A repeat of last year's frustrating All-Ireland Football Qualifier is on the cards at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday next, when Limerick welcome Louth to the Gaelic Grounds (2.30pm) in the opening round of Division Three in the Allianz National League.

Limerick appeared to have a handle on the wee county last July, ahead by three points with under ten minutes remaining.

However, their ill luck in this back-door route continued when they allowed Darren Clarke (2), Ronan Carroll and veteran Mark Stanfield waltz through for scores which set Louth up for a very fine run in the qualifiers, one which was only eventually stopped by All-Ireland Finalists Cork in the third round.

At the weekend, Limerick had their second consecutive final defeat in the McGrath Cup, when they suffered heartbreak at the hands of Clare on Cooraclare.

Rising star Ian Ryan of St Senan's, Bruff's John Cooke, and Kieran O'Callaghan of county senior champions Ballylanders, landed opening-half scores for Limerick which handed the Shannonsiders a 0-5 to 0-2 interval lead.

For the majority of the tie, Limerick were by far the superior side but inaccuracy in front of goal proved costly, along with a decision of match official Paddy Russell towards the close of proceedings.

In the eyes of travelling manager Mickey 'Ned' O'Sullivan it was a 'Mickey Mouse' decision that cost Limerick an early-season silver canister.

Limerick were ahead by two points at the death when the Tipperary penalised 'keeper Sean Kiely for a challenge on David Tubridy. The result was a spot-kick which Tubridy converted himself to settle the issue.

"It was clearly not a penalty. We coach a guy a guy to go in to protect himself and play the ball. I couldn't see how it was a penalty. To lose on a Mickey Mouse decision is hard. Unfortunately, the game has become central to referees – it should be about players," O'Sullivan stated.

Earlier in the contest, Russell was again at the centre of controversy when replacement Diarmuid Carroll was dismissed on a second yellow card offence.

"He didn't nothing that justified being sent off," opined O'Sullivan.

"Still," the Limerick boss conceded, "we had plenty of scoring chances to have won the game much earlier. In the first-half alone, we must have been in their half with scoring opportunities at least 20 times."

"However, we only managed to convert five of them, which isn't good enough," O'Sullivan concluded.

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