LIMERICK 1-11
LEITRIM 1-10
LIMERICK survived arctic conditions and a late Leitrim rally to take the points by the narrowest of margins at Cloone yesterday.
Leitrim started brightly, but the visitors soon began to show signs of their superior strength and sharpness when Michael Reidy started a period of Limerick dominance with a sixth-minute point.
The Shannonsiders then scored three more to lead 0-5 to 0-3 midway through the half. Two frees from McGuire and a Michael Duignan score from play restored Leitrim's lead, but Limerick finished the half strongly with two Stephen Kelly points to put them 0-7 to 0-6 ahead at the interval.
Within ten seconds of the restart, Limerick had the ball in the Leitrim net when a move from the throw-in ended with Brian Begley volleying home from close range. McGuire and John Murphy exchanged points and in the 14th minute Seamus was Quinn fouled in the square. Padraig McLoughlin converted the penalty to leave just one point between the sides.
However, Limerick regrouped and extended their lead to four points. The dismissal of the influential Jason Stokes for a personal foul four minutes from time gave Leitrim an added impetus and in a frenetic climax they scored three points. But despite the referee playing five extra minutes, the home side were denied a draw.
MAN OF THE MATCH J Quane (Limerick).
SCORERS Limerick: B Begley 1-1; J Murphy 0-3; S Kelly and M Reidy 0-2; C O'Grady and J Stokes 0-1 each. Leitrim: O McGuire 0-6; P McLoughlin 1-1; S Canning, C Carroll, and M Duignan 0-1 each.
LIMERICK S O'Donnell; M O'Riordan, P Windle, T Stack; S Lavin, S Lucey, P Browne; G Quane, J Stokes; S Kelly, J Murphy, C Mullane; J Meskill, B Begley, M Reidy. Subs: J Galvin for B Begley, P Ahern for J Meskill, P O'Dea for P Browne, C O'Grady for P Ahern, M Roberts for J Murphy.
LEITRIM G Phelan; A McGourty, A Charles, M McGuinness; N Gilbane,
J Phelan, S Foley; S Quinn, C Carroll; C Regan, S Canning,
B Brennan; M Duignan, O McGuire, D Brennan. Subs: J McKeon for A McGourty, P McLoughlin for D Brennan, D Reynolds for S Foley, J Holohan for M Duignan.
REF G Lynch (Fermanagh).
© 2003 Irish Independent