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Limerick’s senior footballers were promoted to the Allianz Football League this Saturday afternoon.
Billy Lee’s Limerick won 1-16 to 1-14 over Sligo at Markievicz Park to end a four-year stint in Division Four.
And Limerick was crowned champion due to results achieved elsewhere, adding to previous titles from 2010 and 2013.
Limerick finishes the league with five wins and two losses in seven outings.
The focus is now on next Saturday’s Munster SFC against Waterford in Dungarvan.
Limerick was slow to start the week before in the loss to Wexford, but settled in early here.
At halftime, the men in green were 1-9 to 0-4 ahead with six different scorers.
Billy Lee’s men dominated much of the first half, when they were helped by a gentle breeze.
And the advantage could have been greater: Limerick had five widths (Sligo had three) and there were several scoring opportunities.
Limerick made four personnel changes since the loss to Wexford and several position changes. Iain Corbett went from defense to attack and opened the scoring in the second minute.
Rookie Sean McSweeney opened his senior account and Limerick was two points clear with seven minutes played.
Sean Carradine then had Sligo’s only score of the first 25 minutes.
Limerick fell back down the field and two points from Hugh Bourke lengthened the lead, despite four opening goals.
At the water break it was 0-4 to 0-1.
On the restart Limerick continued with the lead foot.
Peter Nash became in the 31st minute to appear in this league campaign for Limerick and had a point in the 21st minute.
Minutes later came Limerick’s goal in the first half: Cillian Fahy threw a beautiful pass into Hugh Bourke’s path and Adare’s man found the net from close range.
Before, both Bourke and Corbett had glimpsed the goal.
However, Limerick now held a 1-6-0-1 lead and played 24 minutes.
In response, two substitutes from Sligo arrived and found points from Red Og Murphy.
Limerick returned to finish with three of the last four points.
Sean McSweeney, Killian Ryan and Cillian Fahy with the points to secure an eight-point interval lead.
Limerick dropped to 14 men in the first half of injury time, a black card for McSweeney.
Sligo did not reduce the lead as McSweeney served his 10-minute break in the second half.
Killian Ryan and Darragh Treacy had points from Limerick to bring the score 1-11 to 0-6 with 10 minutes into the restart.
When Treacy added his second, Limerick had a nine-point lead just after the second-half water break.
Then came Sligo’s purple patch – 1-3 no response.
Suddenly it was 1-13 to 1-10 and seven minutes to go.
Sub Cian Sheehan with his first touch eased Limerick’s nerves.
Then goalkeeper Donal O’Sullivan signaled from a free kick and a ’45 to seal the victory.
O’Sullivan’s scores had Limerick 1-16 to 1-10 ahead, but Sligo came in with a four-point rally in injury time.
Unfortunately, there is no late drama to deny Limerick.
SCORERS: Limerick: Hugh Bourke 1-3 (0-2 free), Iain Corbett, Sean McSweeney, Killian Ryan, Darragh Treacy, Donal O’Sullivan (1 free, 1 ’45) 0-2 each, Peter Nash, Cillian Fahy and Cian Sheehan 0-1 each. Sligo: Red Og Murphy (3 free) and Sean Carrdine (1 ’45) 0-4 each, Pat Hughes 1-1, Barry Gorman 0-3 each, Paddy O’Connor (1 free) 0-2.
COMIC QUINTILLA: Donal O’Sullivan; Sean O’Dea, Brian Fanning, Paul Maher; Tony McCarthy, Killian Ryan, Gordan Brown; Darragh Treacy, Tommy Griffin; Adrian Enright, Iain Corbett, Cillian Fahy, Sean McSweeney, Hugh Bourke, Peter Nash. Subs: Michael Donovan for Brian Fanning, inj (34mins), Tommie Childs for Adrian Enright (ht), Bob Childs for Peter Nash (50mins), Davey Lyons for Tommy Griffin (52mins), Cian Sheehan for Sean McSweeney (62mins).
SLIGO: Eamonn Kilgannon; Nathan Mullen, Eddie McGuinness, Sean Murphy; Ryan Feehily, Paul McNamara, Darragh Cummins; Paddy O’Connor, Paul Kilcoyne; Mikey Gordon, Liam Gaughan, Sean Carrabine; Red Og Murphy, Pat Hughes, Brian McGowan. Subs: Barry Gorman for Liam Gaughan, inj (27mins), John Francis Carr for Darragh Cummins, inj (29mins), Gerard O’Kelly Lynch for Sean Murphy (46mins), Brian Cox for Paul Kilcoyne (46mins), David Quinn for Paddy O ‘Connor (62 minutes).
REFEREE: Liam Devaney (May).
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