As Antrim get their 2024 Allianz NFL Division 3 campaign up and running with a difficult away trip away to Limerick, the Saffron Gael takes a look back at the last meeting of the sides back in 2022 at Corrigan Park.
Limerick went on to gain promotion with Louth in 2022 while Antrim recovered to finish a credible fourth in the division. Limerick make their return to division 3 after just one year in the higher grade while an Antrim side, much changed from the previous year did just enough to maintain their division 3 status and will be hoping for a good start to this year’s campaign in what looks a challenging opening day fixture.
Allianz Football League Division 3
Antrim 0-11 Limerick 2-9
Saturday 5 February 2022 Corrigan Park
Antrim’s first home game of this year’s league campaign ended in defeat on Saturday afternoon against a Peter Nash inspired Limerick side. The visitors started superbly and had Antrim on the back foot from the first whistle with their two majors coming in the opening 10 minutes. Nash creating the first while scoring the second.
The Saffrons fought back superbly with Ryan Murray in inspired form in the second half and with 11 minutes to go they had the Limerick’s half time lead reduced from six to two points. The visitors to Corrigan Park finished strongly however with Josh Ryan and Nash adding to their tallies.
Antrim’s Peter Healey sets up an attack
It was a bruising encounter between the two sides with both teams packing the middle third, space was at a premium. Effectively those opening 10 minutes were the defining period of the game. The Saffrons were slow in starting and faced an uphill task against a seasoned and well organised Limerick side who could play the second half on their terms. Antrim owned the third quarter and had the wind at their sails with momentum, intensity and purpose as they looked a transformed team from the opening 35 minutes but as they chased the game, spaces opened up in their defence.
Antrim needed the perfect second half and it looked possible but the Treatymen closed out the game to maintain their 100% record.
The clock had just ticked into the second minute when Limerick scored the opening goal. Nash using his pace to great effect down the Antrim left and with a suspicion of over carrying, passed the ball inside to Cian Sheehan who punched the ball to the back of Oisin Kerr’s net.
Their lead was four points when they breached the Saffron defence once more. Hugh Bourke delivering an inch perfect pass over the Antrim defence, wrong footing James Laverty as Nash stole in behind and showed great composure to beat Kerr.
Tomas McCann gains possession.
There wasn’t much for the Antrim support to shout about in those opening exchanges but a move inspired by Michael McCann and resulting in an Odhran Eastwood point from a mark got the Saffrons off and running. Limerick looked dangerous with pace and power running from deep and piercing the Saffron defence to create further scoring chances. Antrim were playing against a substantial breeze and had moments of class with Jamie Gribben and Ricky Johnston’s points the highlight of the opening half.
Limerick pushed up on the Antrim kickout’s throughout the half and pressurised the Saffron defence at every opportunity. Their scores came through a variety of different plays but they were worthy of their six point half time lead. It could have been reduced to three in first half injury time with ‘keeper Donal O’Sullivan denying Paddy McAleer. The All Saints man collected a pass from Michael McCann who made a strong run through the middle of the Limerick defence and lured the defence before off-loading to McAleer. He shot from 30 yards while coming under pressure but O’Sullivan pushed the ball away while at full stretch.
Antrim made a great start to the second half with Ryan Murray centre to their revival. His first score of the match came in the opening minute after the restart, an instinctive strike from fully 40 yards out that had the Antrim support purring. When he repeated the fete seven minutes later, suddenly Limerick’s lead began to look vulnerable and the Saffrons had their tails up with Michael McCann, Kevin Small, James Laverty and Jamie Gribben all pivotal.
Jamie Gribbin attacks the Limerick goal.
The game was basically being played in the Limerick half with any attacks from the visitors fleeting and denied from an Antrim defence playing with intensity and discipline to force turnovers and increase the pressure at the other end of the pitch.
A further brace of points from Murray, this time from placed ball reduced the Limerick lead to two points and but for a couple of wayward frees, the Saffrons could have been on terms.
Limerick scored their opening point of the second half 27 minutes into the restart, Josh Ryan converting a free to halt the saffron charge. A Ruairi McCann free brought Antrim to within three points once more in the last minute of normal time but it was as close as they got to the visitors to Corrigan Park as Limerick packed their defence, pressed from their own ’45 and denied Antrim any clear goal scoring opportunities.
Nash took his tally to 1-2 for the game and substitute Killian Ryan extending the Limerick lead to five with Ryan Murray’s fifth point of the game (free) the only response Antrim could find in the six minutes of injury time played.
Odhran Eastwood gains possession
It was a disappointing end to a game Antrim came into with high hopes of maintaining their good form. They have an extra week to recover and Saturday’s evidence there will be plenty of sore bodies that will be glad of that additional week. They welcome Wicklow to Corrigan Park in two weeks-time and will hope for better fortunes.
TEAMS
Antrim: Oisin Kerr; Eoghan McCabe, Ricky Johnston, James McAuley; Peter Healy, James Laverty, Dermot McAleese; Michael McCann, Kevin Small; Ryan Murray, Jamie Gribben, Paddy McAleer; Tomas McCann; Ruairi McCann; Odhran Eastwood
Subs: Marc Jordan for P Healy (48); Conor Murray for D McAleese (56); Patrick McBride for O Eastwood (58); Seamus McGarry for T McCann (65); Patrick McCormick for P McAleer (66)
Scorers: R Murray 0-5 (3fs); R McCann 0-2 (1’45, 1f); R Johnston 0-1; J Gribben 0-1 (mark); O Eastwood 0-1; T McCann 0-1 (1f)
Limerick: Donal O’Sullivan; Jim Liston, Sean O’Dea, Paul Maher; Cian O’Sheehan, Iain Corbett, Colm McSweeney; Darragh Treacy, Adrian Enright; Tommy Griffin, Josh Ryan, Peter Nash; Brian O’Donovan, Hugh Bourke, James Naughton
Subs: Killian Ryan for T Griffin (48); Gordon Brown for C McSweeney (48); Tony McCarthy for C O’Sheehan (52); Eoin Cregan for P Maher (53); Diarmuid Kelly for J Naughton (inj)
Scorers: P Nash 1-2; C Sheehan 1-00; A Enright 0-2; J Ryan 0-2 (2fs); H Bourke 0-1; J Naughton 0-1; K Ryan 0-1
Referee: Kevin Faloon (Armagh)
NFL Division 3 2022
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Louth | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 90 | 83 | +7 | 11 | Advance to NFL Division 3 Final and promotion to 2023 NFL Division 2 |
| 2 | Limerick | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 91 | 83 | +8 | 10 | |
| 3 | Westmeath | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 89 | 78 | +11 | 9 | |
| 4 | Antrim | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 88 | 71 | +17 | 7 | |
| 5 | Fermanagh | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 91 | 91 | 0 | 6 | |
| 6 | Longford | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 81 | 102 | −21 | 5 | |
| 7 | Laois | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 92 | 88 | +4 | 5 | Relegation to 2023 NFL Division 4 |
| 8 | Wicklow | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 77 | 103 | −26 | 3 |
