Waterford 1-21; Limerick 0-20
Waterford produced a composed and disciplined display to claim a notable four-point victory over Limerick at Walsh Park in round two of the National Hurling League.
After suffering a heavy opening-round defeat to Cork, Peter Queally’s side showed marked improvement on home soil, while Limerick, playing their first competitive match of the season, appeared short of sharpness despite naming an experienced starting XV.
The contest was finely balanced throughout the opening half, with the sides level on eight occasions. Reuben Halloran was unerring from placed balls for Waterford, though the hosts left a couple of gilt-edged goal chances behind.
Charlie Treen went close midway through the half when he ghosted in behind the Limerick defence, but debutant Matthew Fitzgerald made a fine recovery to block his effort at the expense of a ’65, which Halloran duly converted to level matters at 0-5 apiece. At the other end, Michael Kiely nearly struck for a goal just before the break, his one-handed effort being parried clear by Nickie Quaid.
Late injury-time frees from Halloran edged Waterford into a 0-10 to 0-9 lead at the interval, though Limerick were dealt a blow when Adam English was forced off injured.
The decisive spell came early in the second half. Limerick spurned a clear goal chance when Gearóid Hegarty’s pass to Donnacha Ó Dalaigh ran out over the endline, and moments later Halloran was hauled down when bearing on goal.
Following consultation with his umpire, referee Colm Lyons issued Fitzgerald with a black card and awarded a penalty, which Shane Bennett blasted emphatically to the net. Waterford outscored the visitors 1-4 to 0-3 during that ten-minute period and never relinquished control thereafter.
Hegarty struck three fine points in the closing quarter, but Waterford’s composure and the accurate free-taking of Halloran and goalkeeper Billy Nolan ensured the Déise closed out a deserved victory.
Waterford: B Nolan (0-2f); M Power, C Prunty, C Keane; I Daly, M Fitzgerald, S Bennett (1-2, 0-1p); B Lynch (0-1), D Lynch; R Halloran (0-11, 0-10f, 0-1’65), J Barron (0-1), C Lyons (0-1); P Curran, M Kiely, C Treen (0-3) Subs: C Daly for C Prunty (54'), J Power for Curran (58'), S Mackey for Treen (68').
Limerick: N Quaid; M Fitzgerald, S Finn, B Nash; D Byrnes (0-3, 0-2f), W O’Donoghue, C Coughlan; A English, D O’Donovan; G Hegarty (0-3), C Lynch (0-1), T Morrissey; D Ó Dalaigh (0-1), S O’Brien (0-4), A O’Connor (0-8, 0-6f) Subs: E Hurley for English (33'), P O’Donovan for Morrissey and H Flanagan for Ó Dalaigh (56'), J Fitzgerald for O’Donovan and O Ó Farrell for O’Brien (62').
Ref: C Lyons (Cork).
