Player ratings: Perfect 10 for Gearoid Hegarty as Nickie Quaid cements All-Star
Waterford’s Conor Gleeson with Gearoid Hegarty of Limerick: Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Outstanding. Made a very smart and important save from Neil Montgomery in the 13th minute when spreading himself and made six fine saves over the 70 minutes Puckouts were accurate efficient as usual; Limerick won 19 of their 30 puckouts. Cemented his All-Star. 9
Gave the ball away cheaply for Jack Fagan’s early goal chance but it was the only glitch. Adhesive all afternoon. Very creative in possession especially when Limerick turned over the ball in their defence. Dessie Hutchinson did win a lot of possession but was restricted to just one point from play. 8
Any doubts about a suspected vulnerability in the position were emphatically quelled here. Very impressive in the first half, especially early on, and maintained that level of consistency throughout. Had seven possessions and used them all smartly. Defended brilliantly. This display probably guaranteed an All-Star. 8
Very composed in possession and very smart on how he worked the phase of play on Limerick’s short puckout. Combined really smartly with Hayes throughout but defended tightly and has become really comfortable in what looked like could be a difficult transition for him in trying to fill that position in Richie English’s absence. 8
Set the tone early with a brilliant clean catch from a Waterford puckout over the head of Jack Fagan. Blocked a goal chance from Stephen Bennett in the 27th minute. Solid, physically imposing and composed throughout. Only converted one of five shots but got his customary point from play late on. 8
His best game of the season. After a difficult afternoon against Galway, was authorative throughout and was commanding when Limerick had such a grip around the middle third. Got his trademark point in the first half when raiding forward on the overlap. 8
Absolutely dominated the first half when galloping up the field like a thoroughbred racehorse. Could have had a goal only for a brilliant Stephen O’Keeffe save. Is almost the new breed of hurler, combining supreme athleticism and devastating pace with pure class. Could have been man-of-the-match only Hegarty was so awesome. 9
His possession numbers were only in single digits but he worked savagely hard and played some part in a raft of turnovers around the middle.
Had an assist and was always snappy and efficient when in possession. Rarely wastes a ball and was always smart in how he linked the play. 7
Forceful and energetic as usual, had the highest tackle count of the Limerick players. Got his trademark point now too but was always prepared to roll his sleeves up. When Waterford had reduced the deficit to six points in the 48th minute, he forced Kevin Moran to over-carry and Gillane pointed the resultant free. 8
Unmarkable and untouchable. Cemented his Hurler-of-the-Year status with one of the great individual All-Ireland final performances. Seven points from play, his ability to drift and ghost around the pitch bamboozled Waterford and they could never get a handle on him. Incredible display. 10
Looked in the first half like he was going to adorn the game with green flags, or creating goals, with his sorcery. Played a deeper role afterwards when working hard back the field but continued to pull the strings and ended with three assists. 8
Outstanding. On an ordinary afternoon, he would have been a stonewall man-of-the-match but he still delivered an extraordinary performance, scoring five points and having a hand in five more points. Looked like a guy seeking atonement after being taken off in the Munster final. Brilliant display. 9
Had a massive battle with Conor Prunty throughout. Prunty looked to be getting on top at long stages but Gillane was always threatening, always making smart runs off the ball. Ended with four points from play and was unerring from placed balls. 8
Started the match really brightly with an excellent point but then drifted out of the game and struggled to get his hands on any clean possession. Nailed two points in the first five minutes after the restart. Kept showing for the ball. Rating: 7
Never turned around his dip in form from the All-Ireland semi-final and struggled to get to his hands on possession. Didn’t have any shot at the target. Had an assist for a Flanagan point in the 40th minute before being taken off scoreless in the 49th minute. 6
His first touch was to set up Hegarty for a point. Then turned over the resultant puckout, took on Ian Kenny and won a free which Gillane pointed. Won another converted free shortly afterwards. 7
Came on with 11 minutes remaining and worked tirelessly in that time. Had a brilliant assist for Tom Morrissey’s last score. 7
Came on in the 63rd minute. Got one possession and scored one point. 7
Not on long enough to be rated
Not on long enough to be rated
His remarkable Cummins-like double-save kept Waterford in a game that could have got well away from them very early on. But he was also forced to go short on his puckouts much sooner than he’d have wanted as Limerick eliminated any chance his teammates could rule the skies like they did against Kilkenny. 7.5
The tough shot he took on after 14 minutes was indicative of Waterford’s early tentativeness. Regathered himself enough to keep his man outside him for the most part but his failure to control a short puckout and subsequently concede a free in on 50 minutes felt like the moment any hope of Waterford win vanished.
Was subbed off shortly afterwards. 6
It was one of those duels where just because his man scored four points from play off him didn’t mean he lost it. Such was the supply into Aaron Gillane, not even JJ Delaney or Noel Hickey in their prime would have been able to do anything about those scores. For the most part Prunty deal well with the Patrickswell man, and at all times, manfully. 8
Came out with ball well, sometimes even without a hurley in hand, though an early free he conceded epitomised how much his team were on the back foot from the off. 6.5
Was obviously targeted by a Limerick forward pack intent he couldn’t rampage forward like he has all – we were going to say summer – winter, as he was constantly met by a wall of green. Got on more ball in the second half, pointing a fine score under the Hogan Stand, but elected to shoot on Nickie Quaid a tad too far out, and like the rest of his line of the field, struggled to deal with the brains and brawn of Limerick’s half-forward line. 7
A bit like Gillane-Prunty inside him, he and Cian Lynch were each getting on a lot of ball before his enforced departure. At this level there is no place for fatalism, and his replacement slotted in well, but the sight of arguably Waterford’s most influential player hobbling off so early reinforced the sense this just wasn’t going to be their day. 6
As gallant as he was and always is, just couldn’t cope with that Limerick half-forward unit, surely now the best line in the game now. Hurled a world of ball in the third quarter, especially when he switched over to the left wing to score a trademark point, but just when you thought his team still had a chance, he over-carried to concede a soft free. 6.5
Never really got into the game, let alone run it the way Waterford needed him to. For a player of his stature, this sub-par performance won’t sit well with him for a good while. 6
Knocked over a nice point when scores from play were at a premium for his team but peripheral for the most part and substituted shortly after the resumption. 6
Could have been a different game for him and everyone else if he’d blasted that first-minute shot to the net instead of wide. Won a couple of frees either side of half-time but part of a flank that repeatedly couldn’t stop Kyle Hayes powering out with the ball. 6
Just like with Fagan who he laid on that early goal chance for, not much went right for him thereafter. One of three Waterford forwards to be held scoreless. 6
His first-half free-taking kept Waterford in the game but they needed one of his slightly-forced shots on goal to beat Nickie Quaid if they were ever to salvage it. 7
Constantly looked for ball and looked sharp anytime he got it, but Limerick regularly corralled him out the field or to the wing. Still scored a point and won a couple of frees, but never carried the same goal threat as he has all championship. 6.5
While Waterford would have liked if he’d been involved more in the first quarter, his sporadic contributions still produced a greater return than anyone else in white and blue managed.
The only Waterford player to score more than a point from play – in fact he’d finish with three, as well as cut over a delightful sideline ball and nail a long-range free. Waterforrd’s issue wasn’t that they needed a 9 out-of-10 performance from him, it was that they needed more 8-out-of-10s from everyone else. 8
Kept bringing the fight to the end, winning a great puckout and a free immediately after the second water break, but another forward that didn’t get on the scoresheet. 6
Impressed by how coolly he slotted in as a newcomer following de Burca’s departure. 7
Drove out and delivered several balls around the D when his team were hunting for goals. 6.5
Didn’t get to make the kind of impact he has at times in this championship. 6
Brought on to get a goal but didn’t really get a sniff. 6 Shane Fives (for Kenny, 55): Like his other colleagues in the fullback line, helped keep Limerick goalless but was taken for a couple of tidy points. 6
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