Keane's Clare enjoy comfortable win over Limerick as new rules get early year test

Limerick 1-10 Clare 2-14

Clare started their 2025 football campaign with a victory over Limerick in Askeaton.

With former Kerry boss Peter Keane now at the Banner helm and players trying to grasp the new rules, there was learning both inside and outside of the white lines.

The winners of this challenge match have already earmarked a long-range shooter, in the form of the highly influential Emmet McMahon. His brace of long-range frees brought his total to nine points while his overall influence will likely be key as Clare look to gain promotion from Division Three in the spring.

For Limerick, who’ve had an overall negative couple of seasons, particularly in the National League, this is the first steps on the road back from Division Four. Jimmy Lee’s men are back in the bottom tier after consecutive relegations, while it was Jimmy’s brother Billy, who guided the Treaty into the third tier in 2020.

This game was an educational one for officials, spectators and players. Clare, twice, were blown for failing to keep three in attack and James Naughton easily punished this with tap over frees.

The feeling on the sideline was that the ‘solo-and-go’ is a welcome addition, while Limerick official Jonathan Hayes did a decent job in explaining when this could be used. It is understood that Hayes, who is on the Munster panel has worked over the winter with his umpires and other officials to get a grasp on the new rules.

The 50-meter free punishment reserved for dissent showed its true value late on.

When disputing a line-ball inside the Clare half, Limerick lost 50 meters and with McMahon in fine form in front of the posts, he kicked over the resultant free to add two to the Banner tally.

Both of the Limerick goalkeepers, Jeffrey Alfred and Ronan McElligott joined into the attack, on occasion. Neither have shown this to be their greatest strength but it certainly helped gather a certain level of control, though Limerick did lack a cutting edge in attack.

Indeed, Alfred spent a couple of phases as the corner forward, as a slow building Limerick had 12v11 for a couple of minutes.

The game itself was pacy early on, but Clare established a 2-6 to 1-7 interval advantage thanks to goals from Brian McNamara and Keelan Sexton.

The hosts struggled to create openings but they did have their first two-pointer from Andrew Meade. He carried right to the line and curled over, something that shows the benefit of players taking on an early shot.

Limerick would only muster three second half points as Fionn Kelleher, McMahon and Alan Sweeney helped swell out the Clare advantage.

Overall, Peter Keane’s men showed their greater quality but this was simply an opportunity to add game time to a large number of players with nearly fifty players seeing game time at the damp west Limerick venue.

Scorers for Limerick: J Naughton 0-5 (0-4 frees); Darragh Ó Siochrú 1-0; A Meade 0-2 (1tp); P Nash 0-2 (0-1 free); C Fahy 0-1.

Scorers for Clare: E McMahon 0-9 (0-4f, 2tp frees); B McNamara 1-0; K Sexton 1-0; D Walsh 0-2; C McGrory 0-1, F Kelleher 0-1, A Sweeney 0-1.

Referee: J Hayes (Limerick).

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