Hello and welcome to today’s live coverage of the All-Ireland hurling final. Limerick are chasing a second title in three years, while Waterford are looking to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time since 1959.
It’s an All-Ireland senior decider like no other in an empty stadium 12 days before Christmas. Here’s how the teams are named to start:
Limerick
1. Nicky Quaid (Effin)
2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
3. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
4. Barry Nash (South Liberties)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Declan Hannon (Adare) Captain
7. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry
8. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
9. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh)
10. Gearoid Hegarty (St. Patrick’s)
11. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
14. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon)
15. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock)
Waterford
1. Stephen O’Keeffe (Ballygunner)
2. Ian Kenny (Ballygunner)
3. Conor Prunty (Abbeyside)
4. Shane McNulty (De La Salle)
5. Calum Lyons (Ballyduff Lower)
6. Tadhg de Búrca (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg)
7. Kevin Moran (De La Salle)
8. Jamie Barron (FourMileWater)
9. Kieran Bennett (Ballysaggart)
10. Jack Fagan (De La Salle)
11. Neil Montgomery (Abbeyside)
12. Stephen Bennett (Ballysaggart)
13. Dessie Hutchinson (Ballygunner)
14. Austin Gleeson (Mount Sion)
15. Jack Prendergast (Lismore)
It’s time to get your predictions. Who will lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup today?
Poll Results:
Shane Dowling is amongst the privileged number of people at Croke Park today. The former Limerick star will break down where this All-Ireland final is won and lost with Marc Ó Sé tomorrow morning. Get access to The42 GAA Weekly here: https://members.the42.ie/
Here are the thoughts of @WaterfordGAA's managerial maestro Liam Cahill and captain Conor Prunty ahead of the All-Ireland final. https://t.co/GM7EWueN5e pic.twitter.com/N3o6DiCvWc
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) December 13, 2020
We’re underway!
Limerick 0-1 Waterford 0-0
1 min – Limerick are up and running after 43 seconds with a score from Tom Morrissey.
CHANCE! Jack Fagan flashes a shot across the face of the goals and wide.
Limerick 0-2 Waterford 0-0
2 min – Seamus Flanagan puts over a superb score for the Treaty.
Limerick 0-2 Waterford 0-1
4 min – Stephen Bennett drops over a free from his own 45m line. Incredible start to his free-taking duties.
Limerick 0-2 Waterford 0-2
6 mins – Dessie Hutchinson is brought down and Bennett doubles his tally from placed balls. At the far end Cian Lynch breaks through the Waterford rearguard but they recover and clear.
Limerick 0-3 Waterford 0-2
8 mins – Tom Morrissey slots over his second of the game, lovely effort.
Limerick 0-4 Waterford 0-2
10 mins – Limerick switch the play and Aaron Gillane’s first involvement is a super score from a really narrow angle.
Limerick 0-5 Waterford 0-2
11 mins – Gillane is fouled and puts over the free himself.
DOUBLE SAVE! Stephen O’Keeffe saves a strike from Kyle Hayes and makes a glorious stop on Cian Lynch’s rebound. Outstanding goalkeeping.
Limerick 0-7 Waterford 0-3
14 mins – Austin Gleeson lands a wonder point from way out the field after a pass from Tadhg de Burca. William O’Donoghue clips over a booming effort in response.
Limerick 0-8 Waterford 0-4
16 mins – Bennett (free) and Declan Hannon trade scores.
Absolutely incredible goalkeeping from @WaterfordGAA's Stephen O'Keeffe as he makes two top class saves to deny Limerick an early goal! pic.twitter.com/XSSJWfJWzZ
— The GAA (@officialgaa) December 13, 2020
We’re at the first-half water break.
Concern for de Burca who has gone down and looks in serious pain.
The Waterford centre-back lost his footing and looked to have hurt his knee.
De Burca has left the action and Iarlaith Daly replaces him. Huge blow for the Deise.
Limerick 0-9 Waterford 0-4
23 mins – O’Donoghue picks out Gearoid Hegarty, who adds his first score of the day.
Limerick 0-10 Waterford 0-4
25 mins – Kyle Hayes scores his first point of the All-Ireland final after gliding down the flank. Bennett has a goal chance blocked moments later as Waterford press for a goal.
Superb block by Diarmaid Byrnes on Bennett that time.
Limerick 0-10 Waterford 0-5
26 mins – Austin Gleeson strokes over a lovely sideline cut.
Limerick 0-11 Waterford 0-7
27 mins – Stephen Bennett nails another free to bring Waterford within three. Tom Morrissey adds his third from play after winning a puck-out.
Limerick 0-12 Waterford 0-7
30 mins – More quality hurling from Limerick results in another Gillane score. His first touch set-up the scoring opportunity there.
Limerick 0-12 Waterford 0-8
31 mins – Bennett converts another free.
Limerick 0-14 Waterford 0-8
33 mins – A lovely ball from Byrnes floats into Gillane as Hegarty makes a run off his shoulder. Gillane dummies a pass and puts it over himself. Darragh O’Donovan then feeds Hegarty for another Limerick point.
Limerick 0-14 Waterford 0-9
34 mins – Bennett tags on another free. Waterford have just two points from play so far.
Limerick 0-14 Waterford 0-10
33 mins – Jack Fagan works hard to win a free and Bennett first over his seventh free of the day.
Limerick 0-15 Waterford 0-8
36 mins – Hutchinson feeds Gleeson who arrives at full pelt and flashes over the bar.
SAVE! Nickie Quaid denies Stephen Bennett after a mazy run from the Deise attacker.
Limerick 0-14 Waterford 0-11 – HT
The first-half scorers:
Both sides are back on the field and we’re about to get back underway.
Some highlights from the first period:
Watch the Half-Time Highlights of @LimerickCLG v @WaterfordGAA in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final here on GAANOW!
— The GAA (@officialgaa) December 13, 2020
Half-Time Score:
Limerick: 0-14
Waterford: 0-11 pic.twitter.com/62RKez6zta
SHC Final
— gaaapps (@gaaapps) December 13, 2020
Half time
WATERFORD: 0-11(11)
LIMERICK: 0-14(14)
WATERFORD shots pic.twitter.com/8HVGS4en6p
Stephen Bennett misses his first free of the half.
Limerick 0-15 Waterford 0-11
37 mins – Flanagan finishes off a lovely Limerick move for the first score of the second period.
Limerick 0-16 Waterford 0-11
38 mins – Tom Morrissey finds Gearoid Hegarty for his third of the match.
Limerick 0-17 Waterford 0-11
39 mins – Gillane points his sixth effort of the match.
Waterford sub: Darragh Lyons replaces Kieran Bennett.
Limerick 0-18 Waterford 0-12
41 mins – Flanagan scores his third of the match, a fine effort from the sideline. Bennett responds with a free to reduce the gap to six.
Limerick 0-19 Waterford 0-12
42 mins – Hegarty drives forward and pops over. Seven points between the sides now.
Limerick 0-20 Waterford 0-12
43 mins – A move that starts with Sean Finn is worked up for another Hegarty score, with Hannon and Morrissey heavily involved.
Limerick 0-21 Waterford 0-13
45 mins – Dessie Hutchinson catches, turns and fires over. Conor Gleeson replaces Neil Montgomery on the Waterfors side. Then Tom Morrissey shortens his grip and slots between the posts.
Limerick 0-21 Waterford 0-14
45 mins – Kevin Moran with an inspirational point for the Deise.
Limerick 0-22 Waterford 0-15
47 mins – Calum Lyons pulls back a vital effort for Waterford. Gillane responds with a free.
Limerick sub: Peter Casey comes in for Graeme Mulcahy.
Limerick 0-24 Waterford 0-15
50 mins – Hegarty is one of the leading contenders to be named Hurler of the Year and he fires over another point, shortly followed by one from Gillane.
Limerick 0-24 Waterford 0-16
52 mins – Bennett has nine points to his name now.
We’re at the second-half water break.
Waterford replace Kevin Moran with Patrick Curran.
Limerick 0-25 Waterford 0-16
53 mins – Gillane points another free. We’re into the final quarter now where Limerick have been very dominant so far in the championship. Waterford have a huge battle on their hands to turn this around.
Waterford sub: Shane Fives is on for Ian Kenny.
Limerick 0-25 Waterford 0-17
55 mins – Gleeson adds a score for the Deise. Nickie Quaid makes a good save from Bennett moments later.
Limerick 0-26 Waterford 0-17
55 mins – A long diagonal ball into Gillane sees him turn and put over. Nickie Quaid makes a good save from Calum Lyons as Waterford push for a goal.
Limerick sub: Darragh O’Donovan is replaced by David Reidy.
Limerick 0-26 Waterford 0-18
61 mins – Another pointed free from Bennett.
Limerick 0-26 Waterford 0-19
63 mins – Gleeson has shown real leadership for Waterford and he pulls back a point.
Limerick 0-27 Waterford 0-19
64 mins – Hegarty with another score, his seventh of the day.
Limerick 0-28 Waterford 0-19
66 mins – Pat Ryan powers through for a point. What a sub for Limerick to bring on. Then Byrnes adds another, his first of the game. All three of the half backs have now scored.
Limerick 0-29 Waterford 0-19
71 mins – It’s been an awesome display by Limerick. We’ll have three minutes of stoppage-time.
Limerick 0-30 Waterford 0-19
72 mins – Morrissey adds his fifth of the day.
Limerick 0-30 Waterford 0-19 – FT
Limerick are the All-Ireland hurling champions.
