clare: M Rodgers 1-11 (1-0 Pen, 7f); J Kirwan 1-2; S Meehan 1-1; J O’Neill 0-2; R Taylor, K Smyth, D Fitzgerald, P Duggan (sl) 0-1 each.

Scorers for Limerick: D Ó Dálaigh 2-2; A O’Connor 0-7 (6f); F Fitzgerald 1-0; D O’Shea, T Morrissey 0-2 each; D Langan, J English, M Fitzgerald, S O’Brien, P Casey 0-1 each.

CLARE: M Sheedy; S Woods, C Cleary, R Hayes; E McMahon, D Ryan, J Conneally; D Lohan, R Taylor; J Kirwan, J O’Neill, D Fitzgerald; S Meehan, K Smyth, M Rodgers.
Subs: C Malone for Conneally (19, inj), P Duggan for Kirwan (42, inj), D Stritch for McMahon (43), C O’Meara for Smyth (66).

LIMERICK: C Ryan; V Harrington, S Casey, E Stokes; D Langan, C O’Neill, D O’Shea; E Hurley, D O’Donovan: O O’Farrell, T Morrissey, J English (Garryspillane); F Fitzgerald, A O’Connor, D Ó Dálaigh.
Subs: A English for Hurley (HT), S O’Brien for O’Farrell (HT), M Fitzgerald for O’Shea (39), G Hegarty for Morrissey (60), J Fitzgerald for O’Donovan (60), C Thomas for Casey (65), P Casey for Ó Dálaigh (65), D Ferland for F. Fitzgerald (65).

Referee: C Doyle (Tipperary).

Ticket Information

Capacity for this game is limited to a maximum of 2,000 supporters. This game is now sold out.

Admission will be by ticket only, including Under 16s. Please do not travel to the game without a ticket to avoid disappointment.

Team News

Match Coverage

The game will be streamed live on Clubber.

Venue:

  • Tulla