Waterford IT turn on power to breeze past UL

Waterford IT 1-16 University of Limerick 2-3

On a difficult playing surface that was also heavily frozen in parts, victory would always come through the dint of graft rather than fast and free flowing hurling. In that respect WIT always looked to be the more determined and resolute outfit, and having built up a commanding interval lead, they comfortably defended it in the face an improved UL second-half performance.

Plenty of room for WIT improvement, however, and that improvement will be a must if they hope to lift the trophy in next Sunday’s decider against Limerick.

UL, without a number of regulars, struggled from the start and with every passing minute in that opening half the winners’ dominance became more and decisive.

With Kevin Moran and Ger Mahon masterful in the central defensive berths, Michael Walsh at his majestic best in the middle of the field, and Dowling and Cullinane on fire up front, it was virtually one way traffic throughout the half. Dowling pointed them into a lead they never subsequently surrendered from a third minute free, and he continued to effortlessly rifle the placed balls over with radar-like accuracy. The O’Loughlin Gaels (Kilkenny) club man helped himself to an impressive eight point haul in that first half with Cullinane chipping in with a brace and Noel Gleeson another.

UL failed to register on the scoreboard, and the 0-11 to 0-0 interval scoreline would have been more embarrassing had UL goalkeeper Tadhg Flynn not denied Gleeson and Willie Ryan with super stops in the closing ten minutes of the half. To UL’s credit they improved significantly on the turnover and with the assistance of the breeze took the game to the winners. Inaccuracy didn’t help (they shot 15 wides to WIT’s six) and they had to wait until the 37th minute to open their account when wing-back Roy Hayes, who had a fine game throughout, pointed a free from inside his own half.

The first of their two goals came in the 40th minute, again from a defender, when substitute Tom Stapleton’s free sailed all the way to the net with goalkeeper Philip Brennan blinded by the strong sun.

Any hope, however, of a UL revival were quickly dashed with Cullinane’s brilliantly taken 42nd minute goal, and while corner-forward Gearoid Ryan managed to grab another for the losers on the three-quarter hour it was to prove nothing more than a consolation score.

Scorers: WIT: B. Dowling (0-11, 0-8 frees); A. Cullinane (1-3); N. Gleeson, C. O’Brien (0-1) each. UL: G. Ryan(1-0); T. Stapleton (1-0, free); R. Hayes, C. Hassett, P.Dowling (0-1) each.

WATERFORD IT: P. Brennan; A. Kirwan. K. Moran. K. Lanigan; R. McLoughney. G. Mahon. L. Lawlor; C. O’Brien. M. Walsh; A. Cullinane. P. Hartley. C. Phelan; N. Gleeson. W. Ryan. B. Dowling.

Subs: M. Heffernan for Lawlor; G. Nolan for Gartley; C. Gahan for Gleeson; J. Milne for Walsh.

UNIV OF LIMERICK: T. Flynn; A. O’Caireallain. B. Bugler. T. Giltenan; R. Hayes. B. Coleman. P.Dowling; P. Donnellan. P Kenneally; J. Greene, T. Healy, C. Hassett; G. Ryan. J. Heneghan. J. Broderick.

Subs: T. Stapleton for O’Ceireallain; M. Culbert for Kennedy; A. Curran for Broderick; J. Flood for Donnellan.

Referee: John McDonnell, Tipperary.