All-Ireland GAA Football Championship Qualifier Round 4 – Limerick 1-18 Wexford 1-17

Limerick 1-18 Wexford 1-17

From the RTE.ie web site

Saturday, 23 July 2011 22:07

Emotions ran high in O’Moore Park after the final whistle signalled the end of this hugely dramatic fourth round All-Ireland SFC qualifier. The Limerick players were ecstatic to have qualified for their first ever All-Ireland quarter-final thanks to a heart-stirring injury-time comeback, but every Wexford person in the stadium was spitting fire. The source of their ire was referee Derek Fahy who had allowed Ian Ryan’s last-gasp winning free to stand even though one of his umpires had waved it wide. Wexford had seemed set for victory when they led by three points as the 70th minute ticked by, but Limerick substitute Eoghan O’Connor drew his team level with a coolly finished goal after winning possession in a crowded square.

In the final minute of injury time Ian Ryan won and converted that winning free, but after the match every Wexford player swore it had drifted wide of the post. It was a fittingly frantic finish to a match that was played to a great tempo from the very start as both sides moved the ball with pace and tore into every physical exchange with gusto. Wexford’s forwards were in a constant state of positional flux in the opening minutes and with the Limerick defence confused by their perpetual motion, gaps started appearing. Limerick goalkeeper Brian Scanlon wasn’t exactly helping his full-back line settle by hitting every kick-out short and putting them under immediate pressure by the swarming Wexford attack.

In the opening minutes Wexford kept winning turnover ball deep in Limerick territory, and PJ Banville in particular was keen to make the most of it as he slotted over two nice points to help his team into a 0-04 to 0-01 lead after seven minutes. Limerick needed someone to show some leadership, and Ian Ryan was the first to put up his hand. The St Senan’s man has a tendency to blow hot and cold, but there’s no doubting his class and he scored two beautiful points to give Limerick some much needed momentum. From then on the first half was a rip-roaring to and fro struggle with neither team managing to establish any real dominance.

When Wexford hit three points in a row Limerick simply went down the field and emulated them by doing the very same, with forwards Stephen Kelly and Ger Collins really coming into the game with a vengeance. It was Wexford who finished the half on a high though, as points from the Duracell Bunny midfielder Adrian Morrissey and Ciaran Lyng (f) helped them into a 0-10 to 0-09 lead at the break. They maintained the momentum into the second half as Red Barry filched a well taken point under pressure, and then Eric Bradley struck for a controversial goal when it looked like he’d fouled the ball by throwing it from one hand to another before blasting it to the net. Limerick responded to this massive set-back in a very positive fashion. Ian Ryan curled over another super score and then John Cooke and Ger Collins (f) followed it up with another couple of points to reduce the deficit to the minimum again – 1-11 to 0-13.

Wexford seemed to be suddenly in reverse, but few teams are capable of suddenly changing through the gears like they are and they put their foot to floor again to score four points in little more than as many minutes. The fact that all four points came from four different men – Brian Malone, Red Barry, Adrian Flynn and Ben Brosnan – only made the feat more impressive. Limerick mightn’t have as much skill as Wexford, but they make up for it in heart, and once again they found their feet again just when it seemed like they were heading for the canvas. They strung their own necklace of four points together, three of them frees, to move within one, but missed the chance to draw level when Ger Collins kicked another free-kick wide. Wexford looked to have done enough when Shane Roche and Brosnan clipped over two late points, but once again Limerick proved they just don’t know when they’re beaten as O’Connor and Ryan produced those ever so late heroics.

Scorers

Wexford: E Bradley 1-0, R Barry, PJ Banville, B Brosnan (2f) all 0-3, A Morrissey, A Flynn, C Lyng (2f) all 0-2, S Roche, B Malone both 0-1

Limerick: I Ryan (1f), S Kelly (3f) both 0-5, G Collins 0-4 (2f), E O’Connor 1-0, J Cooke 0-2 T Lee, S O’Carroll both 0-1

Wexford: Anthony Masterson; J Wadding, G Molloy, B Malone; A Morrissey, D Murphy, A Doyle; D Waters, A Flynn; PJ Banville, C Morris, E Bradley; B Brosnan, C Lyng, R Barry. Subs: P Byrne for A Doyle (33), S Roche for C Morris (53), N Murphy for D Murphy (57), A Doyle for A Morrissey (65), C Carty for R Barry (69)

Limerick: B Scanlon; T Stack, S Gallagher, S Lavin; J Riordan, J McCarthy, P Ranahan; S Buckley, T Lee; S Kelly, J Mullane, M Sheehan; G Collins, S O’Carroll, I Ryan. Subs: J Cooke for J Mullane (22), E O’Connor for M Sheehan (50)J O’Donovan for S O’Carroll (55), J Kelly for J Cooke (64), B Fitzpatrick for J Riordan (67)

Ref: D Fahy – Longford

2011 Championship

Wexford 2-16 Offaly 0-8; Wexford 1-24 Westmeath 0-15; Wexford 4-12 Carlow 0-10; Dublin 2-12 Wexford 1-12.

Kerry 1-26 Limerick 3-9; Limerick 3-13 Offaly 0-15; Limerick 0-14 Waterford 0-9.

Match Preview

They met in the Allianz Football League (Division 3) last April when Limerick won by 2-12 to 0-14 in Newcastlewest. Goals by Ger Collins and Seanie Buckley gave Limerick the edge in a game where Wexford had to play with 14 men for 45 minutes after midfielder, Daithi Waters was sent off on a second yellow card.

Team News

Limerick Senior Football Team V Wexford on 23rd July 2011.

1. Brian Scanlon Gerald Griffin’s.

2. Tommy Stack Dromcollogher-Broadford.

3. Shane Gallagher Ballysteen.

4. Stephen Lavin Adare.

5. John Riordan Fr. Casey’s.

6. Johnny McCarthy St. Kierans.

7. Pa Ranahan Ballysteen.

8. Seanie Buckley Dromcollogher-Broadford.

9. Thomas Lee Ballylanders.

10. Stephen Kelly Newcastlewest.

11. . John Mullane St. Patrick’s.

12. Mike Sheehan Fr. Casey’s.

13. Ger Collins Monaleen.

14. Seamus O Carroll Cappagh.

15. Ian Ryan St. Senan’s.

Fir Ionaid

16. Donal O’Sullivan Monaleen.

17. Barry Fitzpatrick Monaleen. Captain.

18. Mike McCormack Mungret.

19. Ray O’Flaherty St. Senan’s.

20. Paul Kinnerk Monaleen.

21. Eoin Hogan Na Piarsaigh

22. Eoghan O’Connor St. Mary’s/Sean Finn’s.

23. James Kelly Newcastlewest.

24. Liam Costello Adare.

25. John Cooke Bruff.

26. Jim O’ Donovan St. Kierans