Limerick march on as Waterford lose their way

Limerick 0-21 Waterford 0-14

With the influential Eoin Kelly already facing a lengthy ban following his sending-off against Offaly last week, the departure of Flynn for an indiscreet pull on second-half Limerick substitute Denis Moloney was the final blow on a dismal day for the Decies.

Limerick were not convincing either, and while manager Joe McKenna saw this as another morale boost to keep their unbeaten start to the year intact, he will know that much better will be required if they are to win their first league title since 1997.

"We started sluggishly but made up for it in the second half," McKenna said. "You can't buy these matches for experience; we are starting to motor, and in the last 20 minutes there was much to admire about our hurling."

Certainly Limerick grew in confidence in the final quarter helped, it has to be said, by a Waterford side that gradually lost its way. The magnificent Ken McGrath at centre back was the most notable exception, but even his switch to midfield in the closing stages came too late to halt the Limerick dominance. Then came the Flynn sending off, and Waterford's woes were well and truly compounded.

With the backing of a stiffish wind, Limerick dominated territorially without ever putting the Waterford defence, in which McGrath, Brian Phelan, and Tom Feeney were excellent, seriously under the cosh.

They shot four bad wides inside the opening 10 minutes and as the sides traded points Waterford were probably the happier at the interval when they trailed by the minimum, 0-8 to 0-7.

Limerick introduced Stephen Lucey into their attack for the second half, the Croom clubman replacing an ineffectual Brian Begley and taking over at centre-forward, with Donie Ryan moving to the fringe of the square.

Ryan, superb throughout, continued to pose problems for the Waterford defence and looked just as sharp later when he briefly moved to midfield, five sweetly-struck points from play capping his five-star performance.

Waterford played their best hurling in the third quarter with Dave Bennett and Michael Walsh taking control at midfield, McGrath continuing to lord proceedings from his pivotal defensive berth and Shanahan sniping a few precious quality points up front.

They pegged back a two-point Limerick lead and John Mullane's magnificent point - his third of four - edged them in front.

But that was as good as it got as Ryan rifled over a marvellous equaliser on 52 minutes, and when the prolific Mark Keane restored Limerick's lead two minutes later with one of the scores of the game it was an advantage they never again surrendered.

They might have had a goal in the 56th minute had not an upright intervened to deny Andrew O'Shaughnessy, but in flash Ryan had snapped up the rebound and his lightening strike widened the gap to three points.

When O'Shaughnessy and Lucey stretched Limerick's lead with a brace of points there was no way back for a now flagging Waterford.

Waterford's final goal chance came from a penalty, awarded after Shanahan had been hauled down, but typifying his side's dismal day Flynn's shot was deflected for what proved to be a fruitless 65.

Further points by Keane and Ryan merely rubber-stamped Limerick's superiority before Waterford were left to endure the final ignominy with the sending off of their skipper.

Scorers: Limerick: M Keane (0-9, 0-5 frees); D Ryan(0-5); D O'Grady (0- 2); M O'Brien, C Fitzgerald, M O'Brien, S Lucey, A O'Shaughnessy (0-1) each. Waterford: J Mullane (0-4); P Flynn (0-3 frees); D Bennett (0- 3, 0-2 frees); D Shanahan (0-3); J Kennedy (0-1).

LIMERICK: B Murray; D Reale, TJ Ryan, M Foley; O Moran, B Begley, M O'Riordan; P O'Grady, D O'Grady; M O'Brien, D Ryan, C Fitzgerald; A O'Shaughnessy, B Begley, M Keane.

Subs: S Lucey for Begley (half-time); D Moloney for O'Riordan (half time).

WATERFORD: C Hennessy; T Browne, T Feeney, D Coffey; B Phelan, K McGrath, J Murray; M Walsh, D Bennett; J Mullane, J Kennedy, E McGrath; D Shanahan, S Prendergast, P Flynn.

Subs: E Murphy for Murray 47 mins); C Carey for Prendergast (57 mins); G O'Connor for E McGrath (inj 68 mins).

Referee: D Kirwan (Cork).