My Favourite Game: Top 10 Limerick Hurling games this Century- 5

With no sport to keep us entertained for the foreseeable future, it is time to get creative and reminisce about all sport has offered us over the years.

As such, I began to examine my favourite hurling games involving Limerick since I first attended the Gaelic Grounds in 2007 as a 10-year-old.

There has been some huge highs and many more lows in Limerick hurling circles over the past thirteen years and for each of the next ten days I will count down my top ten favourite Limerick games.

Earlier this week I went through the honourable mentions, and also,

Number 10.

Number 9.

Number 8.

Number 7.

Number 6.

Today we have number 5.

---

#5

Limerick 5-11 : 2-15 Waterford (All-Ireland Semi-Final)

12 August 2007 at Croke Park

Make no mistake, this was not a game that Limerick were supposed to win.

When Limerick finally overcame Tipperary in an epic trilogy in Munster earlier that Summer, Waterford breezed past Limerick in the final winning out 3-17 to 1-14.

In Croke Park in the rematch in the All-Ireland semi-final, Richie Bennis’ side totally ripped up the form book to reach a first All-Ireland final since 1996.

As the old adage goes, goals win games and that was certainly the case here, with Limerick goal-thirsty from the very first whistle.

Donie Ryan goaled almost instantly for the underdogs with Andrew O’Shaughnessy’s solo goal on fifteen giving Limerick a comprehensive 2-4 to 0-2 lead with Limerick’s intensity off the charts.

Stephen Molumphy would reply with a goal for the Déise as they began to eat into Limerick’s lead.

Mike O’Brien offered some reprieve but Waterford were getting stronger and Dan Shanahan went close to goaling twice as Limerick’s advantage was down to four, 2-8 to 1-7.

Shortly after the restart however Limerick had a third goal after Brian Begley found Ryan who bagged his second of the day.

Yet, Waterford would reduce the deficit to 3-10 to 2-10 with Eoin McGrath getting on the scoresheet for the Déise.

Soon after the lead was just one as Tony Browne pushed the Munster champions closer.

Again Limerick would find another timely goal to keep their opponents at arms length.

Begley was to the fore again, winning a penalty which Andrew O’Shaughnessy rifled past the Waterford rearguard.

Such was the quality of the player, taking the easy point as never an option.

With time running out, Waterford had the gap halved to two points before Begley deservedly got a goal of his own to the delight of the sizable Limerick crowd in attendance.

Scorers for Limerick: Andrew o’Shaughnessy 2-7 (1-6f), Donie Ryan 2-0, Brian Begley 1-0, Ollie Moran 0-2, Mike O’Brien, James O’Brien 0-1

Scorers for Waterford: Paul Flynn (0-4f), Dan Shanahan 0-4, Eoin Kelly 0-3, Stephen Molumphy, Eoin McGrath 1-0, Jack Kennedy, Tony Browne, Ken McGrath (0-1f), Seamus Prendergast 0-1)

Limerick: Brian Murray; Damien Reale, Stephen Lucey, Seamus Hickey; Peter Lawlor, Brian Geary, Mark Foley; Donal O’Grady, Mike O’Brien; Mike Fitzgibbon, Ollie Moran, Sean O’Connor; Andrew O’Shaughnessy, Brian Begley, Donie Ryan.

Subs; Niall Moran for Fitzgibbon (40), James O’Brien for O’Connor (59), K Tobin for Ryan (67), Pat Tobin for O’Grady (69).

Waterford: C Hennessy; E Murphy, D Prendergast, A Kearney; T Browne, K McGrath, B Phelan; M Walsh, J Kennedy; D Shanahan, E Kelly, S Molumphy; J Mullane, S Prendergast, P Flynn.

Subs: E McGrath for Kennedy (25), S O’Sullivan for Mullane (46), S Walsh for Flynn (52)

Referee: Séamus Roche (Tipperary).

Please accept YouTube cookies to play this video. By accepting you will be accessing content from YouTube, a service provided by an external third party.

YouTube privacy policy

If you accept this notice, your choice will be saved and the page will refresh.

Accept YouTube Content