League final Sunday with silverware up for grabs, a novel pairing and the potential for a cracker in Croke Park — what’s not to love?
Welcome along to our live coverage of the 2018 Allianz Hurling League final, as Limerick and Waterford go head-to-head in Croke Park. Throw-in is at 2pm and we’ll be keeping a close eye on all the action here, but you can also watch it live on TG4.
They’re no strangers in Munster but it’s a first-ever league final meeting for the Treaty and the Déise. 2018 All-Ireland champions Limerick appear in their first final since 2006 — but they haven’t lifted the Dr Croke Cup since 1997.
Waterford, meanwhile, took the crown in 2015 and lost out to Clare after a replay the following year. A second outing won’t be the case this time around however, with a penalty shootout on the cards if it ends level after extra-time.
This has the makings of a good one, that’s for sure.
Before all else, some team news… we’ll update you on any late changes but this is how John Kiely and Páraic Fanning’s sides are named to start.
Limerick
1. Nicky Quaid (Effin)
2. Tom Condon (Knockaderry)
3. Sean Finn (Bruff)
4. Richie English (Doon)
5. Diarmuid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Declan Hannon (Adare) (captain)
7. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
8. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
9. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
10. Gearoid Hegarty (St. Patrick’s)
11. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
14. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
15. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock).
Waterford
1. Stephen O’Keeffe (Ballygunner)
2. Shane McNulty (De La Salle)
3. Callum Lyons (Ballyduff Lower)
4. Noel Connors (Passage) (captain)
5. Philip Mahony (Ballygunner)
6. Tadhg De Búrca (Clashmore-Kinsalebeg)
7. Kevin Moran (De La Salle)
8. Jamie Barron (Fourmilewater)
9. Austin Gleeson (Mount Sion)
10. Mikey Kearney (Ballyduff Upper)
11. Michael Walsh (Stradbally)
12. Pauric Mahony (Ballygunner)
13. Peter Hogan (Ballygunner)
14. Stephen Bennett (Ballysaggart)
15. Shane Bennett (Ballysaggart).
Will there be similar scenes at HQ today?
All-Ireland winning captain Declan Hannon returns to the Limerick team as their only personnel change.
For Waterford, Brick Walsh starts at centre forward in this, his 17th season of inter-county action, while Peter Hogan’s inclusion is the other switch from their last outing.
Just under 10 minutes to go, so here’s some pre-match reading to tide you over:
Aaron Gillane: ‘The last 22 years Limerick teams couldn’t win the league, that’s nothing to do with us’
‘I actually watched the All-Ireland in Portugal last year, drinking a few bottles of Corona and sitting back relaxing’
This is part of a triple-header of course, with Galway coming out on top in the camogie final after ending Kilkenny’s bid for five in-a-row.
We’ll have a full report of that on The42 shortly, with Kerry and Mayo also meeting in the Division 1 football decider at 4pm.
Throw-in: And like that, we’re off.
Limerick 0-0 Waterford 0-0
The Déise won the toss and opted to play into Hill 16. We’ve started fast at HQ, with early scoring chances for both sides but nothing coming of the efforts. One wide a-piece.
Limerick 0-2 Waterford 0-0
Aaron Gillane’s free gets the Treaty up and running, before 2018 Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch adds a second from play seconds later.
Limerick 0-3 Waterford 0-2
Stephen Bennett makes no mistake and opens Waterford’s account with an easy free before the posts. He follows that up with another from play to level it but Gearóid Hegarty restore’s Limerick’s lead at the other end. It’s all go.
Limerick 0-5 Waterford 0-2
Wonderful save from O’Keeffe, but Gillane slots over a free and another from play to put Limerick into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead.
Limerick 0-8 Waterford 0-2
Darragh O’Donovan fires over a lovely sideline cut, while Gearoid Hegarty and Gillane tag on two more from play. Some brilliant work from Kyle Hayes in between there and Limerick are motoring.
There was a slight bit of worry there for Limerick fans with Gillane down holding his arm before that. He’s all good though, evidently, and I’m sure hoping to capitalise on his bright start.
Limerick 0-8 Waterford 0-3
As Kiely’s side power on, Bennett hits back with a free. Waterford look to stay in touch.
Limerick 0-8 Waterford 0-4
Kevin Moran grabs another back. He splits the posts with a nice finish.
Limerick 0-8 Waterford 0-5
It was all Limerick there for a period, the All-Ireland champions really coming into their own with plenty of momentum behind them. Waterford are fighting back now and it’s that man Bennett with another lovely point from play.
Limerick 0-8 Waterford 0-6
Bennett with another fairly straight-forward free and the gap is two. Brick Walsh is doing great stuff around the middle — he started there rather than in the forwards — and Ballygunner’s Pauric Mahony is going well too.
Referee is James Owens, by the way, for those asking in the comments section.
Limerick 0-9 Waterford 0-7
Peter Casey swings over a beauty for the Treaty, before Nicky Quaid is forced to pull out a top drawer save at the other end. Bennett taps over a free.
Limerick 0-9 Waterford 0-8
Waterford seem to be hitting a purple patch, driving forward and creating chances. Tom Condon is shown the first yellow card of the match for a heavy charging shoulder on Mikey Kearney. Bennett fires over the tree.
GOAL! Limerick 1-9 Waterford 0-8
That goal was something else! A flick of Aaron Gillane’s hurley on the end of a long ball has it in the back of the net.
Limerick 1-9 Waterford 0-9
Waterford pull one back. That goal has come at the perfect time to spark Limerick back to life, it must be said, stopping Waterford right in their tracks as they really got back into the contest.
Limerick 1-9 Waterford 0-10
Mahony tags on another. Good response. More brilliant work from him.
Limerick 1-11 Waterford 0-10
Gillane steps up with an inspirational effort from play. He’s been brilliant for Limerick. Tom Morrissey follows suit with another huge point as they bid to finish strong before the break.
Limerick 1-12 Waterford 0-10
Mulcahy with another. Some superb point-taking from the Shannonsiders, with Lynch working really hard around the middle. Two minutes to be added on.
Gearoid Hegarty was down getting treatment there but he’s up on his feet again and looks okay. He’s had to go to the sideline but will surely be re-introduced.
Half-time: Limerick 1-12 Waterford 0-10
Here’s a look at that Gillane goal:
Pure class by Aaron Gillane to find the net for @LimerickCLG pic.twitter.com/lp1ao1jXL9
— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 31, 2019
Just Stephen Bennett and Pauric Mahony have scored from play for Waterford, while five of the six Limerick forwards have done so. Aaron Gillane has been immense for Limerick, scoring 1-5.
Kevin O’Brien and our GAA Editor Fintan O’Toole are both working from Croke Park today. They’ll have plenty of reports, analysis and reaction from both the hurling and the football.
Second half: We’re off again. Sloppy start as both sides look to get going.
Limerick 1-13 Waterford 0-10
Limerick pick off where they left off and that man Gillane slots over a free. There was great work from Mulcahy in the build-up to draw that one, with Mahony seeing yellow for his foul.
A change each at half time also:
Condon off, Mike Casey in for Limerick
Walsh off, Jack Prendergast in for Waterford
Limerick 1-14 Waterford 0-11
The sides trade scores, with Peter Casey notching a lovely point for Limerick.
Limerick 1-15 Waterford 0-11
Gillane brings his tally to 1-7 with a handy free. That said, he missed another just before while a Bennett free at the other end also went wayward.
Limerick 1-16 Waterford 0-11
While Declan Hannon has been doing great work in the backs, the 2018 All-Ireland-winning captain just popped up with a monstrous effort to put Limerick into an eight-point lead.
Limerick 1-16 Waterford 0-12
Mahony fires over a free for the Déise. He’s been brilliant but perhaps they’ve been too dependent on him. Tommy Ryan replaces Shane Bennett.
Limerick have scored 17 of their 30 chances before the posts while Waterford have converted 12 of their 20.
Limerick 1-16 Waterford 0-14
It’s been a quiet day by his standards, but Austin Gleeson has just stepped up with a huge score to lift his troops. The confidence to fire over from that angle and distance seems to have inspired with Philip Mahony producing another massive effort.
Conor Prunty has come in for Calum Lyons.
Waterford have lifted their game, and it seems like the perfect time as their fans get behind them and the cheers ring around Croker. Five in it now, but sure that’s not a whole pile in hurling as we all know…
Limerick 1-18 Waterford 0-14
When they need him most… he delivers.
Gillane steadies the Limerick ship with two quick-fire points from play. The first one was a real beauty: he plucked the ball from the sky, turned brilliantly and sent it over the Hill 16 end posts from an acute angle.
Limerick 1-18 Waterford 0-15
A real goal chance there, but Stephen Bennett’s powerful effort goes just over the bar.
And another potential goal chance at the other end… More cleverness from Gillane, who brilliantly gathers a long ball, shortens his grip on the hurley to find Morrissey in a good position… but the sliotar goes just through his fingertips and over the end line.
Limerick have scored 19 of their 37 chances, 15 of 28 for Waterford.
Limerick 1-18 Waterford 0-16
Another Pauric Mahony free narrows the difference to five with just over 10 minutes to play.
Stephen Roche is in for Mikey Kearney.
Limerick 1-19 Waterford 0-16
Substitute Seamus Flanagan chips in with a brilliant point from play into the Hill end. The Limerick crowd loved that one! Limerick seem fairly home and hosed at this stage, but you never know…
Limerick 1-19 Waterford 0-17
Doon’s Richie English takes a knock, but after some attention from the medical team, he’s flying it again. Mahony clips over another free, while Barry Murphy replaces Gillane – Limerick’s main man gets a nice reception on his way off.
Limerick 1-21 Waterford 0-17
Gillane did put on a superb show but looked to be struggling slightly towards the end of his run-out, as he missed a few frees. Substitute Shane Dowling steps up in his absence and slots over, before he grabs another from play. Talk about impact….
Limerick 1-21 Waterford 0-18
Mahony taps over another free, after Mike Casey sees yellow. Beforehand, Waterford charged in on goal and looked dangerous but Limerick kept them out.
Padddy O’Loughlin comes in for Hannon at the other end, who also gets a warm reception after a good shift.
Limerick 1-23 Waterford 0-18
The Déise are just about hanging on here. Hegarty with Limerick’s latest offering, and it’s a remarkable one handed score with the back to goal to finish off a lovely team move involving O’Donovan and Casey.
Aaron Gillane has been announced as Man of the Match and there’s four extra minutes to be played.
Limerick 1-24 Waterford 0-18
Brilliant, brilliant score from Cian Lynch, set up by Peter Casey up for a beautiful point – perhaps the score of the day. Limerick one away from a double-figure win…
Limerick 1-24 Waterford 0-19
They’ll have to settle for eight though as Bennett slots over, and that’s that.
Full-time: Limerick 1-24 Waterford 0-19
Another long drought ended by Limerick.
They’ve brought the curtain down on a 22-year wait for league glory.
A few words from Gillane and Hegarty on the pitch: they’re obviously delighted to have won it, but the word championship is mentioned more than once.
Hannon lifts the silver and gives a lovely acceptance speech from the steps of the Hogan Stand once again. The Cranberries’ Dreams blares out around the grounds after he finishes up and that’s that… job well done.
That’s all from me. We’ll have a full match report on The42 in the coming minutes with plenty of reaction and analysis to come later.
Focus switches to the football showdown between Kerry and Mayo now, and you can follow that on our liveblog here. After the camogie and the hurling, there’s one title going back to Connacht and one to Munster. Who’ll make it 2-1 by the end of the day?
Thanks a lot for tuning in. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
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