Preview: Munster SHC – Limerick v Waterford:
Saturday 3rd May
Munster SHC Round 3
Waterford v Limerick in Walsh Park at 6pm (GAA +)
Every match in the Munster SHC intrigues and this one is no different.
All the more so after Waterford put reigning All-Ireland champions Clare to the sword so impressively last weekend.
They’ve made just one change to the team that won that match as Patrick Fitzgerald comes into the XV in place of Kieran Bennett. That necessitates a positional switch with Jamie Barron moving from centre-forward to midfield, Stephen Bennett named at centre-forward, and Fitzgerald in the corner.
The Deise will have taken huge confidence from the nature of that win and will believe they can make it two big scalps in as many weeks here, but you’d wonder if a six-day turnaround might make it challenging for them to get up to the same physical and emotional pitch again.
Limerick have had two weeks to prepare for the game and will have gathered a lot of intelligence from watching Waterford’s win over Clare.
They’ve made two changes to the team that drew with Tipperary in Round 1 as Sean Finn and Dan Morrissey come into the defence in place of Barry Murphy and Colin Coughlan.
Kyle Hayes is named at centre-back again and it’ll be interesting to see if he plays there on Saturday or instead starts at centre-forward like he did against Tipperary.
Getting more output from their half-forward line will be high on Limerick’s agenda for this game.
A prolific half-forward line played a big part in their four-in-a-row of All-Ireland Finals but against Tipperary two weeks ago produced just four points from play.
Gearóid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey, so influential for so long for Limerick, only got a point apiece and will be keen to prove here that they’re still at the peak of their powers rather than on a down slope.
Waterford’s half-back line of Mark Fitzgerald, Tadhg de Burca, and Paddy Leavey was dominant against Clare so this will be a key battle zone.
You could see both teams breaking relatively even around the middle third in which case it’ll come down to whichever inside line makes the most of what comes their way.
Shane O’Brien and Aaron Gillane are a real physical handful but in Conor Prunty and Iarlaith Daly Waterford have a brace of defenders who should be able to give as good as they get in this regard.
Sean Finn has had the better of Dessie Hutchinson whenever they’ve come up against one another but might lack some match sharpness so this is another battle to watch.
Stephen Bennett was hugely influential for Waterford against Clare and it’ll be interesting to see who Limerick tag to shadow him. The returning Dan Morrissey is a good bet here.
Limerick looked a little vulnerable against Tipperary but will have learned a lot from the game and you’d imagine they’ll be 5% to 10% better here.
They’ll need to be, because a Waterford team high on confidence roared on by a packed Walsh Park will be formidable opponents.
WATERFORD: Billy Nolan; Ian Kenny, Conor Prunty, Iarlaith Daly; Mark Fitzgerald, Tadhg de Burca, Paddy Leavey; Darragh Lyons, Jamie Barron; Jack Prendergast, Stephen Bennett, Patrick Curran; Kevin Mahony, Dessie Hutchinson, Patrick Fitzgerald. Subs: Shaun O’Brien, Gavin Fives, Kieran Bennett, Tom Barron, Shane Bennett, Michael Kiely, Austin Gleeson, Sean Walsh, Conor Sheahan, Carthach Daly, Padraig Fitzgerald.
LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Mike Casey; Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Barry Nash; Adam English, William O’Donoghue; Gearóid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Shane O’Brien, David Reidy. Subs: Shane Dowling, Colin Coughlan, Seamus Flanagan, Ethan Hurley, Aidan O’Connor, Fergal O’Connor, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Darragh O’Donovan, Paddy O’Donovan, Cathal O’Neill, Eddie Stokes