Curry leads way for Limerick as they overcome Waterford

Limerick's captain Evan Curry lead his side to victory scoring 1-3 to see them over a battling Waterford side. 

 Pic: Stephen Marken/Sportsfile

Limerick 1-8 Waterford 0-5  

Captain Evan Curry’s 53rd minute goal eventually put this Munster Football Championship game beyond Waterford and helped Limerick to the Phase One decider, where they will meet Tipperary.

Curry’s display helped Limerick gain control, in an overall disjointed contest, where Waterford put up arguably their biggest display of a winless campaign. Indeed, Waterford are winless at Minor hurling and football, U20 hurling and football, with their U20 hurlers hoping to change that at the final opportunity on Friday evening.

This contest was about Limerick securing a victory, though John Ryan’s side made hard running of it. Curry put them ahead from the throw-in, a typical surging run which yielded an immediate score. There was another score from Padraic Murphy, on 12 minutes but Waterford were shading possession. Had it not been for seven first half wides, Michael Murphy’s young men could have been better placed.

Indeed, there was a great chance for Gerard Long, who forced a fine save from Treaty stopper Sam Guerin, with the play brought back for a free, having been fouled.

They trailed 0-4 to 0-1 at half-time, with Colm Sullivan landing a free for the visitors. Limerick scored late in the half, through Kieran O’Kelly and Tommy Glynn to open up a somewhat commanding lead.

There was further daylight by the end of the third quarter, as Curry and Murphy were again on target. The Waterford score from Sullivan was their first from play, this on 35 minutes. Limerick would then kill the tie.

After earlier superbly saving from Darragh Hogan, Tommy Mullally was beaten by Curry. He raced onto a pass from Murphy, before looping a first-time shot into the corner for a 1-7 to 0-3 lead. There was late consolation scores from Waterford, with Luke English and Scott Keappock both kicking over.

Limerick will face Tipperary in the Phase One final, on May 11th, with both guaranteed another day out against Cork or Kerry the following week.

Scorers for Limerick: E Curry 1-3; P Murphy 0-2; K O’Kelly, T Glynn, C Meade 0-1 each.

Scorers for Waterford: C Sullivan 0-3 (0-2f); L English (free), S Keappock 0-1 each.

Limerick: S Guerin (Kildimo/Pallaskenry); C O’Sullivan (Kildimo/Pallaskenry), C Buckley (Athea), J Hunt (Athea); K O’Kelly (Croom), C Woulfe (Fr. Casey’s), S Colgan (Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan); L Og Glynn (Ahane), E Curry (C) (Athea); P Phelan (Pallasgreen), D Hogan (Mungret/St. Paul’s), A Murphy (Fr. Casey’s); T Glynn (Na Piarsaigh), A Lyons (Newcastle West), P Murphy (Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan) 

Subs: C Meade (St. Senan’s) for Colgan (half-time); Con Kirby (Crecora-Mainister) for O’Kelly (35 – inj), R O’Connell (Fr. Casey’s) for Lyons (45), R Mullins (Mungret/St. Paul’s) for Hogan (57).

Waterford: T Mullally (St Saviours); N Fahy (Rathgormack), M McMaugh (The Nire), F Walsh (Fenor); B Kelly (Buttlerstown), F O’Brien (Gaultier), S Kennedy (Gaultier); D Jacob (St. Saviours), S Prunty (Ballinacourty); L Kiersey (Stradbally), G Long (The Nire), D Murphy (Fenor), B Bolan (C) (St. Saviours), O Buck (Fenor), C Sullivan (Newtown/Ballydurn).

Subs: J Brennan (Tramore) for Jacob (half-time); C Scanlon (Ballinmella) for Kiersey (47), S Keappock (Gaultier) for Sullivan (53), L English (St. Saviours) for Prunty (53 – inj), D Nyhan (Brickey Rangers) for Fahey (60).

Referee: S Joy (Kerry).