Limerick 0-30
Waterford 2-21
Waterford’s 11-year wait for a championship win against Limerick goes on, but they went down with a hell of a fight in a Munster Championship classic.
Aaron Gillane lit the way with thirteen points for the Treaty, who survived late Déise goals from Stephen Bennett and Jack Prendergast to secure the two points on offer.
The evening began with frenetic and frantic intensity which would hold for the entirety of the first period, Gearoid Hegarty’s high challenge on Darragh Lyons allowing Stephen Bennett to split the posts after a minute and a half.
Playing with the breeze behind them, Waterford were again benefitted by the ill-discipline of Hegarty - he entered the book on 4 minutes for a challenge on Calum Lyons, and Bennett’s free from the 65m mark gave the Déise an early two-point cushion.
Waterford were three to the good with their first score from play on six minutes, and a well-worked score it was - Austin Gleeson, Lyons, Bennett all involved with Dessie Hutchinson slicing over. A fine start from the visitors.
Aaron Gillane began his outstanding individual showing with his first score on 8 minutes, before the first goal opportunity of the game saw Jack Fagan pick out Michael Kiely who was smothered in time by Barry Nash.
Palpable concerns and groans could be heard all over the Gaelic Grounds soon after - Cian Lynch soaring into the sky to seize the sliotar, but pulling his hamstring on landing. Game over for the Hurler of the Year with just nine minutes on the clock.
His replacement, Cathal O’Neill, did his confidence no harm by slotting over a score with his first touch, before a monstrous free from the sharpshooting Diarmuid Byrnes levelled matters for the first time.
The Déise soon hit a purple patch, hitting the next five points - with Calum Lyons at the forefront of all things positive. He began the streak with a fine run and point off the short grip, before Bennett was fouled and did the necessary from the requisite free.
Michael Kiely pressured the Limerick goalkeeper Nicky Quaid out over the line for a 65, which Bennett slotted, before some relentless pressure in midfield saw Cathal O’Neill suffocated to the profit of Calum Lyons, who slapped over another seconds later for his third point from play on sixteen minutes. Liam Cahill’s men in the ascendancy.
Three points in a row from the impeccable Diarmuid Byrnes reduced arrears to two for the All-Ireland champions, before a Bennett dead ball and a monster free from Austin Gleeson had Waterford four ahead soon after.
However, the Déise were soon contemplating injury concerns of their own - Iarlaith Daly landing awkwardly upon his ankle, being replaced moments later by Tom Barron.
It was at this point that Limerick began to assert themselves, slamming in four points without response to draw level for the second time. Three of those efforts came from the gallant Gillane who was beginning to step up in the absence of Lynch, while Cathal O’Neill was also on song when called.
A trademark piece of magic from a sideline cut saw Austin Gleeson grab his second and Waterford’s eleventh score on 33 minutes, but Gearoid Hegarty’s score cancelled that out and made sure that Limerick had suddenly notched 8 of the last 11 scores on the cusp of the interval.
Treaty boss John Kiely could be seen berating Diarmuid Byrnes as he allowed Austin Gleeson far too much space from a puckout for his third point, and he soon had a fourth from a dead ball just inside the 65.
Three points in a row from Gillane, two of which came from play as he caused mayhem in the Déise full-back line, gave Limerick the lead for the first time at the sound of Sean Stack’s half-time whistle.
The Déise had been on too early on but trailed at the break, and would also have the wind to deal with for the next 35 minutes.
Waterford’s forwards had only mustered one point from play in the first period as the Limerick full-back line were dominant and assertive, with Gillane’s eighth white flag giving Limerick the first score of the second half.
Once again, more pressure from Michael Kiely forced a 65 as he outmuscled four-time All-Star Sean Finn, but Bennett’s 65 was well wide as Waterford badly needed a score to settle into a rhythm.
They were soon punished as a touch of class from Gearoid Hegarty gave the Shannonsiders a three point margin as the green machine clicked into gear.
Patrick Curran fouled Declan Hannon and Byrnes’ brilliance saw the margin stretch to four, as the Déise struggled to penetrate the green wall in front of them. Tadhg De Burca put in the hard yards to draw a foul from Gillane, with Bennett’s sixth on 42 minutes giving Liam Cahill’s men their first after the interval.
Darragh Lyons and Dessie Hutchinson combined down the left as Waterford finally got in behind, and it was the latter that reduced arrears to two. The home crowd were vocally displeased as Hegarty was harshly penalised for over carrying, and Hutchinson was soon on hand to clip over his third. One point game on 43 minutes. 0-17 to 0-16.
Red-hot Hutchinson then got his third point in a row with a fine strike over his left shoulder to keep the sides deadlocked for the fifth time as the visitors grew in momentum against their Munster rivals.
Gillane’s tenth of the night and fifth from play served as a timely reminder to Waterford that the provincial champions were going nowhere. However, an inspiring free from Gleeson sailed over the black spots and the sides were level for the sixth occasion at 18 apiece.
The 27,000 present at the Gaelic Grounds were being treated to a game worthy of its billing, and gasps were once again audible as Austin Gleeson let loose toward Limerick’s top left corner on 47 minutes only to be denied by an astonishing block by Sean Finn.
It was a quiet evening by Tom Morrissey’s usual standards but he was on hand to give the Treaty the advantage, but the seemingly unflappable Finn couldn’t handle Hutchinson as he got his fifth, before Fagan and Curran combined for the Dungarvan man to give Waterford the lead with twenty minutes left. Breathless entertainment.
Tom Barron made a wonderful hook to deny Morrissey, with Gillane bringing affairs to twenty apiece as Jamie Barron replaced Darragh Lyons in the middle of the pack.
Cathal O’Neill was guilty of some bad wides but showed all his ability to knock Limerick ahead, a seventh from Bennett bringing us level for the seventh time.
Dan Morrissey picked out David Reidy for the substitute to hit the scoresheet, before O’Neill found Tom Morrissey to make it two on the spin.
Aaron Gillane gave a performance for the ages on the night, and when he spun past Prunty - the games opening green flag looked inevitable on 54 minutes, but thankfully for Waterford, Graeme Mulcahy couldn’t find his feet in time as he was smothered by O’Brien. In the blink of an eye, Limerick had 5 out of 6 - Gillane putting them three to the good.
The spectacular two-time All-Star’s twelfth point saw the scoreline move to 0-25 to 0-21. Fifteen minutes left, the Déise with work to do. Every effort to break behind the champions was leading to a blind alley as the brick wall of Limerick suddenly proved impassible, and you got the sense the next score would be vital.
A poor wide from Waterford did little to help the cause, but with Byrnes fouling Jamie Barron - those present were given a chance to finally draw breath. A wide from the dead ball from Austin Gleeson saw the pressure remain, and with the Déise at a crossroads, Darragh O’Donovan notched his first to push the boat out to five - and just as fast, it was six.
Trailing by six with ten points behind, Waterford need answers and needed them fast as the Treaty scores came from here, there and everywhere. Upping the ante all over the field, Limerick were ruthless and unforgiving of any Déise mistakes as Gillane soon sank a 13th, as Waterford were without a score for twelve minutes.
When the Déise needed a hero, who else but Stephen Bennett arrived, cracking a free in off the far left hand post to reduce the gap to four with seven minutes left. The Déise getting their first championship goal against the champions in four years courtesy of the Ballysaggart ace.
Like London buses, the goals came again. Waterford having been seemingly dead and buried, were back within a point from nowhere. Bennett moved the ball into the path of the onrushing Calum Lyons, and he picked out Jack Prendergast off his left shoulder to cannon past Quaid again on 64 minutes. 0-28 to 2-21.
When Limerick needed a score most, up stepped Pat Ryan to calm the cause. All eyes edged toward the line to see how much added time would be approved, as a Jack Fagan foul on Gearoid Hegarty allowed Limerick some temporary breathing room. Diarmuid Byrnes stepped up and normal service resumed as Waterford had two minutes to find three points.
While they threw the kitchen sink, find them they couldn’t. The Munster champions surviving an almighty test of their mettle in a game for the ages. No points in the last 20 minutes for Waterford, but they can be proud of their efforts. They have certainly closed the gap to the standard setters, who they won’t have seen the last of.
Limerick: Nicky Quaid; Sean Finn, Mike Casey, Barry Nash; Diarmuid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey; Darragh O’Donovan, William O’Donoghue; Gearoid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Conor Boylan, Graeme Mulcahy.
Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane (0-13; 0-07f); Diarmuid Byrnes (0-06; 0-05f); Cathal O’Neill (0-03); Darragh O’Donovan, Gearoid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey (0-02 each); David Reidy and Pat Ryan (0-01 each)
Subs: Cathal O’Neill for Cian Lynch (9); David Reidy for Conor Boylan (51); Pat Ryan for Graeme Mulcahy (56)
Waterford: Shaun O’Brien; Conor Gleeson, Conor Prunty, Shane McNulty; Jack Fagan, Tadhg De Búrca, Iarlaith Daly; Darragh Lyons, Calum Lyons; Austin Gleeson, Jack Prendergast, Patrick Curran; Dessie Hutchinson, Stephen Bennett, Michael Kiely.
Scorers for Waterford: Stephen Bennett (1-07; 0-06f; 0-01 ‘65); Austin Gleeson (0-05; 0-02f; 0-01 sdl.); Dessie Hutchinson (0-05); Calum Lyons (0-03); Jack Prendergast (1-00); Patrick Curran (0-01)
Subs: Tom Barron for Iarlaith Daly (28); Jamie Barron for Darragh Lyons (50); Neil Montgomery for Patrick Curran (66); Cathrach Daly for Tadhg De Burca (68); Pauric Mahony for Michael Kiely (70)
Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin)
