Waterford depart 2024 hurling championship
Waterford's Kevin Mahony and Limerick's David Reidy battling it out during their Munster SHC clash in the TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick. Photo: /James Crombie.
Waterford exited the 2024 championship despite another spirited display by Davy Fitzgerald's side at a rainy TUS Gaelic Grounds.
Limerick shot 19 wides but still advanced to a provincial final with Clare. Tom Morrissey (0-4), Kyle Hayes (0-3) and Shane O'Brien (0-3) all starred for the Treaty men in front of 31,487 spectators as they bounced back from defeat to Cork in style. The Shannonsiders pulled away in the last ten minutes with nine of the last ten points.
Shane Bennett netted in either half for the Déise. They closed within two points on three occasions in the second half but no nearer.
Davy Fitzgerald made three late changes before throw in. Conor Prunty, Paddy Leavey and Neil Montgomery got the nod instead of Kieran Bennett, Darragh Lyons and Michael Kiely.
The heavens opened just before the game got underway. Jamie Barron won a free off the throw in and Stephen Bennett belted it over. Wind assisted Limerick hit four in a row via Diarmaid Byrnes, Barry Nash, Aaron Gillane (free) and Kyle Hayes. John Kiely's men didn't fully capitalise on their early dominance however as they clocked up nine wides by the quarter hour mark.
Three Bennett points and one from Paddy Leavey levelled the match. Tadhg De Burca then made a goal saving tackle on Gearod Hegarty. On sixteen minutes, Shane Bennett flicked home a mishit free from older brother Stephen (1-4 to 0-4).
The Limerick wides ticked into double figures as Seamus Flanagan limped off injured.
The All Ireland champions kept shooting and outscored Waterford 10-2 for the remainder of the half. The middle third cleaned up on puckouts, suffocated the opposition and won big turnovers.
Kyle Hayes and Tom Morrissey got three points apiece from play while Flanagan's replacement Shane O'Brien shot over two. Ian Kenny wasn't penalised with a challenge on Gearoid Hegarty as the former Hurler of the Year threatened a goal.
The home side ended the opening half with fourteen wides and a five point advantage (0-14 to 1-6). Angry words were exchanged on the sideline between both backroom teams.
Michael Kiely replaced Abbeyside club mate Neil Montgomery at the break. Calum Lyons and David Reidy swapped points inside the first minute of the second period. Kiely then won a turnover off Kyle Hayes and supplied Kevin Mahony who split the posts without even looking at them. Limerick stretched the lead to seven as Gearoid Hegarty got his first.
Waterford never threw in the towel. On 46 minutes, Nickie Quaid saved from Kevin Mahony but Dessie Hutchinson whipped across goal and Shane Bennett finished (0-19 to 2-9). Stephen Bennett converted a free before Dessie Hutchinson hit a beauty in front of the open stand. Two point game.
Michael Kennedy awarded a dubious free to Aaron Gillane after a tackle by Conor Prunty and the Limerick number thirteen did the rest. Prunty held Gillane scoreless from play. Kevin Mahony assisted a point for Calum Lyons.
Hegarty grabbed the next puckout and Will O'Donoghue scored. Déise substitute Patrick Fitzgerald brought it down to two again. Waterford then wasted three chances in a row. Padraig Fitzgerald, Patrick Fitzgerald and Tadhg de Burca were all off target.
Limerick knocked over nine of the last ten points as subs Conor Boylan and Adam English got in on the act. Another provincial showdown with Clare to look forward to. For the third year in a row, Waterford depart the championship in May.
