Limerick minor footballers ready for All-Ireland Championship bid

AFTER a disappointing Munster campaign that saw them fail to reach Phase 2, the Limerick minor footballers are back in action this weekend as they enter the All-Ireland ‘Tier 3’ Championship.

Garrett Noonan’s side face an away trip to Laois in the preliminary quarter-final on Saturday afternoon.

The Midlands county lost their three group games in the Leinster Championship, suffering defeats to Kildare, Louth and Meath.

Noonan’s side got the year off to an encouraging start, defeating Tipperary by five points in March. This was however, to be the only Munster football championship match won by a Limerick side across minor, U20 or senior level in 2026 at inter-county level.

The minors were indeed unfortunate not to add to their tally with narrow one-point losses against Clare and Waterford.

So there are encouraging signs that this is a competition that Limerick can give a real rattle to.

The unknowns about opposition aside, this Tier 3 Championship offer a platform for the young ‘Treaty’ players to showcase their abilities and potentially be in the mix for a rare shot at an All-Ireland title.

By the time they line out at the weekend, it will have been over a month since their last competitive fixture. However, there is rare momentum behind Limerick football.

If they are to claim national honours, they will need to claim four wins on the bounce. Already in the competition, Leitrim defeated New York last month.

Last week, both Scoil Mhuire agus Íde Newcastle West and Castletroy College secured Munster U15 schools titles.

Castletroy’s success in the ‘B’ competition is all the more impressive when you factor in that only four schools entered the ‘A’ championship.

In the course of this Munster PPS Championship, Castletroy defeated big names in Munster schools football including Corn Ui Mhuiri schools Clonmel High School and Presentation Secondary School Miltown. They also beat Coláiste an Spioráid Naomh Bishopstown and Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne before getting the better of Hamilton High School Bandon 5-13 to 1-14 in Ballyporeen in the final.

SMI were crowned Munster U15 D Football champions after a thrilling 3-4 to 0-12 victory over Causeway Comprehensive.

They had inspirational team captain Darragh O’Connor net twice with Conor Mullenger also raising a green flag to give the west Limerick school a thrilling victory.

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