Limerick show their class in Walsh Park hammering

A wonderful second half performance by Limerick saw them pick up their first win of the 2019 Munster Hurling championship beating Waterford by 2-24 to 0-10.

They now welcome Clare to the Gaelic Ground next Sunday in another must win game.

Limerick led by six at the break 1-10 to 0-7 with just 0-3 of Waterford’s scores coming from play.

After the Cork performance in their previous outing, Limerick looked nervy at the outset and Waterford took full advantage of this, scoring three points on the trot to begin the game.

Aaron Gillane opened Limerick’s scoring in the 7th minute which was quickly cancelled out by Jack Predergast.

Limerick began to grow into the game and scores from Gillane and Kyle Hayes had Kiely’s men within one after ten minutes.

Pauric Mahony would extend the lead with another free before Limerick took complete control of the game.

With an intensity that was so badly missing against Cork in the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick were terrific in their workrate and were duly rewarded after 16 minutes with Aaron Gillane striking to the net after a driving run by Gearoid Hegarty.

Further points by Gillane and Peter Casey stretched the lead out to a goal.

Pauric Mahony responded with a free which was quickly followed by four consecutive Limerick scores coming from Gillane, Paddy O’Loughlin, Declan Hannon and Peter Casey.

O’Loughlin and Mahony traded scores to end the half as Limerick went into the dressing room with a deserving 1-10 to 0-7 lead.

Second half substitute Stephen Bennett got the first score of the half before Kyle Hayes responded with his second of the day.

Like he did against the last summer Gearoid Hegarty stole in from the left hand side of the field to score a beautiful goal as Limerick moved nine ahead.

Pauric Mahony replied with his fifth free of the day before it was cancelled out by Tom Morrissey.

Gearoid Hegarty added to his earlier goal on 45 minutes to push Limerick’s lead out to ten. Mahony then struck his sixth of the day as Waterford moved onto 0-10 before Kyle Hayes notched his third.

Not long after being introduced, Darragh O’Donovan got in on the scoring act as the score read 2-15 to 0-10 after 52 minutes.

Shane Dowling wasn’t long joining Donovan on the scoreboard with a monster free moments after being introduced to the game. A minute later he would repeat the trick making it a brace of frees scored from his own 45′.

Barry Murphy made it a hat-trick of subs to get on the scoresheet with his point on 59 minutes.

Waterford began to stray on the wrong side of the law and after a few near misses, Pauric Mahony was sent of on sixty minutes after a stroke on Murphy. From the resulting free, Dowling popped it over once more.

Dowling got his fourth shortly after with Limerick in total control. Incredibly, David Reidy made it four subs to get on the scoreboard with his first on 62 minutes.

Cian Lynch got his first of the day on 65 minutes in what was no doubt the score of the game.

Dowling got his fifth in the 67th minute before Darragh O’Donovan notched his second.

In the end Limerick were extremely comfertable, winning out by 2-24 to 0-10.