Waterford face one of the toughest assignments in hurling this weekend as they travel to the TUS Gaelic Grounds to take on a rejuvenated Limerick side in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship.

Former Waterford hurler and All-Star Eoin Murphy admits the odds are stacked against the Déise, particularly given their current position in the table and a growing injury list following last weekend’s defeat to Cork.

Speaking on Sport Láirge, Murphy said Waterford’s hopes of progressing are hanging by a thread.

“It certainly has been made a lot harder by the position Waterford are in now with only one point,” he said. “The percentages are very low on Waterford getting out of Munster, and when you add in the injuries picked up against Cork and the fact that Limerick are close to full strength, it’s very hard to see past a Limerick win.”

Limerick welcome back key figures such as Aaron Gillane and Keane Lynch, while Waterford will be without talisman Stephen Bennett for the remainder of the championship following injury.

Murphy believes Bennett’s absence is impossible to fully replace.

“From what we’ve seen in the first two games, Stephen probably isn’t replaceable,” he explained. “The overall package he brings, his vision, awareness, scoring ability, and composure in front of goal are just exceptional. Players like that are very rare.”

Despite the challenge ahead, Murphy says there is still pride and motivation for Waterford players heading into today’s clash.

“You still represent yourself, your club, and the people around you,” he said. “Individually, players will want to get the better of their man, and collectively maybe that can turn into something bigger.”

The former defender also pointed to Waterford’s league victory over Limerick earlier in the season as something Peter Queally and his management team can draw confidence from.

“They’ll definitely look back at that performance and ask what they got right structurally and tactically,” Murphy added. “Limerick are probably favourites for the All-Ireland, but that also makes it a brilliant challenge for Waterford.”

Murphy feels Waterford’s issue is not a lack of top-end talent, but consistency across the panel.

“It’s not the ceiling, it’s the floor that needs to come up a little bit,” he said. “Waterford have some unbelievable players in certain positions, but they can’t rely on the same few players every single time.”

Match Details – We’ll have live coverage with Kieran O’Connor and Michael Ryan, along with full build-up from 2:45, thanks to George Corbett Motors Skoda

Fixture: Waterford vs Limerick
Competition: Munster Senior Hurling Championship 2026
Throw-in: 3:00 pm
Venue:  TUS Gaelic Grounds 
Referee: James Owens (Wexford)

Our Big Match is brought to you by  George Corbett Motors Skoda

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