D1B: Limerick beat Laois
D1B: Limerick beat Laois
D1B: Limerick beat Laois
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION IB: LIMERICK 1-25 LAOIS 1-19
Limerick defeated Laois in this final round Division IB clash on Sunday, but both sides already knew their fate ahead of this tie.
Laois will face Antrim in the relegation play-off next weekend, while Limerick will face Dublin in the Allianz Hurling League Division I quarter-finals, having missed out on promotion yet again from the second tier.
Laois led 1-9 to 0-10 at the break, having battled Limerick hard in the first half. Séamus Plunkett's side found the net after just two minutes through a Zane Keenan penalty, and they deserved their interval lead.
Limerick were dominant after the break though, and points from Declan Hannon, Seánie Tobin and Thomas O'Brien (two) saw them move into the lead. Their advantage swelled to five points by the midway part of the second half, and then a goal from O'Brien sealed the win for TJ Ryan's side.
Scorers for Limerick: S Tobin 0-12 (7f), T O'Brien 1-3 (1 'sl'), D Reidy 0-3, D Hannon 0-3 (1 '65'), A Murphy 0-1 (1f), D Breen 0-1, T Morrissey 0-1, C Lynch 0-1
Scorers for Laois: Z Keenan 1-3 (1-0 pen, 2f), PJ Scully 0-5 (3f), C Dywer 0-2, J Campion 0-2, T Fitzgerald 0-1, W Hyland 0-1 (sl), B Conroy 0-1, J Fitzpatrick 0-1, P Whelan 0-1, J Purcell 0-1, D Palmer 0-1
LIMERICK: Aaron Murphyl; Stephen Walsh, Richie McCarthy, Seanie O'Brien; Cathal King, Declan Hannon, Conor Allis; James Ryan, Paul Browne; David Reidy, David Breen, Donal O'Grady; Thomas O'Brien, Patrick Begley, Seanie Tobin. Subs: John Fitzgibbon for Donal O'Grady (43), Tom Morrissey for Patrick Begley (49), Dan Morrissey for Conor Allis (55), Adrian Breen for David Breen (56), Cian Lynch for James Ryan (61).
LAOIS: Eoin Reilly; John A Delaney, Cahir Healy, Conor Dunne; Joe Fitzpatrick, James Walsh, Tom Delaney; Zane Keenan, Paddt Purcell; Willie Hyland, Patrick Whelan, Charles Dwyer; Ben Conroy, Tommy Fitzgerald, PJ Scully. Subs: Dayne Peacock for Tommy Fitzgerald (HT), Dwane Palmer for John A Delaney (HT), John Purcell for Charles Dwyer (43), Joe Campion for Willie Hyland (52), Brendan Reddin for Zane Keenan (55).
Referee: Paud O'Dwyer (Carlow).