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Limerick too good for Kilkenny in Under-21 hurling final

Updated / Saturday, 9 Sep 2017 16:48
Limerick were comfortable throughout
Limerick were comfortable throughout

Limerick U21 0-17 Kilkenny U21 0-11

Limerick secured their second All-Ireland U-21 hurling title in the last three years and their sixth win from six finals as Aaron Gillane and Peter Casey fired them to victory at Semple Stadium.

In front of 15,485 supporters, Limerick dominated entirely with a strong wind advantage in the first-half and matched Kilkenny after the break to wrap up a memorable campaign for Pat Donnelly’s side.

Remarkably, with 16 All-Ireland titles between them at the grade before today, the teams had never met in a final, but with wins over Galway, Clare, Cork and Tipperary en route to the decider there is no arguing Limerick were deserving champions.

After winning the toss and electing to play with the gale at their backs for the opening half, Limerick were slow out of the blocks and Shane Walsh wasted little time in pointing Kilkenny into the lead when Dan Joy failed to clear.

But once they settled Limerick soon began to show their class.

Aaron Gillane was a treat throughout, and starting in the full-forward line he hit his side level from a placed ball before Barry Nash gave the Treaty men the lead after six minutes.

A big striker of the ball at the best of times, Limerick’s Ronan Lynch has plenty of distance to spare when he pointed a free from his own 45 metre line after eight minutes, while a free and a point from play by Gillane bookended a great score from the lively Peter Casey as Limerick pulled five clear.

But even playing into the elements this was a worrying opening quarter from Kilkenny.

They often overcooked hand passes and stick passes, which allowed their Limerick markers time to hassle and harry the Kilkenny strikers, while a show of dissent from Richie Leahy allowed Gillane stretch Limerick’s lead to 0-07 to 0-01 after 16 minutes. It was very unlike teams from the county.

But we finally saw some of the skills that the Cats are known for when Billy Ryan pointed well at the end of a well worked move up the right wing.

The teams went point for point for a spell – although Cian Lynch took an easy score when Gillane was free inside in the 27th minute – but to close the half Gillane and Ronan Lynch pointed to give them a 0-11 to 0-04 half-time cushion.

The only concern for Limerick at the interval was their poor strike rate and the eight wides they hit in the first-half was soon added to by Barry Murphy as the difficulty shooting into the wind was displayed.

But, crucially, Kilkenny were not able to cut into that seven-point advantage either, and when the first point of the half arrived in the 40th minute it was Robbie Hanley’s powerful work up the left that allowed Gillane to fire his sixth point, and the pick of the lot.

Liam Blanchfield finally hit point number five for Kilkenny in the 43rd minute, but the response was immediate from Limerick when Casey swiveled and pointed beautifully from the left.

The withdrawal of Shane Walsh meant Alan Murphy took over the free-taking duties and he was on the mark from his first attempt, and he fired three points for his side as Kilkenny closed the deficit to 0-14 to 0-8 with 11 minutes remaining.

Murphy’s confidence slowly began to spread through to his team-mates and when John Donnelly fired an inspirational score for the young Cats, the gap was back to just five points.

Substitute Conor Boylan could have sealed the win but his mishit shot was tirned over the bar by Darren Brennan, and a couple of quick points from placed balls from Murphy meant the lead was a tenuous four points.

But Gillane settled Limerick with a great score from the left before another sub Oisin O’Reilly clinched victory with a battling score after he was twice hooked in the build up.

Limerick: E McNamara; S Finn, D Fanning, D Joy; R Lynch (0-03, 0-03f), K Hayes, T Grimes; C Ryan, R Hanley; T Morrissey (c), B Nash (0-01), C Lynch (0-01); P Casey (0-03), A Gillane (0-07, 0-02f), B Murphy.

Subs used: C Boylan (0-01) for C Lynch (39 mins), A La Touche Cosgrave for Morrissey (48), O O’Reilly (0-01) for Murphy (53), L Lyons for Nash (63).

Kilkenny: D Brennan; M Cody, C Delaney, N McMahon; H Lawlor, J Cleere, T Walsh; L Scanlon, R Leahy; B Ryan (0-01), S Morrissey, L Blanchfield (0-01); J Walsh, J Donnelly (0-01), S Walsh (0-03, 0-02f).

Subs used: A Murphy (0-05, 0-04f, 0-01’65) for Morrissey (25 mins), P Lyng (c) for J Walsh (h-t), E Kenny for S Walsh (40), M Keoghan for Ryan (41), D Mullen for Leahy (45).

Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow).

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