FIRST BLOOD OF 2026 goes to Clare after a Mark Rodgers penalty 10 minutes into additional time finally swung the opening Munster Hurling League spoils west of the Shannonside derby divide in Dr Daly Park, Tulla.
What was intended as a hour-long contest turned out to be a titanic wrestle for supremacy after a 10-minute recess for a head injury to Clare’s Jack Kirwan midway through the second period only heightened the neighbourly tension.
The outcome was never clear in a typically fascinating encounter though as the sides were level 10 times and indeed the lead changed hands on nine occasions.
However, just when it seemed as if Limerick were about to steal an early march on their hosts with a four point injury-time burst through Aidan O’Connor (two) and replacement duo Shane O’Brien and Peter Casey to inch in front for the first time in over 35 minutes, Clare refused to be denied.
In a rare outing in Tulla which saw a capacity 2,000 attendance crammed into the famed East Clare venue, it was fitting that one of East Clare’s most famous current sons Mark Rodgers would be the one to finally turn the tide decisively in the home side’s favour.
Converting an angled point to half the arrears to just the minimum by the 69th minute, he would also initiate the move for the final twist in the tail that saw David Fitzgeral attract Limerick’s last line before popping a pass inside to substitute Colm O’Meara.
The visitors swarmed him but illegally so as referee Conor Doyle issued a penalty that chief marksman Rodgers duly dispatched to the right corner of new goalkeeper Colin Ryan’s net.
Conor Cleary of Clare in action against Shane O'Brien of Limerick. Natasha Barton / INPHO
Natasha Barton / INPHO / INPHO
Ironically, John Kiely’s side are the only team that Clare have beaten since their 2024 All-Ireland triumph as this was their third successive victory over Limerick which puts them in control of Group B ahead of a final outing away to Cork on Monday week.
Meanwhile it’s must-win territory for Limerick who host Ben O’Connor’s new-look Rebels first in the TUS Gaelic Grounds next Wednesday evening (7.35pm) in what is a repeat of last year’s Munster decider.
The use of 23 players will be of some satisfaction to John Kiely, with newcomers Dylan O’Shea and Darragh Lanigan impressing most alongside Aidan O’Connor, Cathal O’Neill, Tom Morrissey and two goal hero Donnacha Ó Dálaigh.
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Goals would be a feature of this 2026 opener as having been level five times early on, Clare finally put some daylight between the neighbours in the 13th minute when Rodgers and Fitzgerald combined well once more to play in Shane Meehan for a back post finish at 1-6 to 0-6.
It would be a short-lived breathing space as by the end of the opening quarter, Limerick had wiped it out when Aidan O’Connor capitalised upon a defensive error to play in Ó Dálaigh to race through and finish past debutante Mark Sheedy.
Mark Rodgers would hit the side-netting soon after but was much more accurate over Ryan’s crossbar as his five point first half haul gave the hosts a narrow 1-12 to 1-10 half time cushion.
Now backed by the slight conditions, Limerick and more pointedly Ó Dálaigh flipped the script only 20 seconds into the new half when finishing the bottom left corner.
However, it only seemed to ignite a seesaw blow-for-blow pattern as Jack Kirwan embarked on a superb run to bat to the visiting net in the 34th minute, only to see substitute Adam English tee up Fintan Fitzgerald for a perfect response by the two-thirds mark at 2-15 to 3-11.
Jack Kirwan is stretchered off. Natasha Barton / INPHO
Natasha Barton / INPHO / INPHO
Kirwan’s injury did halt play for over 10 minutes before he was stretchered off to receive further treatment but once proceedings resumed, the sides would be level twice more as late as the 66th minute.
It took a last-gasp Rodgers penalty to finally separate them but the real Shannonside derby spoils will be in Ennis in exactly four months time when both are vying for Munster Championship honours.
Scorers for Clare: Mark Rodgers 1-11 (1-0 Pen, 7f), Jack Kirwan 1-2, Shane Meehan 1-1, Jack O’Neill 0-2, Ryan Taylor 0-1, Keith Smyth 0-1, David Fitzgerald 0-1, Peter Duggan 0-1 (sl)
Scorers for Limerick: Donnacha Ó Dálaigh 2-2, Aidan O’Connor 0-7 (6f), Fintan Fitzgerald 1-0, Dylan O’Shea 0-2, Tom Morrissey 0-2, Darragh Langan 0-1, John English 0-1, Matthew Fitzgerald 0-1, Shane O’Brien 0-1, Peter Casey 0-1
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Last-gasp Rodgers penalty sees Clare beat Limerick in Munster Hurling League opener
Munster Hurling League Group B Round 1
Clare 3-20
Limerick 3-18
FIRST BLOOD OF 2026 goes to Clare after a Mark Rodgers penalty 10 minutes into additional time finally swung the opening Munster Hurling League spoils west of the Shannonside derby divide in Dr Daly Park, Tulla.
What was intended as a hour-long contest turned out to be a titanic wrestle for supremacy after a 10-minute recess for a head injury to Clare’s Jack Kirwan midway through the second period only heightened the neighbourly tension.
The outcome was never clear in a typically fascinating encounter though as the sides were level 10 times and indeed the lead changed hands on nine occasions.
However, just when it seemed as if Limerick were about to steal an early march on their hosts with a four point injury-time burst through Aidan O’Connor (two) and replacement duo Shane O’Brien and Peter Casey to inch in front for the first time in over 35 minutes, Clare refused to be denied.
In a rare outing in Tulla which saw a capacity 2,000 attendance crammed into the famed East Clare venue, it was fitting that one of East Clare’s most famous current sons Mark Rodgers would be the one to finally turn the tide decisively in the home side’s favour.
Converting an angled point to half the arrears to just the minimum by the 69th minute, he would also initiate the move for the final twist in the tail that saw David Fitzgeral attract Limerick’s last line before popping a pass inside to substitute Colm O’Meara.
The visitors swarmed him but illegally so as referee Conor Doyle issued a penalty that chief marksman Rodgers duly dispatched to the right corner of new goalkeeper Colin Ryan’s net.
Ironically, John Kiely’s side are the only team that Clare have beaten since their 2024 All-Ireland triumph as this was their third successive victory over Limerick which puts them in control of Group B ahead of a final outing away to Cork on Monday week.
Meanwhile it’s must-win territory for Limerick who host Ben O’Connor’s new-look Rebels first in the TUS Gaelic Grounds next Wednesday evening (7.35pm) in what is a repeat of last year’s Munster decider.
The use of 23 players will be of some satisfaction to John Kiely, with newcomers Dylan O’Shea and Darragh Lanigan impressing most alongside Aidan O’Connor, Cathal O’Neill, Tom Morrissey and two goal hero Donnacha Ó Dálaigh.
Goals would be a feature of this 2026 opener as having been level five times early on, Clare finally put some daylight between the neighbours in the 13th minute when Rodgers and Fitzgerald combined well once more to play in Shane Meehan for a back post finish at 1-6 to 0-6.
It would be a short-lived breathing space as by the end of the opening quarter, Limerick had wiped it out when Aidan O’Connor capitalised upon a defensive error to play in Ó Dálaigh to race through and finish past debutante Mark Sheedy.
Mark Rodgers would hit the side-netting soon after but was much more accurate over Ryan’s crossbar as his five point first half haul gave the hosts a narrow 1-12 to 1-10 half time cushion.
Now backed by the slight conditions, Limerick and more pointedly Ó Dálaigh flipped the script only 20 seconds into the new half when finishing the bottom left corner.
However, it only seemed to ignite a seesaw blow-for-blow pattern as Jack Kirwan embarked on a superb run to bat to the visiting net in the 34th minute, only to see substitute Adam English tee up Fintan Fitzgerald for a perfect response by the two-thirds mark at 2-15 to 3-11.
Kirwan’s injury did halt play for over 10 minutes before he was stretchered off to receive further treatment but once proceedings resumed, the sides would be level twice more as late as the 66th minute.
It took a last-gasp Rodgers penalty to finally separate them but the real Shannonside derby spoils will be in Ennis in exactly four months time when both are vying for Munster Championship honours.
Scorers for Clare: Mark Rodgers 1-11 (1-0 Pen, 7f), Jack Kirwan 1-2, Shane Meehan 1-1, Jack O’Neill 0-2, Ryan Taylor 0-1, Keith Smyth 0-1, David Fitzgerald 0-1, Peter Duggan 0-1 (sl)
Scorers for Limerick: Donnacha Ó Dálaigh 2-2, Aidan O’Connor 0-7 (6f), Fintan Fitzgerald 1-0, Dylan O’Shea 0-2, Tom Morrissey 0-2, Darragh Langan 0-1, John English 0-1, Matthew Fitzgerald 0-1, Shane O’Brien 0-1, Peter Casey 0-1
Clare
1. Mark Sheedy (Sixmilebridge)
2. Shane Woods (Inagh-Kilnamona), 3. Conor Cleary (St. Joseph’s Miltown), 4. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)
5. Eoin McMahon (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), 6. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), 7. John Conneally (Clooney-Quin)
8. Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones), 9. Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin)
10. Jack Kirwan (Parteen-Meelick), 11. Jack O’Neill (Clooney-Quin), 12. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona)
13. Shane Meehan (Banner), 14. Keith Smyth (Killanena), 15. Mark Rodgers (Scariff)
Subs
Limerick
1. Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen)
2. Vince Harrington (Na Piarsaigh), 3. Sean Casey (Bruff), 4. Eddie Stokes (Doon)
5. Darragh Langan (Monaleen), 6. Cathal O’Neill (Crecora/Manister), 7. Dylan O’Shea (Garryspillane)
8. Ethan Hurley (Newcastle West), 9. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
10. Oisin O’Farrell (Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan), 11. Tom Morrissey (Ahane), 12. John English (Garryspillane)
20: Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret St. Paul’s), 14. Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown), 13. Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (Monaleen)
Subs
Referee: Conor Doyle (Tipperary).
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Clare GAA GAA Hurling Limerick GAA Match Report Munster Hurling League