Limerick vs Clare  24^th May

Welcome one and all to the first game of the Munster Hurling Championship from Semple Stadium in Thurles, and we have an intriguing game in prospect. Both teams have had disappointing National League campaigns and will be eager to make a big impression here.

In last year's championship, Limerick were relatively successful – a big win over Tipperary early on, beaten by Cork in a closely contested Munster Final, and losing out to Kilkenny in a riveting All-Ireland semi-final in atrocious conditions largely through the brilliance of Richie Hogan. The wet day suited Limerick, but it suited Kilkenny more.

Clare, on the other hand, had a year to forget, losing out to Wexford after extra time in a replayed game, having been reduced to thirteen men, but in reality, it was Wexford's wayward shooting in both games that kept the Banner men in it.

Still, Shane O'Donnell's back has finally recovered after eighteen months in the saddle following his hattrick in the 2013 final, and Tony Kelly seems to be recovering his player of the year form after a poor campaign last year.

Much has been made of problems in the camp, defections to the footballers and harsh punishment rituals, but their build up to this game has been decidedly low-key, leading everyone to wonder if Davy is waiting in the long grass with a helium balloon and tinfoil hat, to pop out at the end of the game and say “I told ye all, so I did”.

Pre-match Analysis

Davy's demeanour in the pregame interview is that of a lad hanging around outside a chip shop at half past two looking for a fight. At any moment I expect him to come out with “What did you just say” and square up to Claire McNamara. In the end Claire backs down and confrontation is avoided.

The panel today: Liam Sheedy, Cyril Farrell and newcomer Henry Shefflin, whose pink tie it must be said is clashing violently with his ginger hair. An early statement of intent from the Kilkenny man.

Lots of borderline nonsense from Cyril Farrell early doors but he does speak at an incredible rate so I suppose it's to be expected:

“Limerick play on the cuff a bit more than Clare”

“Shane Dowling is already the future of Limerick hurling”

You get the gist.

Henry wades into the action with “Tony Kelly is 23 now and coming into his prime as a hurler”.

(Kelly turned 21 in December).

Sheedy: “If Clare give away frees, Shane Dowling will persevere every chance.”

One final remark from Cyril before we go down pitchside: “Shane O'Donnell will be twisting and turning like a hare being hounded by a hound.”

Down we go to Ger Canning and Michael Duignan as the game is about to start – thankfully today we have no opera singers dragging the arse out of the National Anthem and the crowd is fired up.

Here we go!

First Half

Immediately it's noticeable that there are a lot of bodies around the middle third. Shane O'Donnell seems to be operating as a one man full forward line, and Shane Dowling similarly at the other end.

Limerick are going direct early - a long high ball into Dowling, who makes a great catch and is fouled.

Dowling goes for goal from the free, it's saved and the rebound falls to a Limerick forward who is immediately fouled in front of goal.

Clare's defending last year was panicky and indisciplined, and early signs here are for more of the same.

5 mins Shane O'Donnell is being double marked and does well to win a free which is converted by Colin Ryan.

The early exchanges are frantic within the congested midfield area. O'Donnell is being forced to drift out towards the sideline to look for possession.

11 mins Debutant Cian Lynch fires over a lovely score after a jinking run. No sign of nerves as he ran at the Clare defence.

12 mins Another silly free conceded by Clare

Score Limerick 0-6 Clare 0-3

Cian Lynch breaks out some fancy flicks and seems right at home in this game. Picks off another good point.

20 mins Limerick are well on top here, but there is an awful lot of aimless hurling by both teams.

26 mins Davy gets his first talking-to from the referee. We can see him gesticulating wildly but RTE disappointingly have placed the sideline mic out of range of his high-pitched ranting.

31 mins Duignan: “This is brutal stuff”.

35 mins The number of silly frees conceded by Clare is staggering.

A bit of pushing and shoving near the sideline turns nasty and Pat O'Donnell catches Donal O'Grady with a solid belt on the chin with the hurley. A red card and rightly so, right on the stroke of halftime.

A terrible first half, full of aimless solo running, short passing, bad wides and poor use of possession. One man double marked in each full forward line and twenty two fellas swinging out of eachother in the middle third.

Limerick have missed three scoreable frees and should be further ahead. Clare's lack of discipline is something that obviously hasn't been addressed – I make that four red cards in their last three championship outings, and the fouls being committed by their backs are silly and obvious.

The only real highlights have been the performances of Shane O'Donnell and Cian Lynch, but all in all a dreary first thirty five minutes.

Half Time Analysis

Michael Lyster lifts up the RTE studio rug and tries to sweep the first half neatly under it, with:

“I suppose this is what happens when so much is depending on a match”

Come off it Michael – a lot depends on every championship match. This is what happens when two managers send their teams out to play in a negative fashion, that's obvious to everyone watching.

A first on an RTE hurling panel as all three experts are openly critical of the standard of play. (To be fair, Tomás Mulcahy is as láthair. An rud is annamh is iontach.)

Here's hoping for a better second half.

Second Half

37 mins Great start by Clare, two quick points to level the score at ten apiece.

Dónal O'Donovan is in real trouble trying to contain Cian Lynch's trickery.

Ger Canning had a quiet first half by his standards, not bothering to inform us about the number of championship matches various players have played, but he is beginning to spout some good gibberish now, early in the second half, as Shane Dowling stands over a free:

“Shane Dowling reporting for duty, and as usual he's absolutely commendable.”

He then gets in a bizarre reference to the movie Kramer vs Kramer as Clare win a sideline ball. I am struggling to see the connection.

40 mins Brilliant score by John Conlon from near the sideline. Slightly more orthodox set up by Clare in the second half, pushing more men forward.

The needle on Ger's ráméis-ometer is stuck firmly in the red now as a Limerick player accidentally drops his hurley chasing after the ball:

“It's like the egg and spoon race where you lose the egg, this time he lost the spoon however.”

Duignan correctly observes that the game is much livelier now, to which Canning excitedly proclaims: “It's like we're living in a different country Michael!”

46 mins Great solo run and score by Tom Condon for Limerick.

Score: Limerick 0-13 Clare 0-12

48 mins Clare substitute Aaron Cunningham bursts through and fires just over the bar, could have easily been a goal.

Clare's needless fouling shows no sign of letting up, and Dowling is punishing them remorselessly – one beauty from eighty five metres. He has now scored ten points from frees.

51 mins Goal for Limerick! Graham Mulcahy strikes to the net after a fumble by the Clare keeper.

Things looking bad for Clare now.

52 mins Wait a second! Brilliant individual goal by Aaron Cunningham, bursting past three defenders and finishing off the stick to the bottom corner. The game is coming to life.

54 mins Tony Kelly fires over from an impossible angle and Clare are right back in the game.

Score Limerick 1-16 Clare 1-14

55 mins It's all happening now – Red card for Limerick's Seanie Tobin who has been on the field less than ten seconds - this must be some kind of record. Possibly a little harsh but he did dig the hurley into the ribs of his man. No need to wash that jersey.

An attempt at a short sideline cut goes badly wrong for Clare leading Ger to observe:

“They've perfected that over the last number of years”.

61 mins Eleven points from frees now for Limerick.

63 mins Goal for Clare! Aaron Cunningham again, running straight at the Limerick defense and once again strikes the ball straight off the stick – fantastic goal. Why wasn't he starting?

65 mins Shane O'Donnell ties up the game with his first score. He has been nothing short of heroic for Clare today.

67 mins A massive point by John Fitzgibbon puts Limerick a point ahead.

70 mins Game over, a one point win for Limerick.

An excellent and exciting second half, lit up by the brilliant goals of Aaron Cunningham, but Clare's indiscipline ultimately cost them.

Cian Lynch excelled for Limerick in his championship debut and looks to have real star potential. All in all, Limerick won the game without being massively impressive and owe a lot to the freetaking of Shane Dowling. They don't seem to carry a great goal threat but are dogged and tough around the middle in what is a fairly defensive-minded setup.

Clare can take heart from aspects of their second half performance and look forward to the return of Conor McGrath from injury. Their lack of discipline, however, is alarming, considering it was the main cause of their downfall last year and doesn't seem to have been addressed.

Post Match Analysis

A disputed point by Dowling is shown on a slow motion replay which to my eyes doesn't lend any more clarity to the situation. Michael seems convinced it was over the bar and helpfully adds:

“It might have been an important score if it hadn't gone between the posts, but it did.”

We've all been waiting with a sense of guilty pleasure for Davy's postmatch interview – he chased referee Colm Lyons down the tunnel after the game, and I don't think it was a handshake he was looking for...

And here he is!

This is classic sulking Davy – eyes rooted to the floor, paranoid, vague suggestions of conspiracy theories, so so proud of each and every one of those lads inside in that dressing room so he is, not being drawn into criticising officials, no way you're not drawing him into that, 100% convinced that they didn't deserve to lose that match.

If he actually believes what he's saying, little wonder that Clare's defending hasn't improved. It's all the referee's fault and they have nothing to improve upon in terms of their tackling. Don't ever change Davy.

That's all for now folks, tune in next Sunday for Dublin vs Galway in the Leinster Hurling Championship.

Slán.