Andrew O'Shaughnessy swiped home three second half goals at Casement Park as Limerick throttled Antrim for a 4-24 to 2-11 win in NHL Division 1B – a result which sees the Shannonsiders into the quarter-finals.
Joe McKenna’s side – unbeaten in the league after three wins and two draws – have finished second in the table, earning them a quarter-final clash with the third-placed team in Division 1A, which could be Clare, Waterford, Cork or Offaly. The 1A programme is completed next weekend.
Hail and rain dogged the opening stages of today’s tie in Belfast but Limerick were soon into their groove. South Liberties clubman Mark Keane was particularly lively – obviously wanting to prove a point after some poor shooting had him substituted at half time in last week’s win over Laois.
Keane had fired over five points as Limerick led 0-11 to 0-05 coming up to the half-hour mark. Midfielders Paul O’Grady (0-02) and Donie Ryan, wing forward Conor Fitzgerald (0-02) and Keane’s fellow corner forward O'Shaughnessy were also on target.
Karl McKeegan's tactic of lobbing frees into the Limerick square was paying little dividend but Johnny McIntosh’s three-point haul had kept the Saffrons in touch.
McKeegan clipped over his second point on 32 minutes but moments later, Keane, who scored 1-07 in the first half, had crashed home Limerick’s opening goal at the other end. The visitors had a 1-13 to 0-06 buffer for the second half. Recalled 'keeper Brian Murray did well to save a McIntosh ground shot that was the Saffrons’ only real chance of a goal in the first half.
Limerick wasted little time in strengthening their lead – Ollie Moran (free) and Keane added points before Kilmallock attacker O’Shaughnessy goaled on 38 minutes.
McKenna's men continued to race up their tally, although Antrim midfielders Conor Gunning and Ciaran Herron, with an excellent first time shot, did nab two goals back.
O'Shaughnessy scrambled home his second major on 53 minutes and the former underage star notched his third, six minutes later, to complete a 3-02 personal haul. Keane had chalked up 1-08 before being substituted.
