One more year in Davy’s Déise?
Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald and Limerick manager John Kiely share a moment after Sunday's Munster SHC clash. Photos: Inpho.
At the Welcome To Limerick sign, between Monard and Oola, there is a small white placard with green paint. ‘The Home Of Hurling’ is written on it.
Waterford should have secured qualification before they crossed the border on Sunday. The battle for third place was lost in Walsh Park. The 1-1 conceded in injury time to Tipperary came back to bite Davy Fitzgerald’s side. Four points would have been enough to progress.
The green machine ate them up but the visitors still hung on until the 59th minute. 19 Limerick wides and another spirited Waterford showing made it nervy for the locals. With only seven days to recover, the juice ran out as Davy put it. A fresher home team, coming off a fifteen day break, finished the job with nine of the last ten scores. Like the last year’s All Ireland final, they hit the 30 point mark.
Limerick needed a result and a response. John Kiely urged the home crowd to lift the noise levels early in the second half. When Gearoid Hegarty won a free off Paddy Leavey, the fans in the open stand rose to acclaim the green giant. Like the rest of the middle eight, what a shift he put in.
The Cranberries and ‘Dreams’ blared over the speakers at full time. The Limerick hurling anthem. Kids queued to get their hurleys signed by the stars. Even after the stewards cleared the pitch, young fans still stayed around for an hour afterwards to greet Will O’Donoghue and Declan Hannon when they came back out of the dressing room. Another player emerged later with a beer can in hand. These great hurlers are painting the county green.
Somehow, Waterford only trailed by two points with 55 minutes on the clock. Like the Clare game, they stuck at it. Limerick wobbled ever so slightly as Aaron Gillane missed a scoreable free.
The chasers got three chances in a row but missed all three. Wides from Dessie Hutchinson, Padraig Fitzgerald and Tadhg de Burca saw Waterford’s faint hopes slip away.
A little earlier, with the gap also at two, Davy Fitzgerald fumed over a decision to award a free against Conor Prunty. He nipped in ahead of Gillane and flicked the ball away but Michael Kennedy awarded Limerick a free in. A harsh call. Prunty, wearing Darragh Lyons’ number eight jersey, held the 2023 Hurler of the Year scoreless from play.
49 shots Limerick got off 49 shots compared to Waterford’s 25. Not to mention the two Gearoid Hegarty goal chances that Tadhg de Burca and Ian Kenny denied.
How on earth were Waterford only five points down at half time? The Déise forwards lived off scraps as Limerick monstered the middle third. The All Ireland champions would have been out of sight only for fourteen wides.
As early as the third minute, Stephen Bennett got smashed, the ball spilled loose and Diarmaid Byrnes banged it over the bar. Bring that sliotar into contact at your peril. Turnovers on Calum Lyons and Tadhg De Burca led to further concessions. Iarlaith Daly and Jamie Barron both ran into a green wall and overcarried. Limerick celebrated those frees like scores.
Waterford’s long puckouts didn’t stick. Declan Hannon and Kyle Hayes gobbled them up. Hayes pointed off one of them. He grabbed the next one as well and Tom Morrissey scored. The short ones also broke down as David Reidy and Morrissey capitalised.
The introduction of Michael Kiely and the industry of Kevin Mahony gave Waterford more of a foothold. The puckouts carried further with the wind and Shane Bennett’s second goal came off one of them.
Shane O’Brien didn’t see any championship minutes before Sunday. When Seamus Flanagan limped off, with Limerick a point down, John Kiely ignored Adam English, Conor Boylan and Donnacha Ó Dalaigh.
The Kilmallock man scored with his first touch and finished with three points. Even without Sean Finn, Darragh O’Donovan, Peter Casey and Flanagan, they still possessed the strength in depth to drive on.
Davy Fitzgerald didn’t engage with a question about his future in the away tunnel afterwards. “Ah Jesus bud, all I want to do now is go home and take a breather. I’m absolutely shattered.” 2024 wasn’t a success but Waterford got oh so close to finally advancing from the round robin. Four points up against Tipperary in injury time and level away to Clare with the clock in the red as well.
The players showed a never say die attitude throughout this campaign, especially in the last two rounds. They also played an exciting brand of hurling, averaging 28 points per game. As the Munster championship progressed, more supporters came out and more flags appeared around the county. ‘Waterford, Waterford,’ rang around the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday.
Time is running out for Waterford’s more experienced players. Tadhg de Burca, Jamie Barron, Stephen Bennett and Patrick Curran have all given ten seasons or more but this provincial campaign showed that they can still influence games at the highest level. Add in Austin Gleeson, Conor Gleeson and Shane McNulty, who could all return for 2025, while Patrick and Padraig Fitzgerald should become regular starters.
The county board have the option of a third year. All parties should give it one more shot.
