Fourteen-man Dublin stun Limerick to reach semis

BBC News

21-06-2025

Dublin overcame the setback of losing Chris Crummey through a red card in the first half to stun Limerick 2-24 to 0-28 at Croke Park and set up an All-Ireland Hurling semi-final with Kilkenny. Crummey was dismissed 15 minutes in after catching Gearoid Hegarty with an elbow but the Dubs still led 0-15 to 0-12 at the interval.Four unanswered points helped Limerick into a 0-19 to 0-18 lead, but eight minutes after the resumption two quickfire goals within the space of a minute from John Hetherton and Cian O'Sullivan put their side back in the driving seat with a five-point advantage.Limerick - whose Munster reign was ended by Cork earlier this month - fought back to reduce the deficit to a single point but Dublin rallied and held fast to secure a famous victory and a place in the last four.Limerick managed to keep their noses in front in the early stages but Crummey's dismissal appeared to give the underdogs added incentive, with Fergal Whitely's point drawing them level at 10 points apiece.Five points in a row moved Dublin five in front, before their opponents pointed twice to narrow their arrears to two after a pulsating first period.The margin between the sides was still three points when a run of four consecutive points saw Limerick move ahead, but that double goal salvo from Dublin changed the complexion of the game within 60 seconds.First Hetheron fired home from the tightest of angles and then O'Sullivan latched onto a long ball forward and found the net past Nickie Quaid.Aaron Gillane shone for Limerick, he ended up with eight points in total, as they clawed their way back into the game, but ultimately fell just short.Gearoid Hegarty and Adam English scored four points each.Sean Currie top-scored for the victors with nine points, with Conor Burke contributing 0-5.