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Waterford book place in league decider with impressive win over Limerick

Derek McGrath’s men were clinical in Thurles.

Waterford 3-23
Limerick 1-18

Jackie Cahill at Semple Stadium, Thurles

CHAMPIONS WATERFORD  booked their place in a second successive Allianz Hurling League Division 1 final.

Derek McGrath’s Déise produced a powerful second-half display to see off Limerick by 11  points at Semple Stadium this afternoon.

Waterford trailed by a point at half-time but a run of 1-5 without reply early in the second half set them on their way to victory.

Rising young forwards Patrick Curran and Shane Bennett were brilliant for Waterford on the day, contributing 2-13 between them.

Curran led the way in the scoring stakes with a haul of 1-10, but he was sent off late on for a second bookable offence.

Bennett cracked home 1-3, including a 43rd-minute penalty goal as Waterford opened up with a run of 1-5 without reply to put daylight between the sides.

Curran, rather fittingly, scored his side’s second goal following good work by sub Brian O’Halloran and hard-working Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh, and Waterford were home.

The sides traded goals in stoppage time, sub Shane Dowling lashing home a 20m free before Waterford replacement Tom Devine struck at the other end moments later.

Although the sides racked up 0-23 between them in the opening half, there was little to suggest that goals would follow.

Waterford have been criticised in some quarters for not scoring enough of them but they delivered an emphatic response to the critics as the League holders outscored Limerick by 3-12 to 1-6 in the second half.

Both sides set up defensively from the start, Limerick appearing to operate with two sweepers, and space was at a premium until it began to open up in the second half.

Waterford took full advantage as their greater levels of physicality and more time spent on refining the sweeper system began to tell.

Limerick’s top scorer Ronan Lynch hit all seven of his points from placed balls and Shane Dowling emerged second top on the Treaty list of hitmen with a 1-1 haul from frees, despite the fact that he only came on late in the second half.

Tom Morrissey was good for Limerick in the first half, hitting 0-3 from play as the Shannonsiders opened up a narrow half-time lead.

They found themselves six points down quickly, though, as Waterford gained a foothold and while Limerick did cut the gap back to three points, 0-17 to 1-17, McGrath’s charges, even without talismanic forward Maurice Shanahan, roared to victory and into another showpiece decider.

Scorers for Waterford: Patrick Curran 1-10 (0-7f, 0-2 65s), Shane Bennett 1-3 (1-0 pen), Tom Devine 1-1, Austin Gleeson 0-3 (1f), Colin Dunford 0-2, Tadhg de Búrca, Darragh Fives, Kevin Moran & Brian O’Halloran 0-1 each.

Scorers for Limerick: Ronan Lynch 0-7f, Shane Dowling 1-1f, Tom Morrissey 0-3, Diarmaid Byrnes & Barry Nash 0-2 each, Paul Browne, James Ryan & Tom Condon 0-1 each.

Waterford

1. Stephen O’Keeffe (Ballygunner)

2. Shane Fives (Tourin)
3. Barry Coughlan (Ballygunner)
4. Noel Connors (Passage)

18. Darragh Fives (Tourin)
5. Tadhg de Burca (Clashmore / Kinsalebeg)
7. Philip Mahony (Ballygunner)

6. Austin Gleeson (Mount Sion)
8. Jamie Barron (Fourmilewater)

12. Michael Walsh (Stradbally)
10. Kevin Moran (De La Salle)
15. Colin Dunford (Colligan)

14. Jake Dillon (De La Salle)
11. Shane Bennett (Ballysaggart)
13. Patrick Curran (Dungarvan)

Subs for Waterford:

22. Brian O’Halloran (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg) for Dunford (48)

9. Shane McNulty (De La Salle) for S Fives (55)

24. Tom Devine (Modeligo) for Dillon (59)

23. Pauric Mahony (Ballygunner) for Walsh (64)

19. Shane O’Sullivan (Ballygunner) for Moran (67)

Limerick:

1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)(Captain)

2. Seanie O Brien (Patrickswell)
3. Richie McCarthy (Blackrock)
4. Richie English (Doon)

5. Paudie O Brien (Kilmallock)
6. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
7. Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh)

8. Gavin O Mahony (Kilmallock)
9. Paul Browne (Bruff)

10. Gearoid Hegarty (St Patrick’s)
11. James Ryan (Garryspillane)
12. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)

13. Barry Nash (South Liberties)

14. Kevin Downes (Na Piarsaigh)
15. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)

22. Brian O’Halloran (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg) for Dunford (48)

9. Shane McNulty (De La Salle) for S Fives (55)

24. Tom Devine (Modeligo) for Dillon (59)

23. Pauric Mahony (Ballygunner) for Walsh (64)

19. Shane O’Sullivan (Ballygunner) for Moran (67)

Subs for Limerick:

21. John Fitzgibbon (Adare) for Hegarty (48)

17. Tom Condon (Knockaderry) for S O’Brien (50)

26. Declan Hannon (Adare) for Downes (58)

25. Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh) for P O’Brien (61)

23. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock) for Lynch (65)

Referee: Barry Kelly (Westmeath)

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20 Comments
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    Mute Kingshu
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    Jul 22nd 2020, 4:28 PM

    Will fiji and Japan be based in Europe durning this?

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    Mute TL55
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    Jul 22nd 2020, 5:09 PM

    @Kingshu: I would assume so as the window seems too short for team to be travelling back & forth to Japan or Fiji

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    Mute Mark Smith
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    Jul 22nd 2020, 5:48 PM

    @Kingshu:

    Not only that but possibly remain in isolation for the time they are here like the West Indies cricket team are doing at present

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    Mute Aaron Tynan
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    Jul 22nd 2020, 6:11 PM

    @Kingshu: I don’t understand why Fiji is up in the northern hemisphere?
    Would it not make more sense to have them be based in New Zealand and play against the rugby championship teams?

    Georgia definitely should play, and Japan at a stretch.

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    Mute The Logic
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    Jul 22nd 2020, 8:25 PM

    @Aaron Tynan: because most of Fiji’s players are based in France and England.

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    Mute The Logic
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    Jul 22nd 2020, 8:30 PM

    @Kingshu: I’d say it’ll be Fiji and Georgia rather than Japan. Either way, yes they’ll be based in Europe. This won’t be home and away fixtures. The talk has been two groups of four, so three games each, plus a final between the two group winners. Probably have each group based at one venue, Twickenham and Aviva maybe. Sounds like a great plan to me and hope it comes to pass.

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    Mute Lesidees
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    Jul 22nd 2020, 7:38 PM

    Any news on whether those who had tickets for the postponed 6 nations matches will be allowed in?

    Asking for a friend

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    Mute robert o mahony
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    Jul 23rd 2020, 1:04 AM

    Would love to see Japan after what they have done they deserve it. I don’t think they will be whipping boys of the tournament either.

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