Strong second half sees Limerick get the better of Waterford in senior hurling challenge:

Strong second half sees Limerick get the better of Waterford in senior hurling challenge:

By Paul Shaughnessy Limerick Leader Sport

THE Limerick senior hurlers defeated Waterford 1-21 to 0-18 on Sunday afternoon in the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Limerick produced a strong second half performace to get the better of Waterford. Kiely gave gametime to thirty one Limerick senior hurlers in their victory over Waterford.

Limerick will now switch their focus to the start of the Allianz hurling league on Saturday evening against Cork in SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh at 7:30pm.

This was Limerick’s first time back at the TUS Gaelic Grounds since last May when they defeated Waterford in the Munster championship.

The contest ebbed and flowed throughout the opening 35 minutes.

It took both sides some time to settle on Sunday afternoon with conditions proving difficult. On four minutes, Micheal Houlihan got the sliotar away to Cian Lynch. The newly appointed Limerick captain got the scoring underway from the half way line.

Waterford full forward Patrick Curran tapped over a neat point from the edge of D. Then Patrick Fitzgerald made no mistake from a placed ball to have the Deise leading 0-2 to 0-1 after six minutes.

Limerick committed bodies forward and the Shannonsiders applied pressure on their opponents. Kiely’s side won a turnover in the final third and corner forward Donnacha Ó Dálaigh cooly slotted the sliotar into the back of the net.

Gillane and Ó Dálaigh combined to push the home side into a four point lead. Waterford kept in touch and wing back Michael Mullaney sent over a score from distance to make it 1-4 – 0-4.

In the remaining 14 minutes of the first half, Geaorid Hegarty was proving to be influential in this peroid. Hegarty was on target with 0-4 and the Waterford defence were finding it difficult to tie down the 2020 hurler of the year. Peter Queally’s charges rallied through Patrick Curran, Paudie Fitzgerald, Patrick Fitzgerald and John Power.

UL Fitzgibbon Cup captain Colin Coughlan and Micheal Houlihan also managed to get their names on the scoreboard in that period. Both points came directly off Jason Gillane’s puckouts.

Ó Dálaigh’s goal proved to be the decisive score in the opening half as Limerick led 1-10 to 0-10 at the interval. John Kiely made thirteen changes at the break. Vice-captain William O’Donoghue lined out in the number six role in the second half.

Limerick were 1-12 to 0-10 in front after the break after substitutes David Reidy and Eddie Stokes were both off the mark in the early exchanges of the second half.

Waterford didn’t go away and on 38 minutes the visitors had it back to a one score game. Limerick went on to hit the next seven points in-a-row.

The lively Aidan O’Connor was able to find space for himself and O’Connor had now scored 0-2 in the space of seven minutes.

David Reidy, Fintan Fitzgerald, Ethan Hurley, Seamus Flanagan and Darragh Langan all added further efforts to put their side 1-20 to 0-14 clear after 52 minutes. The 2024 Munster champions accuracy in front of goal had them in control of this contest.

Waterford’s Paudie Fitzgerald and Charlie Teen reduced the gap to eight points on 55 minutes. A minute later, Doon clubman Eddie Stokes who has been in impressive form for UCC in the Fitzgibbon got his second point of the afternnon. The weather made it difficult for both teams in the final quarter.

Waterford finished the final quarter strongly scoring four points in-a-row from Patrick Fitzgerald and Patrick Curran. Limerick’s purple patch midway through the second half saw them hang on for a six-point victory over their Munster rivals.

SCORERS:

LIMERICK: Donnacha Ó Dálaigh 1-1, Gearoid Hegarty 0-4, David Reidy (0-3, 0-2 frees), Aidan O’Connor and Eddie Stokes and Micheal Houlihan 0-2 each Aaron Gillane (0-1 free), Cian Lynch, Darragh Langan, Seamus Flanagan, Ethan Hurley, Fintan Fitzgerald and Colin Coughlan 0-1 each

WATERFORD: Patrick Fitzgerald (0-6, 0-3 frees), Patrick Curran 0-3, Paudie Fitzgerald (0-3, 0-1 frees), Charlie Teen, Michael Mullaney, John Power, Tom O’Connell and Thomas Douglas 0-1 each

LIMERICK: Jason Gillane (Patrickswell); Sean Finn (Bruff), Dan Morrissey (Ahane), Fergal O’Connor (Effin); Cian Scully (Dromin-Athlacca), Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown); Cian Lynch (Captain, Patrickswell), William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh); Gearoid Hegarty (St Patrick’s), Hugh Flanagan (Garryspillane), Micheal Houlihan (Kilmallock); Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell), Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (Monaleen), Patrick O’Donovan (Effin).

LIMERICK (2nd half team): Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh);, Vince Harrington (Na Piarsaigh), Dan Morrissey (Ahane), Ronan Lyons (Monaleen); Ethan Hurley (Newcastle West), William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh), Darragh Langan (Monaleen); Barry Murphy (Doon), Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown); David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca), Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret St Paul’s), Eddie Stokes (Doon); Oisin O’Farrell (ABK Desmonds) Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon) Dylan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh).

SUBS: William Dore (Dromin-Athlacca) for Morrissey (49 minutes), Con Hayes (Newcastle West) for O’Donoghue (53 minutes), Evan O’Leary (Ahane) for Murphy (60 minutes).

WATERFORD: Billy Nolan; Seamus Fitzgerald, Mark Fitzgerald, Conor Ryan; Michael Mullaney, Michael Kiely, PJ Fanning; Paudie Fitzgerald, Conor Sheehan; Tom O’Connell, Patrick Fitzgerald, John Power; Thomas Douglas, Patrick Curran, Charlie Treen.

SUBS: Shaun O’Brien for Nolan (Half-time, Tom Barron for Mullaney (Half-Time), Willie Beresford for Mark Fitzgerald (43 minutes), Martin Power for Sheehan (43 minutes), Conor Keane Seamus Fitzgerald (47 minutes), Mairtin Power for Power (47 minutes).

REFEREE: Eamonn Stapleton (Doon)