HL1B: terrific Treaty power past disappointing Dubs
February 17, 2018
Limerick's Aaron Gillane and Eoghan O'Donnell of Dublin during the Division 1B clash at the Gaelic Grounds
Limerick were way more comfortable against Dublin at the Gaelic Grounds tonight than the 1-26 to 0-17 final score suggests.
In truth, John Kiely's men were never troubled as they maintained their 100% record at their absolute ease and moved clear at the top of the table overnight with six points secured out of a possible six and an impressive +39 scoring difference.
Last year's All-Ireland winning U21 captain Tom Morrissey gave the winners an ideal start with an early brace but Danny Sutcliffe's superb strike had the visitors very much in the game after 13 minutes, 0-5 to 0-4. David Reidy's second, an Aaron Gillane free, Gearoid Hegarty and Diarmuid Byrnes made it 0-9 to 0-5, with Donal Burke the Dublin scorer in between.
Gillane - who finished the night with 1-9 to his credit - then netted a penalty 13 minutes from the break as the gap soared to seven. The same player tagged on three converted frees and a point from play before the interval. All Pat Gilroy's disjointed side could muster in response was a couple of points from Sutcliffe and Burke (free).
Leading by 1-13 to 0-7 at the short whistle, the hosts cantered through the second half, with the unerring Gillane, Seamus Flanagan, Hegarty, Byrnes, Pat Ryan and Reidy almost scoring at will. Sutcliffe, Burke and Conal Keaney just about kept the other side of the scoreboard ticking over and Alan Nolan pulled off a fine save five minutes from time to deny Reidy a second Treaty goal.
The league is going to plan so far for Limerick, who are gearing up for a March 4th winner-takes-all promotion showdown with All-Ireland champions Galway in Salthill. Things aren't going quite so smoothly for the Dubs.
Limerick - N Quaid; S Finn, S Hickey, R English; D Byrnes (0-3, 1f), D Hannon, D Morrissey; P Browne, C Lynch; G Hegarty (0-2), T Morrissey (0-4), D Reidy (0-4, 3f); A Gillane (1-9, 1-0pen, 0-7f), S Flanagan (0-2), B Murphy. Subs: T Condon for R English, P Ryan (0-1) for A Gillane, O O'Reilly for B Murphy, B O'Connell (0-1) for G Hegarty.
Dublin - A Nolan; P Smyth, B O'Carroll, E O'Donnell (0-1); S Barrett, C Crummey, T Connolly; C McBride, N McMorrow; F McGibb (0-1), F Whitely (0-1), D Sutcliffe (0-5); C Keaney (0-2), C Boland (0-1), D Burke (0-6f). Subs: D Kelly for B O'Carroll, R O'hAodha for N McMorrow, L Rushe for C Boland, J Madden for T Connolly.
Referee - J Ryan.
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