After almost a full year, precisely 364 days, the Limerick football team finally secured a victory last month. They triumphed over Offaly in the Tailteann Cup, with a surprisingly robust eight-point lead, marking their inaugural win of 2024.
Merely after another two weeks, they secured their subsequent victory, this time triumphing over London with a 10-point margin, a victory which has rekindled hope for the Shannonsiders.
Cathal Downes, the team’s wing forward, showed a commendable performance against London the previous weekend, offering a glimpse into the newfound confidence present with the team members.
In the opening 10 minutes alone, he skillfully scored twice by striking the ball with his right foot. This resulted in two delightful scores. He followed this up with another point off his right foot and a fourth from his left — all within the first 24 minutes.
Limerick ultimately emerged as victorious by 10 points, and their commendable performance in the Tailteann Cup group stages earned them a home match against neighbouring rivals, Tipperary, in Rathkeale this Saturday.
Once perceived as downtrodden and laden with the burden of relegation to Division 4 after seven losses and significant defeats in Championship games against Cork and Down, Limerick appears to have found a new momentum.
“Cork and Down are formidable opponents,” commented Downes, providing perspective to the losses. “Cork is a contender for the Sam Maguire, and Down should be too. Those were indeed difficult losses, but we have learned from our faults in those matches.”
The victory against Offaly was also a first for Limerick under the coaching of Jimmy Lee, who assumed his post in August of the previous year. For a team that witnessed a string of 11 consecutive losses at the year’s beginning, their assertive stand against Offaly and London demonstrated the team’s determination.
“A victory surely boosts confidence,” noted manager Lee. “We had a tough spell with 11 straight matches without a win, and sure, there were moments against London when it felt tense and chaotic, but it’s all about resolving these issues and progressing forward.”
Having reached the finals in the Munster championship only two years ago, it appears Limerick might once again flare as the underdog in the this season’s second tier tournament. In the 2022 championship, they secured a victory over Tipperary and are poised to face them again, this time with favourable odds. The strong performances from attackers like Downes and Peter Nash, combined with a new-found, invigorating approach, place them a promising position to advance.
Manager Jimmy Lee reflected on their road to improvement in the league, stating, “Occasionally we were disappointing against Wicklow, however our performance improved in the Offaly match. We’re certainly on an upward trend.”
Downes agreed, “We’re finally starting to pull everything together. Despite a few hiccups including injuries, we are constructing a solid foundation and a momentum. Playing in Rathkeale, with the prospect of a supportive home crowd, should give us a further boost.”
At the Tailteann Cup’s inauguration this year, GAA president, Jarlath Burns, predicted unexpected outcomes and a few contenders emerging unexpectedly. As group winners, Down, Kildare, Fermanagh and Sligo have all advanced to the quarter-finals as expected, but Limerick could prove to be an unexpectedly strong contender.
Lee chuckled when questioned about the future trajectory of the team’s progress. “Only time will tell,” he said. “Odds can end up in your favour unpredictably, you can’t predict where that might lead us. Our performance has been satisfactory of late. In fact, we had a strong match against Cork, delivering a convincing 65-minute play. Our performance is gradually improving, they’re honing their skills. Overall, I’m suitably impressed with them.”