A stunning Waterford minor football comeback saw the Déise overturn an eight-point half-time deficit to defeat Limerick by a single point in a thrilling Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship clash at Páirc Naomh Bríd in Lemybrien.
Waterford edged the contest on a final scoreline of 1-13 to 1-12, sealing top spot in the group with three wins from three and booking their place in Phase 2 of the competition.
Déise fight back from eight points down
Limerick dominated the opening half and looked in complete control as they surged into a commanding lead.
Conor O’Dwyer dictated the tempo from half-back, scoring four points, while Charlie McCarthy added two impressive two-pointers. The Treaty side led 0-9 to 0-2 after 24 minutes and held an eight-point advantage at the break.
However, the second half told a very different story.
Waterford returned with renewed energy and intent. Two early points reduced the gap, and momentum quickly shifted in favour of the home side.
Goal sparks turnaround
The turning point came when Peter Murray led a sweeping move before setting up Theo Meagher for a superbly taken goal, cutting the deficit to just three points.
Soon after, Dara Gough converted a long-range penalty for a two-point score, further closing the gap.
Waterford continued to pile on the pressure, and Liam O’Grady brought the sides level in the 49th minute with a superb two-pointer.
Late surge seals victory
With confidence growing, Waterford pushed ahead and led by two points by the 58th minute.
Limerick responded through Tom Gavin in added time, but they could not find the equaliser as Waterford held firm to complete a remarkable comeback victory.
Phase 2 awaits
The win ensures Waterford finish top of the table and progress to Phase 2, where they will face Kerry and Clare at home, and Cork away.
Their next outing sees Kerry travel to Lemybrien on April 27th. After a dramatic night at Páirc Naomh Bríd, the Waterford minor football comeback keeps their Munster campaign alive and builds strong momentum heading into the next phase.
Sport on WLR is brought to you by Auto Boland Ford.
For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.
