Limerick did enough to book their place in the Allianz Hurling League spot with a win over Waterford on Saturday. The Shannonsiders prevailing 1-21 to 1-17 in the end.
Limerick led this game by 0-05 to 0-04 after 20 minutes of play. Aaron Gillane’s accuracy from placed balls and Gearoid Hegarty playing superb for John Kiely’s men. Graeme Mulcahy floated a brace of points over to extend the Limerick lead and the gap was three points by 26 minutes. Limerick then got a goal. David Dempsey fielding a long range delivery on 28 minutes, before laying off the ball to the powerful Gearoid Hegarty who fired to the net. Pauric Mahony then hit three frees in response. It was 1-08 to 0-07 at half time. Jamie Barron the only Waterford player to score from a play.
💬The main objective tonight was to top the group.
Man of the Match tonight from @LimerickCLG Gearoid Hegarty gives his views after 'job done' tonight in the Gaelic Grounds.
Live on eirSport 1!#AllianzLeagues #LIMvWAT #MatchNightLive pic.twitter.com/6Cs0JNQi1K
— eir Sport (@eirSport) March 7, 2020
Peter Hogan got on the scoreboard early in the second half. Hogan was a half time substitute brought on my Cahill. The sides continued to swap scores. Gillane, Hegarty and Mulcahy landing scores to make it 1-14 to 0-10 after 55 minutes. Calum Lyons knocked over a Waterford point, before Gillane and Paddy O’Loughlin registered scores for Limerick. Waterford then got a lifeline with 58 minutes played. Jack Fagan soloed with the ball through the heart of the Limerick defence to reduce the margin to five to set up a close finish.
WATCH:
The Déise Strikes Back!
Jack Fagan with an excellent individual goal to get @WaterfordGAA back into the game.
Live on eirSport 1!#AllianzLeagues #LIMvWAT #MatchNightLive pic.twitter.com/W5ppmfxCt5
— eir Sport (@eirSport) March 7, 2020
However, man of the match Gearoid Hegarty landed another score to bring his personal tally to 1-03. Gillane then had a goal effort tapped over the bar by Shane O’Brien. Waterford try as they must to turn the game around, but they just couldn’t get another girl which would have set up a titanic battle. Limerick through to the semi-finals, Waterford have to settle for a quarter-final place against Kilkenny or Wexford.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Barry Nash, Mike Casey, Aaron Costello; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey; Cian Lynch, Kyle Hayes; Gearoid Hegarty (1-05), David Reidy (0-01), Conor Boylan; Aaron Gillane (0-07, 0-05f), David Dempsey (0-02), Graeme Mulcahy (0-04). Subs: Sean Finn for Costello (38), Paddy O’Loughlin (0-01) for Byrnes (44), Brian Ryan for Boylan (66), Robbie Hanley (0-01) for Hayes (69).
Waterford: Shaun O’Brien; Conor Gleeson, Conor Prunty, Shane McNulty; Calum Lyons (0-01), Iarlaith Daly (0-01), Tom Barron; Jamie Barron (0-02), Mark O’Brien; MJ Sutton, Pauric Mahony (0-07, 0-06f), Neil Montgomery; Patrick Curran, Stephen Bennett (0-03, 0-02f), Jack Prendergast. Subs: Jack Fagan (1-00) for O’Brien (31), Peter Hogan (0-01) for Sutton (34), Mikey Kearney for Prendergast (52), Billy Power (0-01) for Curran (55), Darragh Lyons (0-01) for Daly (65).
