Offaly hurlers suffer heavy defeat against All Ireland champions

Offaly suffered a heavy defeat to All Ireland champions Limerick in the Allianz Hurling League.

The back-to-back All-Ireland champions won by 4-29 to 0-17 in the TUS Gaelic Grounds condemning Offaly to a relegation play-off next weekend.

Offaly stayed in touch in early stages of the first-half but Limerick brought a 1-16 to 0-10 lead into the half time dressing room. 

It was an opening half in which Limerick had seven scorers and hit eight wides.

Offaly opened the scoring and led 0-2 to 0-1 after four minutes but once Limerick hit the front they never looked back.

Hegarty, Mulcahy and Gillane were all on the mark as Limerick went 0-4 to 0-2 clear on five minutes.

On 10-minutes came the Oisin O'Reilly goal - it was a delightful flowing move. Barry Nash, Declan Hannon and Darragh O'Donovan were all involved before O'Reilly marked his first league start with a fine finish to edge the home side 1-5 to 0-3 ahead.

Goalkeeper Stephen Corcoran kept Offaly in touch with frees and it was 1-7 to 0-5 at the mid-point of the half.

Mulcahy, O'Donovan and Gillane all had points as that lead went out to seven points in a flash. 

Gillane could have added a second Limerick goal but his point had John Kiely's side up to 1-12.

When Sean Cleere brought an end to the half, Limerick were nine clear.

Cian Lynch had Limerick's second goal on seven minutes for a 2-21 to to 0-11 lead and the goals kept coming.

Next was corner back Barry Nash with a neat finish for a 3-24 to 0-15 lead on 59-minutes.

Within two minutes sub Pat Ryan had goal number 4.

SCORERS: Limerick: Aaron Gillane 0-12 (5frees), Pat Ryan 1-2, Graeme Mulcahy 0-4, Diarmaid Byrnes (2frees) and Gearoid Hegarty 0-3 each, Oisin O'Reilly, Cian Lynch and Barry Nash 1-0 each, Cathal O'Neill 0-2, Darragh O'Donovan, Tom Morrissey and David Reidy 0-1 each. Offaly: Luke O'Connor 0-7 (6frees), Stephen Corcoran 0-3 (3frees), David Nally and Liam Langton 0-2 each, Joey Keenaghan, Paddy Clancy and Leon Fox 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid (Effin); Sean Finn (Bruff), Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh), Barry Nash (South Liberties); Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), Declan Hannon (Adare), Dan Morrissey (Ahane); Cathal O’Neill (Crecora-Manister), Darragh O’Donovan (Doon); Gearoid Hegarty (St Patricks), Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), Tom Morrissey (Ahane); Oisín O’Reilly (Kilmallock), Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell), Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock). Subs: Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh) for Gearooid Hegarty (43mins), David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca) for Cian Lynch (55mins), Pat Ryan (Doon) for Oisin O'Reilly (57mins), Richie English (Doon) for Mike Casey (59mins), Adam English (Doon) for Graeme Mulcahy (62mins).

OFFALY: Stephen Corcoran; Jack Screeney, Ben Conneely, David Nally; Ciaran Burke, David King, Killian Sampson; Adrian Cleary, Joey Keenaghan; Leon Fox, Jason Sampson, Eoghan Parlon; Eimhin Kelly, Paddy Clancy, Luke O'Connor. Subs: John Murphy for Ciaran Burke (h-t), Liam Langton for Eoghan Parlon (h-t), Padraig Cantwell (42mins), Eoghan Cahill for Adrian Cleary (51mins), Dara Maher for Jack Screeney (58mins).

REFEREE: Sean Cleere (Kilkenny).