Aaron Gillane inspires Limerick to deserved victory over Waterford

Gillane took over in the third quarter to earn his side their first victory in this Munster SHC campaign.

MAIN MAN GILLANE: Limerick’s Aaron Gillane and Conor Prunty of Waterford. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie.

WATERFORD 0-22 LIMERICK 0-28

An Aaron Gillane-inspired Limerick were full value for their first victory in this Munster SHC campaign as they impressed in front of a 12,101 crowd at a sundrenched Walsh Park.

Five up at the break, 0-15 to 0-10, the only trouble for the defending champions came in the opening minutes of the second half but after Waterford had sliced their arrears to two points, Gillane took over in the third quarter. He was superb in the corner and fired over a couple of frees and one from play as Limerick moved six ahead.

Three times they stretched that gap to seven points as Waterford hung on for dear life. Five was as good as it got for them on an evening when their touch deserted them at critical junctures when goal chances were developing.

Not too far behind Gillane in terms of influence were captain Cian Lynch and young bull Shane O’Brien, who helped himself to four points and was his team’s top-scorer from play.

Six days after surprising Clare, Waterford simply couldn’t summon the intensity to go the well so soon after that fillip. Five points from play from their starting attack told as much about the game as the scoreline.

The Angelus from the adjacent Holy Family Church on Luke Wadding Street chimed with Amhrán na bhFiann but the bell was only tolling for one player, Diarmaid Byrnes, who was hooked off by Limerick after fouling one too many times.

Limerick’s Adam English, Cian Lynch and Dan Morrissey with Michael Kiely of Waterford. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie.

John Kiely felt they couldn’t risk their wing-back remaining on the field after a 12th minute yellow card offence on Kevin Mahony and then a high tackle on Mark Fitzgerald a minute later, which could have been a second yellow. Colin Coughlan was introduced and the potential crisis was averted.

Aside from that, Limerick, who wouldn’t be known for their lightning starts, were excellent in the opening quarter. Down their left wing, Barry Nash, Adam English, Lynch and David Reidy were weaving magic at times and threatened to tear apart Waterford. Given the space they were creating, the fluidity of the passes they were combining, it was a mystery they didn’t find the net at least once by the break.

They were 0-7 to 0-2 up after 11 minutes courtesy of four unanswered scores. The Déise came back with a hat-trick of their own but they were cancelled out by a brace of Gillane frees and a Lynch point.

The difference was five points and the game into its 21st minute when O’Brien attempted to strike for the opening goal. His effort was good but the angle too acute and the sliotar spanked off the post back into play.

It wasn’t the let-off Waterford hoped it might be as Gillane penalised a foul on the industrious Reidy and Tom Morrissey sent over his second. Wides were costing Waterford far more and they had seven by the end of the half.

After O’Brien, in the 29th minute, became the fourth Limerick forward to score two points, a fine Kevin Mahony point was followed by Stephen Bennett’s fourth converted free but the home side just couldn’t generate enough momentum.

Morrissey brought his haul to three and Gillane produced his first from play and Limerick’s cushion grew to five.

Scorers for Waterford: Stephen Bennett (0-9, 6 frees, 2 65s); B. Nolan (frees), M. Fitzgerald, J. Barron (0-2 each); P. Fitzgerald, J. Prendergast, D Hutchinson, K. Mahony, M. Kiely, Shane Bennett, G. Fives (0-1 each).

Scorers for Limerick: A. Gillane (0-9, 6 frees); S O’Brien (0-4); T. Morrissey, A. English, C. Lynch (0-3 each); B. Nash (0-2); D. Byrnes, G. Hegarty, A. O’Connor, C. O’Neill (0-1 each).

WATERFORD: B. Nolan; I. Daly, I. Kenny, C. Prunty; P. Leavey, T. de Búrca, M. Fitzgerald; D. Lyons, J. Prendergast; Stephen Bennett, P. Curran, J. Barron; K. Mahony, D. Hutchinson (c), Patrick Fitzgerald.

Subs: M. Kiely for P. Curran (26); Shane Bennett for P. Fitzgerald (36); G. Fives for D. Lyons (46); Pádraig Fitzgerald for K. Mahony (51); A. Gleeson for J. Barron (65).

LIMERICK: N. Quaid; S. Finn, D. Morrissey, M. Casey; D. Byrnes, K. Hayes, B. Nash; A. English, W. O’Donoghue; T. Morrissey, C. Lynch (c), G. Hegarty; A. Gillane, S. O’Brien, D. Reidy.

Subs: C. Coughlan for D. Byrnes (19); C. O’Neill for W. O’Donoghue (49); A. O’Connor for T. Morrissey (59); D. O’Donovan for A. English (66); D. Ó Dalaigh for S. O’Brien (70).

Referee: C. Lyons (Cork).