Munster Senior Football Championship Semi Final – Limerick 1-17 Waterford 1-9

Limerick defeated Waterford by 1-17 to 1-9 in the Munster Senior Football Championship Semi Final on Sunday at Fraher Field Dungarvan.

Limerick too strong for Déise

From the GAA.ie web site

Sunday, June 06, 2010

Limerick reached their second consecutive Munster GAA Football Senior Championship Final after enjoying an eight-point win, 1-17 to 1-9, over Waterford at Fraher Field in Dungarvan on Sunday afternoon. Aided by an early goal from Ger Collins, Mickey Ned O’Sullivan’s side were always in control, and though a dogged Waterford – who had to play 58 minutes of this game with 14 men – put it up to them, Limerick’s greater scoring power saw them through in the end. The performances of goalscorer Collins, Ian Ryan and Stephen Lavin were noteworthy for the Treatymen, while Waterford captain Tony Grey surged forward from wing-back to score twice but the early loss of Tommy Prendergast hampered the Déise as it meant a reconfiguration at midfield, where John Galvin and James O’Donovan enjoyed the upper hand for Limerick.

The victors enjoyed a brilliant start as Collins’ goal put them into an early 1-1 to 0-1 lead, the attacker meeting a delivery from Stephen Kelly to punch to the Waterford net in the eighth minute. Waterford’s cause worsened soon after when Prendergast was dismissed by referee Syl Doyle for a high challenge on O’Donovan, but Gary Hurney, their goalscoring hero in the win over Clare in the previous round, repeated the feat when he fired past Brian Scanlon to level at 1-2 apiece in the 14th minute.

Overall though, Limerick were stronger for the remainder of the half as Lavin and Ryan both sent over two points each and at half-time it was 1-8 to 1-4, two frees from Brian Wall keeping the home side in touch. The opening 10 minutes of the second half saw Waterford sub Kevin Power and Limerick captain Seanie Buckley exchange points, but the Déise could not find the momentum needed for them to stage a fightback to get them into contention. In contrast, Limerick continued to pick off scores, corner-back Mark O’Riordan got forward for a great point, with Collins and sub Conor Fitzgerald also weighing in and four unanswered points in the closing stages rounded off matters for them, Waterford’s Grey also being sent off, for a second booking, in injury time.

Team News

LIMERICK (SF v Waterford): B Scanlon; M O’Riordan, J McCarthy, A Lane; S Lavin, S Lucey, P Ranahan; J O’Donovan, J Galvin; P Browne, J Ryan, S Buckley; G Collins, I Ryan, S Kelly.
Subs: C Ranahan, S Gallagher, E Joy, C Fitzgerald, E O’Connor, J Mullane, C Joyce-Power, D Carroll, R Hayes, G Noonan, S O’Carroll, C Mullane, J Cooke, B Fitzpatrick

WATERFORD (SF v Limerick): T Wall; M O’Gorman, T O’Gorman, K Connery; T Grey (capt.), S Briggs, E Walsh; M Ahearne, T Prendergast; B Wall, C McGrath, W Hennessy; L O Lionain, R Ahearne, G Hurney.