Limerick 4-29
Kerry 0-11
LIMERICK CRUISED INTO the Munster Hurling Cup final with a comprehensive win over Kerry at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.
The All-Ireland champions made light of the Kerry challenge and will now play Clare in the decider.
David Reidy top-scored for Limerick with a stunning 1-14. Pat Ryan also staked a claim for the coming season with 2-3, while underage star Adam English fired in 1-1 on debut.
John Kiely opted to only start one of the victorious All-Ireland winning side in his first team of 2022, but would have been delighted with the performances of some of his fringe players.
Cathal O’Neill opened the scoring after just five seconds but Shane Nolan soon responded for Kerry to level the game. That was as good as it got for Stephen Molumphy’s men, as they were soon hit by a flood of Limerick scores.
Oisin O’Reilly, Reidy (2) and O’Neill all hit the target, before Ryan fired low past Martin Stackpoole for the first goal. Reidy and Ryan then sent over points, before Gavin Dooley got Kerry’s second score of the game.
Limerick continued to dominate the half with Reidy, O’Neill and Colin Coughlan all finding the target. Dooley and Colin Walsh led the charge for Kerry but they could only manage six points to Limerick’s total of 1-18 at half-time.
Kiely’s men showed no mercy in the second half, with two Brian O’Grady points and Reidy picking off scores at will.
Reidy goaled from a 21-yard free on 48 minutes, before English ghosted through the Kerry defence for Limerick’s third.
Ryan slotted his second goal of the game late on to seal a 30-point win.
Scorers for Limerick: David Reidy 1-14 (1-8f); Pat Ryan 2-3; Adam English 1-1; Cathal O’Neill 0-4; Brian O’Grady 0-3; Colin Coughlan 0-2; Oisin O’Reilly and Conor Boylan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kerry: Shane Conway (2f), Colum Harty and Gavin Dooley 0-2 each; Shane Nolan, Paudie Ahern, Eoin Ross, Fionan Mackessy and Michael Leane 0-1 each.
Limerick
1. David McCarthy (Glenroe)
2. Barry Nash (South Liberties)
3. Jerome Boylan (Na Piarsaigh)
4. Richie English (Doon)
5. Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown)
6. Ronan Connolly (Adare)
7. Mark Quinlan (Garryspillane)
8. Rory Duff (Mungret St Paul’s)
9. Brian O’Grady (Kilteely-Dromkeen)
10. Cathal O’Neill (Crecora-Manister)
11. David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca)
12. Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh)
13. Darren O’Connell (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)
14. Pat Ryan (Doon)
15. Oisin O’Reilly (Kilmallock)
Subs:
23. Paddy O’Loughlin (Kilmallock) for Quinlan (8)
18. Adam English (Doon) for O’Reilly (HT)
21. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh) for O’Grady (53)
22. Patrick O’Donovan (Effin) for O’Connell (53)
Kerry
1. Martin Stackpoole (Lixnaw)
2. Sean Weir (Crotta O’Neills)
3. Fionan Mackessy (St Brendans)
20. Eric Lean (St Brendans)
5. Eoin Ross (Ballyduff)
6. Conor O’Keeffe (Lixnaw)
7. Colin Walsh (Ballyheigue)
8. Michael Leane (Ballyheigue)
17. Gavin Dooley (Causeway)
18. Michael O’Leary (Abbeydorney)
11. Paudie Ahern (Killeedy, Limerick)
12. Colum Harty (Causeway)
13. Mark Heffernan (Dr Crokes)
14. Shane Conway (Lixnaw)
15. Shane Nolan (Crotta O’Neills)
Subs:
10. James Sheehan (Crotta O’Neills) for Heffernan (51)
21. Darragh Slattery (Ballyduff) for Ross (56)
25. Brian Lonergan (Tralee Parnells) for O’Leary (58)
4. Sean Sheehan (Causeway) for Weir (60)
9. Cathal Dunne (Tralee Parnells) for Walsh (66)
Referee: Niall Malone (Clare)