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Belfast Telegraph
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Oisin McConville's Wicklow left stunned as Limerick snatch Tailteann Cup Final place with late comeback
Oisin McConville's men were coasting into the decider when Oisín McGraynor put them 1-16 to 1-9 up on 50 minutes, but when goalscorer Rob Childs pickpocketed Wicklow goalkeeper Mark Jackson two minutes later, a remarkable turnaround had been set in motion. Wicklow's misfiring helped Limerick's cause in moving 0-3 to 0-2 up by the 10th minute. Wicklow grew into the half, and a fine tackle from Dean Healy on 12 minutes robbed the ball from Limerick to trigger Pádraig O'Toole's powerful run. He teed up Eoin Darcy to fist over an equaliser. Two minutes later, Malachy Stone cut out a Limerick attack and, when the ball moved down the other end, Joe Prendergast was up to score his first point. Disaster struck for Wicklow just two minutes later, however, as Stone appeared to lose his footing as he pursued Limerick's Danny Neville, who was left in the clear to apply the finish for a 1-3 to 0-4 lead. Peter Nash's excellent point for Limerick on 35 minutes secured the halfway lead, but Wicklow went to the dressing room with plenty to be happy with. A Dean Healy two-pointer on 28 minutes seemed to spur them after they had fallen three points behind, as well as going a man down through an O'Toole black card 10 minutes from the break. Mark Jackson's second converted free and an inspirational point by the recently introduced Kevin Quinn brought their half-time tally to a respectable 0-9. And they pushed on after the break, dominating the third quarter as they moved from a point down to seven ahead with only 20 minutes to play. On 47 minutes, they looked to be well on their way to the Tailteann Cup Final when Stone was in position to knock a ball across the square from Eoin Darcy to the net, and a Dean Healy double and a McGraynor single. Not so, as Childs untangled it in nicking the ball from Jackson as he moved out from goal after making a routine catch from a Limerick shot that dropped short. Josh Ryan, superb from open play and placed balls in the second-half, increased the Limerick pressure with the first of two two-point frees on 54 minutes to cut the gap to two, but Wicklow had a glorious opportunity to right themselves four minutes later. Ryan made a good stop, but referee David Murnane called for a Limerick push on the rebound. McGraynor's penalty wasn't the worst ever taken but was brilliantly stopped by Ryan. Limerick's bench contributed 1-3 of that 1-9 they scored without reply, but there was no doubting that Ryan was the star. His magnificent two-pointer from about 45 metres out, just in from the Hogan Stand sideline, underlined his already sterling contribution. Wicklow would, eventually, end the onslaught when Jack Kirwan landed a point — but as it came after the hooter, it ended the game as well. Limerick had completed a comeback that may not be matched in Croke Park this summer, and a dejected Wicklow outfit are left to wonder what the hell happened. Scorers, Limerick: D Neville 1-2; J Ryan 0-4 (2 tpf); P Nash 0-3 (2f); R Childs 1-0; T McCarthy, J Naughton, B Coleman 0-2 each; D Murray, C Fahy, E Rigter 0-1 each. Wicklow: D Healy 0-5 (2tp); M Stone 1-0; E Darcy, M Jackson (2f), K Quinn, J Prendergast 0-2 each; C O'Brien, M Kenny, O McGraynor, J Kirwan 0-1 each.
Irish Examiner
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'Those young lads showed real leadership and character': Lee delighted with Limerick comeback
Tailteann Cup semi-final: Limerick 2-18 (2-2-14) Wicklow 1-17 (1-2-13) When Dean Healy boomed over his second two-pointer of the day for Wicklow in the 49th minute, putting his team six points up, he raised both hands aloft. It was hard to work out whether it was a celebration or a two-point signal to the umpire to raise his orange flag. Either way, he looked happy. A minute later, Oisin McGraynor definitely was celebrating when he struck another point for Wicklow and punched the air in delight. It felt like a coming of age moment for this Wicklow team who, with 20 minutes left, were seven points up and, apparently, home and hosed. The Tailteann Cup final on July 12 beckoned. Remarkably, they didn't score again until time was almost up and, in that intervening period, Limerick didn't so much reel them in as throw a lasso around their necks and yank hard on it. By the time Limerick's scoring blitz was over, they'd struck 1-9 without response, amassing in just 16 minutes what they'd managed for the previous 50 or so. Substitutes Rob Childs, who struck the goal that ignited their revival, Barry Coleman and Darragh Murray contributed 1-3 between them. "Basically at that stage all we wanted was to get on the ball, calm things down," said Limerick manager Jimmy Lee. "We knew there was more in them, and there was. They showed real leadership out there. It's well known, the cliches, that semi-finals are just there to be won and to be fair, those young lads out there showed real leadership and character. Hats off to them." By the time that Limerick whipped up their storm, James Naughton, who'd rifled 0-27 in his previous four games, and pretty much hasn't stopped scoring all season, was off the pitch with a knock. "That's it, you look at the injuries we had; Cormac Woulfe, Fiachra Cotter, Darragh O Siochru, you could keep listing them," said Lee. "But then, as I said, you have young lads that stepped up to the plate." Lee namechecked the more experienced players too. Iain Corbett is still there doing his thing at centre-back. Danny Neville, fresh off scoring 2-2 against Wexford last weekend, added another 1-2 and scored the first-half goal that left Limerick just about ahead at half-time, 1-7 to 0-9. Lee mentioned Paul Maher and Killian Ryan too. The impact of goalkeeper Josh Ryan was huge as well. He nailed two two-point frees in that late siege of scoring, the second of which was converted from all of 60 metres. "When Josh knocked over that two-pointer, we were home and hosed at that stage realistically, the clock was running down," said Lee. And yet it looked as if his opposite number, Mark Jackson, was going to be the hero. The former NFL hopeful has been kicking scores for fun throughout the competition and converted two single points from frees for Wicklow in the first-half. But it was his error that later opened the door for Limerick. Mark McCarthy's 52nd minute ball into the danger area was gathered up by Jackson but Childs tackled him hard and the ball popped out, allowing him to tap into an empty net. Earlier in the week, during an analysis session, Lee had pointed out to the players that Jackson is vulnerable to a dispossession when carrying the ball out. "He (Childs) must have been the only one that listened," smiled Lee. "He listened and he got his reward!" Neville's earlier goal was more pleasing on the eye. His solo run started on the 45m line, took him beyond Malachy Stone and ended with a composed, curled finish past Jackson at his near post. It remained anyone's game at half-time though and with Healy once again driving Wicklow, they took off in the third quarter. Between half-time and the 50th minute, Wicklow outscored Limerick by 1-7 to 0-2 and appeared destined for next month's final themselves. Even with the deluge of Limerick scores that followed, they still had a great chance to wrestle back momentum. Kevin Quinn was fouled for a 57th minute penalty but McGraynor's shot was parried onto the post by the increasingly influential Ryan who clawed it away to safety. Jack Kirwan did snipe a late point for Wicklow but, as Lee said, Limerick were home and hosed at that stage. Scorers for Limerick: D Neville 1-2; J Ryan 0-4 (2 tpf); R Childs 1-0; P Nash 0-3 (3 frees); J Naughton, T McCarthy, B Coleman 0-2 each; E Rigter, C Fahy, D Murray 0-1 each. Scorers for Wicklow: D Healy 0-5 (2 tp); M Stone 1-0; M Jackson (2 frees), J Prendergast, E Darcy, K Quinn 0-2 each; C O'Brien, M Kenny, O McGraynor, J Kirwan 0-1 each. LIMERICK: J Ryan; J Hassett, M McCarthy, D O'Doherty; K Ryan, I Corbett, T McCarthy; T Childs, D O'Hagan; J Naughton, E Rigter, P Maher; P Nash, D Neville, C Fahy. Subs: R Childs for Naughton (39); T O Siochru for Corbett (45); B Coleman for Rigter (49); D Murray for O'Hagan (52); R O'Brien for Maher (61). WICKLOW: M Jackson; T Moran, M Nolan, M Stone; C Maguire, P O'Keane, D Fee; D Healy, P O'Toole; C Baker, J Prendergast, C O'Brien; O McGraynor, E Darcy, M Kenny. Subs: K Quinn for O'Brien (28); PJ Nolan for Baker (44); A Maher for Prendergast (61); J Kirwan for Kenny (64); C Fee for McGraynor (65). Ref: D Murnane (Cork).
The 42
22-06-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Kildare and Limerick progress in Tailteann Cup semi-finals
Tailteann Cup semi-finals Kildare 1-13 Fermanagh 0-9 Limerick 2-18 Wicklow 1-17 KILDARE AND Limerick, the only two unbeaten teams left in the Tailteann Cup, will place their perfect records on the line when they meet in the final on 12 July. With almost matching final quarter performances in their respective semi-finals this afternoon, both teams finished strongly at Croke Park to keep alive their hopes of a golden ticket to the 2026 All-Ireland SFC. Limerick's four-point defeat of Wicklow was by far the more entertaining, with the Division 4 league champions looking down and out with less than 20 minutes to go. They trailed by seven points at that stage to an Oisin McConville-led Wicklow that had dominated the third quarter. Three Dean Healy points for Wicklow in that third quarter, along with a goal from Malachy Stone, had propelled the Garden County into a 1-16 to 1-9 lead. Oisin McGraynor punched the air in delight after his 50th-minute point left seven between them. Advertisement But Limerick's response was emphatic and decisive, a blistering 16-minute burst of scoring that yielded 1-9 in total. Rob Childs got the blitzkrieg underway with a Limerick fortuitous goal — or a victory for never giving up, depending on your attitude — as he dispossessed Wicklow goalkeeper Mark Jackson after a routine catch and kicked to an empty net. Limerick goalkeeper Josh Ryan then took centre stage with two brilliant long-range free-kick conversions, amounting to 0-4 for his team, while Danny Neville added a point to bring his tally to 1-2 for the day. It was an unlikely scoring burst from a Limerick side that took off prolific forward James Naughton due to an apparent knock early in the second half. Wicklow's agony was compounded by a wasted penalty kick in the 57th minute, goalkeeper Ryan turning McGraynor's kick onto the post and away to safety. It was Limerick's fifth win in a row in the competition, though they will still go into the final as underdogs against a Kildare side that started the summer as tier two favourites. They too lived on their wits for three quarters of their semi-final against Fermanagh, and the scores were tied at 0-8 apiece with just 15 minutes to go. At that stage, it looked as if Kildare might extend their terrible Croke Park record having lost their previous five games there. But substitute Brian Flanagan made a huge impact, reeling off four points in a row to give his team a vital cushion in a low-scoring game affected by long spells of torrential rain. McLoughlin's third score was a two-pointer, and he drilled over another single late on to bring his tally to 0-5, enough to claim the Man of the Match award. There was a late cameo too from James McGrath, who got forward to score a goal for the third game in a row. The seven-point win flattered Kildare as they'd only led by 0-7 to 0-6 at half-time and added just a single point in the first 20 minutes of the second half. But with 14 wides overall, and four decent goal chances created aside from the one that McGrath converted, they were full value for the win.
Irish Independent
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Wicklow dreams of a Tailteann Cup final almost come though only for nightmare to unfold
Wicklow led by 1-16 to 1-9 with only 18 minutes to play. Limerick hit them for 1-9 in succession as the Treaty County snatched a 2-18 to 1-17 win. We suggested last week that Dean Healy's winner against Westmeath with the last kick of the game might have already become immortal. It put Wicklow, after all, into an oh-so-rare rare national semi-final in Croke Park. Healy was their best player for most of that semi-final on Sunday against Limerick, and it looked likely that his winner in Aughrim was about to take on a still-more mythical complexion; his team were cruising into the Tailteann Cup final, seven points up with only 18 minutes to play.
Irish Times
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Tailteann Cup: Limerick and Wicklow march on to join Kildare and Fermanagh in semi-finals
There is a first semi-final appearance in the Tailteann Cup for Limerick , Wicklow , Fermanagh and Kildare , who were all winners over the weekend. Next Sunday will see this quartet play the semi-finals at Croke Park. Limerick, thanks to two goals apiece from Cillian Fahy and Danny Neville pulled clear of Wexford on home soil. Despite goals from Mark Rossiter and Sean Nolan, Wexford were 4-21 to 2-19 in arrears at full-time having kicked six two-pointers. Key to Limerick's success were nine points from talisman James Naughton, while rising talent Emmet Rigter kicked three points from play. They had trailed by five, then led by six before being drawn back to level thanks to Nolan's shooting, but they stepped on the gas in the second half to pull comfortably clear. READ MORE In Aughrim, Wicklow had a most dramatic victory over Westmeath. Trailing by eight points, they prevailed on home soil on a 2-18 to 2-17 scoreline, as Dean Healy kicked a late, late winner. An early Shane Allen goal was soon cancelled out by Oisin McGraynor but Luke Loughlin, Ray Connellan and Ronan Wallace all pointed for Westmeath, with a 15th-minute goal from Sam McCartan really putting them in control. Indeed it got better in the second half as Robbie Forde and Loughlin both kicked two pointers, however, Mark Jackson matched this at the other end, from a free. Eoin Darcy and then a goal from a penalty – McGraynor again – ensured parity. There was plenty of more drama in the closing stages, with Loughlin and McCartan re-establishing the four point lead, only for the final five points to go to Oisin McConville's men. Conor Fee, Jackson (two-pointer) and Padraig O'Toole levelled the game allowing Healy the chance to win it at the death. On Saturday, Fermanagh edged by Sligo 0-21 to 1-16. The result marks a final game in charge of the Yeats County for Tony McEntee who stepped down after the loss. Fermanagh had ten different scorers with Garvan Hughes top scoring with 0-5. Sligo, who had 1-4 from Niall Murphy, looked well placed when they led by four at the end of the opening quarter, thanks to Murphy's goal. However Jones and his colleagues fought back and it was 0-14 to 1-6 by half-time. Fionan O'Brien and Declan McCusker kept the Ulster side ahead with Pat Spillane setting up a tense finish with a two-pointer, but there was to be no equaliser in Brewster Park. Favourites Kildare edged a derby with Offaly, which meant that all four home sides, who had a week off, prevailed in these quarter-finals. A tight 1-17 to 0-19 win at Cedral St. Conleth's Park in Newbridge keeps the Lillywhites in the title hunt, with Alex Beirne continuing his fine scoring form, totting up 0-7. Leading by two at half-time, James McGrath's goal the difference. Offaly stayed in the contest with Jordan Hayes' brace of two pointers but Beirne and Mick O'Grady answered at the other end. A late two-point effort, which could have seen Offaly prevail, drifted wide. Tailteann Cup quarter-final results: Fermanagh 0-21 Sligo 1-16 Kildare 1-17 Offaly 0-19 Wicklow 2-18 Westmeath 2-17 Limerick 4-21 Wexford 2-19
