LIMERICK WRAPPED UP All-Ireland series qualification with their 10th consecutive championship victory over Waterford in front of 22,225 fans at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.
The Treaty had scored just five goals against the Déise in their past seven meetings, but they needed the two they got here.
They trailed until those two green flags in the space of a minute from Peter Casey and Gearóid Hegarty moved them 2-22 to 1-20 ahead in the 62nd minute.
They closed with 2-8 without reply until a last-puck Shane Bennett penalty.
This Limerick victory also condemned All-Ireland champions Tipperary to elimination ahead of their final-round meeting next weekend.
For Waterford, it means a seventh successive early exit since the Munster round-robin was introduced in 2019
Already without Stephen Bennett, Iarlaith Daly, and Ian Kenny from last weekend, Waterford lost another full-back line member with Aaron O’Neill ruled out. Conor Keane came into his place.
John Kiely could call upon two Hurlers of the Year compared to their 15-point victory over Clare. Aaron Gillane came in to start, but was hunted everywhere by Paddy Leavey and held scoreless until his withdrawal.
Captain Cian Lynch was named on the bench and introduced before half-time in place of Adam English, who had started well but was carrying a yellow card.
Strong start
With Limerick playing into the wind, English struck two of the first five points, including one straight from the throw-in.
Calum Lyons, who started at centre-forward but soon drifted out towards the right wing, also got off to a flier with quick fire points.
Cathal O’Neill was the highest scorer by the break, racking up 0-5, as Limerick’s lead maxed out at four.
A couple of points from deep by Billy Nolan, Shane Bennett, and Jack Fagan forced Limerick to press up and sparked a spell of Waterford dominance. Kevin Mahony profited for a couple of points on the inside line.
From the 15th to 29th minutes, the Déise had the upper hand to the tune of 0-10 to 0-1. Another Lyons brace completed a string of six successive points. After a Kyle Hayes reply, Bennett, who had taken over frees from Reuben Halloran, tacked on three more. Added to an eye-of-a-needle Seán Walsh point, the visitors led 0-15 to 0-10.
By now, Lynch was warming up and, despite belting his first touch wide, he made a fast impact with a point and a hand in scores for O’Neill and Shane O’Brien. They levelled with five in a row, but Bennett’s sixth – his third free – left the Déise 0-16 to 0-15 ahead at the change of ends.
Limerick's Peter Casey and Jamie Barron of Waterford in action. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
It could’ve been a Limerick lead as Gillane and Hegarty stormed through and O’Neill lofted across for Aidan O’Connor, whose shot was taken in the helmet by Bennett on the goal line.
From almost a score-a-minute first half, there were just four points in the first 16 minutes after the break. O’Connor hit three in a row (one 65, one from play, one free) for their first lead in 31 minutes.
In the 52nd minute, Waterford jumped back ahead. Mahony got in behind Mike Casey to collect Dessie Hutchinson’s delivery and bat past Nickie Quaid. A Jack Prendergast point made it 1-18 to 0-18.
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Late surge
They were still two ahead with 11 minutes to play after an Austin Gleeson sideline cut.
Having withdrawn Gillane and switched Hegarty into the full-forward line, Limerick lashed 2-8 without reply.
Hegarty mopped up an errant Mark Fitzgerald clearance and fed Peter Casey, who dropped the sliotar but managed to kick it into an empty net.
Then, O’Connor raced through and though his pass was misplaced, it was deflected into Hegarty’s path by Fitzgerald’s despairing flick. The wing-forward’s mis-hit finish looped over Nolan to the net.
Darragh O’Donovan, Lynch and Tom Morrissey added braces before Gleeson was fouled by Dan Morrissey for a last-ditch Déise penalty.
Scorers for Limerick: Aidan O’Connor 0-8 (4f, 1 65), Cathal O’Neill 0-5, Gearóid Hegarty 1-1, Peter Casey 1-1, Cian Lynch 0-3, Tom Morrissey 0-3, Adam English 0-2, Darragh O’Donovan 0-2, Shane O’Brien 0-2, Diarmaid Byrnes 0-1 (f), Kyle Hayes 0-1.
Scorers for Waterford: Shane Bennett 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), Kevin Mahony 1-3, Calum Lyons 0-4, Dessie Hutchinson 0-2 (1f), Billy Nolan 0-1, Jack Fagan 0-1, Jack Prendergast 0-1, Seán Walsh 0-1, Austin Gleeson 0-1 (s/l).
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
4. Barry Nash (South Liberties), 3. Dan Morrissey (Ahane), 2. Seán Finn (Bruff)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), 6. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh), 7. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)
8. Adam English (Doon), 9. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
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Limerick seal All-Ireland series qualification as Waterford and Tipperary eliminated
Limerick 2-29
Waterford 2-20
Stephen Barry reports from TUS Gaelic Grounds
LIMERICK WRAPPED UP All-Ireland series qualification with their 10th consecutive championship victory over Waterford in front of 22,225 fans at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.
The Treaty had scored just five goals against the Déise in their past seven meetings, but they needed the two they got here.
They trailed until those two green flags in the space of a minute from Peter Casey and Gearóid Hegarty moved them 2-22 to 1-20 ahead in the 62nd minute.
They closed with 2-8 without reply until a last-puck Shane Bennett penalty.
This Limerick victory also condemned All-Ireland champions Tipperary to elimination ahead of their final-round meeting next weekend.
For Waterford, it means a seventh successive early exit since the Munster round-robin was introduced in 2019
Already without Stephen Bennett, Iarlaith Daly, and Ian Kenny from last weekend, Waterford lost another full-back line member with Aaron O’Neill ruled out. Conor Keane came into his place.
John Kiely could call upon two Hurlers of the Year compared to their 15-point victory over Clare. Aaron Gillane came in to start, but was hunted everywhere by Paddy Leavey and held scoreless until his withdrawal.
Captain Cian Lynch was named on the bench and introduced before half-time in place of Adam English, who had started well but was carrying a yellow card.
Strong start
With Limerick playing into the wind, English struck two of the first five points, including one straight from the throw-in.
Calum Lyons, who started at centre-forward but soon drifted out towards the right wing, also got off to a flier with quick fire points.
Cathal O’Neill was the highest scorer by the break, racking up 0-5, as Limerick’s lead maxed out at four.
A couple of points from deep by Billy Nolan, Shane Bennett, and Jack Fagan forced Limerick to press up and sparked a spell of Waterford dominance. Kevin Mahony profited for a couple of points on the inside line.
From the 15th to 29th minutes, the Déise had the upper hand to the tune of 0-10 to 0-1. Another Lyons brace completed a string of six successive points. After a Kyle Hayes reply, Bennett, who had taken over frees from Reuben Halloran, tacked on three more. Added to an eye-of-a-needle Seán Walsh point, the visitors led 0-15 to 0-10.
By now, Lynch was warming up and, despite belting his first touch wide, he made a fast impact with a point and a hand in scores for O’Neill and Shane O’Brien. They levelled with five in a row, but Bennett’s sixth – his third free – left the Déise 0-16 to 0-15 ahead at the change of ends.
It could’ve been a Limerick lead as Gillane and Hegarty stormed through and O’Neill lofted across for Aidan O’Connor, whose shot was taken in the helmet by Bennett on the goal line.
From almost a score-a-minute first half, there were just four points in the first 16 minutes after the break. O’Connor hit three in a row (one 65, one from play, one free) for their first lead in 31 minutes.
In the 52nd minute, Waterford jumped back ahead. Mahony got in behind Mike Casey to collect Dessie Hutchinson’s delivery and bat past Nickie Quaid. A Jack Prendergast point made it 1-18 to 0-18.
Late surge
They were still two ahead with 11 minutes to play after an Austin Gleeson sideline cut.
Having withdrawn Gillane and switched Hegarty into the full-forward line, Limerick lashed 2-8 without reply.
Hegarty mopped up an errant Mark Fitzgerald clearance and fed Peter Casey, who dropped the sliotar but managed to kick it into an empty net.
Then, O’Connor raced through and though his pass was misplaced, it was deflected into Hegarty’s path by Fitzgerald’s despairing flick. The wing-forward’s mis-hit finish looped over Nolan to the net.
Darragh O’Donovan, Lynch and Tom Morrissey added braces before Gleeson was fouled by Dan Morrissey for a last-ditch Déise penalty.
Scorers for Limerick: Aidan O’Connor 0-8 (4f, 1 65), Cathal O’Neill 0-5, Gearóid Hegarty 1-1, Peter Casey 1-1, Cian Lynch 0-3, Tom Morrissey 0-3, Adam English 0-2, Darragh O’Donovan 0-2, Shane O’Brien 0-2, Diarmaid Byrnes 0-1 (f), Kyle Hayes 0-1.
Scorers for Waterford: Shane Bennett 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), Kevin Mahony 1-3, Calum Lyons 0-4, Dessie Hutchinson 0-2 (1f), Billy Nolan 0-1, Jack Fagan 0-1, Jack Prendergast 0-1, Seán Walsh 0-1, Austin Gleeson 0-1 (s/l).
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
4. Barry Nash (South Liberties), 3. Dan Morrissey (Ahane), 2. Seán Finn (Bruff)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), 6. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh), 7. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)
8. Adam English (Doon), 9. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
10. Gearóid Hegarty (St Patrick’s), 11. Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown), 12. Cathal O’Neill (Crecora-Manister)
13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell), 14. Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock), 15. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
Subs
Waterford
1. Billy Nolan (Roanmore)
17. Conor Keane (De La Salle), 3. Mark Fitzgerald (Passage, captain), 6. Paddy Leavey (Ballygunner)
7. Shane Bennett (Ballysaggart), 5. Tadhg de Búrca (Clashmore-Kinsalebeg), 4. Jack Fagan (De La Salle)
11. Jamie Barron (Fourmilewater), 8. Seán Mackey (Fenor)
9. Reuben Halloran (De La Salle), 10. Calum Lyons (Ballyduff Lower), 12. Jack Prendergast (Lismore)
13. Dessie Hutchinson (Ballygunner), 14. Seán Walsh (Fourmilewater), 15. Kevin Mahony (Ballygunner)
Subs
Referee: James Owens (Wexford).
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