Dublin to Limerick 5.00pm train December 2nd

[DMG]

Long story but short question at the end:
With the new timetable removing the 17.05 direct train to Limerick, I went to catch the 17.00 Cork train yesterday where you have to change at Limerick junction. I joined the queue at 16.50 and one of the assistant managers was going up and down the queue explaining that the incoming Cork train was being delayed by approx 20 mins due to signal faults at Hazelhatch. At around 17.10 he came past again and gave an update that the train would arrive in 5 or 10 minutes "max". I asked him would I better off getting the 17.25 train to Limerick which although takes a bit longer was already sitting in the station, he advised me not to as the Cork train was on its way and would make my journey shorter.

In the end the Cork train arrived at 18.15 crawled all the way to Limerick junction getting there around 21.45 (3 and a half hours - I think delay was due to signalling faults but only heard this second hand) and the connection at the Junction stopped for another half an hour before arriving in limerick at 22.45 last night - thats 3 1/2 hours late. Everyone on the train was totally pissed off at this stage and threatening all sorts but like myself you calm down after a while and realise no one in Irish Rail gives a **** and no one broke the signals on purpose.
My real problem is that the Assistant Station manager was telling people a train would arrive in five minutes at 17.10 when in fact that train didn't arrive until over an hour after that - I am assuming he wasn't lying and some one told him the train was on its way - how can the system get it so wrong - if the guy wasn't sure would it not have been better to tell people he didn't know when the train would arrive and at least give them the opportunity to catch the 17.25 train to Limerick. If he had said nothing at all people would have just got the 17.25 to be safe - apparently the 17.25 got in on time at 19.55 however it managed it. I would have asked him this myself but there was no sign of him after 17.30.