Waterford are through to the knockout stages of the All Ireland Camogie Championship for the sixth year in a row after a 2-19 to 0-11 win over Limerick in the Cappamore sunshine.
Beth Carton shot 1-12 for Sean Power's side (1-8 from play) as she broke the hundred point barrier for 2023. The three-time All Star has scored 4 goals and 96 points in ten games this season.
Niamh Rockett netted a first half goal while Róisín Kirwan hit three points from play. Máiréad O'Brien put in a big shift at wing forward. Máiréad Power and Aoife Landers impressed in defence.
Déise captain Keeley Corbett Barry decided to play with the breeze in the first half. It took only eleven seconds for Beth Carton to open her account. In the eighth minute, the hard working Rachael Walsh put Niamh Rockett through on goal and she rifled a bullet to the Limerick net. The visitors led by ten points after eighteen minutes as five of the six forwards raised a flag.
Limerick rallied with three unanswered points. Sophie O'Callaghan split the posts from distance before Claire Keating converted two frees. Carton settled Waterford with their first point in eleven minutes. She finished the half with seven as the away side led 1-11 to 0-5 at the break
Caoimhe Costelloe pointed off the restart for the Shannonsiders but Róisín Kirwan responded immediately after a brilliant O'Brien catch. With nine minutes left, Carton unleashed an unstoppable shot to the top corner of the Limerick cobwebs. She added 1-5 to her tally in the second period. Substitute Anne Corcoran got an injury time point as Sean Power ran the bench.
Waterford will welcome Antrim to the SETU Arena on July 1 to decide which team tops Group 3.
Scorers for Waterford: Beth Carton 1-12 (4fs), Niamh Rockett 1-1, Róisín Kirwan 0-3, Annie Fitzgerald, Máiréad O'Brien, Anne Corcoran 0-1 each.
Scorers for Limerick: Claire Keating 0-6 (6fs), Caoimhe Costelloe 0-4 (1f, 1 45), Sophie O'Callaghan 0-1.
Waterford: Brianna O'Regan; Vikki Falconer, Iona Heffernan, Kate Lynch; Aoife Landers, Clodagh Carroll, Mairéad Power; Orla Hickey, Keeley Corbett Barry; Mairéad O'Brien, Beth Carton, Niamh Rockett; Rachael Walsh, Annie Fitzgerald, Róisín Kirwan.
Subs: Anne Corcoran for Kirwan (48), Tara Power for O'Brien (52), Shauna Fitzgerald for Walsh (55), Niamh Curran for Heffernan (58), Lorraine Bray for Annie Fitzgerald (58).
Limerick: Laura O'Neill; Teresa Dore, Aoife Nelligan, Marian Quaid; Stephanie Woulfe, Mary O'Callaghan, Mairead Ryan; Ailbhe Larkin, Sophie O'Callaghan; Orlaith Kelleher, Caoimhe Costelloe, Aine Reynolds; Sarah O'Brien, Laura Fennelly, Claire Keating.
Subs: Cliodhna Ryan for Reynolds (48), Lizanna Boylan for Fennelly (48), Ele Madigan for Keating (54), Aine O Tiarnaigh for Nelligan (54), Ciara O'Riordan for O'Callaghan (57).
Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare)
