A fairly predictable, almost mundane National Hurling League Division 1 game in O'Connor Park on Sunday ended up with both sides going home in a similar frame of mind: content but not in any way elated and just moving onto the next challenge.
Limerick did just enough and very little more to achieve their primary target of winning. They were not fully tuned in for a lot of the way and some of their hurling frustrated their supporters, particularly in the first half but they were never in any danger of a really damaging defeat - even the Offaly supporters knew that they had other gears to switch onto if they wished.
Offaly's 2-19 to 0-17 defeat means relegation back to Division 1B but they were under no illusions that this was imminent. Their manager Johnny Kelly was focused on the performance, both individual and collective and will be content that they gave it their best shot, competed for a long time, were still in with some sort of chance heading into the closing quarter and that it was more or less as good as they could realistically have hoped for.
The game never really ignited to life and the first half was particularly pedestrian. Limerick had first use of the wind but it was well inside the second quarter before they truly settled.
Offaly were up for the game and two Adam Screeney points, one free, got them going. Limerick led by 0-05 to 0-03 after 15 minutes, Ter Guinan and Dan Bourke got Offaly on level terms two minutes later.
Despite continuing to hit some sloppy wides, Limerick did sharpen up a bit in the second quarter. With Aidan O'Connor scoring eight first half points, three from play, Limerick led by 0-9 to 0-7 after 32 minutes and grabbed a 0-12 to 0-7 half time lead thanks to late points from Cathal O'Neill, Adam English and O'Connor (free).
Despite Offaly having the wind advantage, it was not hugely significant and no one in O'Connor Park truly anticipated an upset. Offaly did fight hard. They were 0-13 to 0-10 behind after 41 minutes, 0-17 to 0-13 with 51 minutes gone.
At this stage, Limerick decided it was time to close the door. Shane O'Brien got a quality 52nd minute goal, O'Connor floated over a free and Cathal O'Neill's 57th minute goal made it 2-18 to 0-13.
Offaly were never going to haul that back in but will have been pleased that they closed the gap. Limerick only added one more point, a Diarmaid Byrnes free while Adam Screeney tapped over four late frees for a very honest Offaly side.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Mike Casey, Dan Morrissey, Sean Finn; Diarmaid Byrnes (0-02, 1f), Kyle Hayes, Colin Coughlan (0-01); Cathal O'Neill (1-01), Darragh O'Donovan; Aidan O'Connor (0-10 7f), Cian Lynch (0-01), Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Shane O'Brien (1-01), Adam English (0-02). Subs: David Reidy (0-01) for O'Donovcan (22m), Gearoid Hegarty for Morrissey (54m), Matthew Fitzgerald for Coughlan (55m), Fintan Fitzgerald for English (59m), Ethan Hurley for O'Connor (59m),
Offaly: Liam Hoare; Patrick Taaffe, Ben Conneely (0-01), Sam Bourke; Jack Clancy, Killian Sampson (0-01), Donal Shirley (0-01); Colin Spain, Ross Ravenhill; Dan Bourke (0-01), Oisin Kelly, Ter Guinan (0-02); Luke Nolan (0-01), Brian Duignan (0-01), Adam Screeney (0-09, 8f). Subs: Luke Watkins for Clancy (58m), Eibhin Kelly for Spain (59m), Cian Burke (Coolderry) for Nolan (62m), Brecon Kavanagh for Taaffe (66m)
Referee: Liam Gordon, Galway.
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