WATCH: Limerick hold off late Waterford comeback to earn second Munster SHC Round Robin victory

Limerick made it two wins from two in the Munster SHC with a 0-30 to 2-21 victory over Waterford at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Aaron Gillane was in outstanding form for Limerick with 13 points and he was ably backed up by Patrickswell club mate Diarmaid Byrnes, who chipped in with six points from right half back.

John Kiely’s side looked to be heading for a comfortable victory but two quick fire Waterford goals late on brought Limerick’s lead from seven to one.

Pat Ryan and Byrnes settled Limerick nerves with a point each to maintain a 100% record in the 2022 Munster Senior Hurling Championship.

Limerick struggled against the wind early on and trailed 0-3 to 0-1 when they lost Cian Lynch to what looked like a hamstring injury in the ninth minute.

Waterford would have been further in front if it wasn’t for an excellent Nickie Quaid save that denied Mikey Kiely a certain goal.

Two points from Stephen Bennett and three from Calum Lyons then saw the Demise 0-8 to 0-3 in front with Limerick’s points coming from Gillane, Cathal O’Neill and Byrnes.

Byrnes then fired over three more to cut Waterford’s advantage to two but Bennett and Austin Gleeson then put Liam Cahill’s side four clear once again.

Three Gillane efforts and another for O’Neill then levelled the game for a second time. They were squared up twice more before the half and then Gillane put Limerick 0-14 to 0-13 ahead at the break with a superb score from the left touchline.

Gillane, Hegarty and Byrnes then saw Limerick four to the good but Waterford clawed their way level for a fifth time thanks to three from Hutchinson and a Bennett free.They were to be level twice more until Tom Morrissey put Limerick two to the good on 54 minutes.

Three more from Gillane and two from Darragh O’Donovan stretched Limerick to a 0-28 to 0-21 advantage but Waterford had a sting in the tail.

Stephen Bennett and Jack Prendergast fired in goals for Waterford before Ryan and Byrnes settled nerves to see Limerick home.

Scorers – Limerick: Aaron Gillane 0-13 (7f), Diarmaid Byrnes 0-6 (5f), Cathal O’Neill 0-3, Gearoid Hegarty, Tom Morrissey and Darragh O’Donovan 0-2 each, David Reidy and Pat Ryan 0-1 each.

Scorers: Waterford: Stephen Bennett 1-7 (1-5f, 1 ‘65), Austin Gleeson (3f, 1 s/) and Dessie Hutchinson 0-5 each, Jack Prendergast 1-0, Calum Lyons 0-3, Patrick Curran 0-1.

Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Mike Casey, Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey; Darragh O’Donovan, William O’Donoghue; Gearoid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Conor Boylan, Graeme Mulcahy.

Subs: Cathal O’Neill for Lynch (9, inj), David Reidy for Boylan (51), Pat Ryan for Mulcahy (57). 

Waterford: Shaun O’Brien; Conor Gleeson, Conor Prunty, Shane McNulty; Jack Fagan, Tadhg de Burca, Iarlaith Daly; Darragh Lyons, Calum Lyons; Austin Gleeson, Jack Prendergast, Patrick Curran; Dessie Hutchinson, Stephen Bennett, Michael Kiely.

Subs: Tom Barron for I Daly (28, inj), Jamie Barron for D Lyons (50), Neil Montgomery for Curran (67), Carthach Daly for de Burca (68), Pauric Mahony for Kiely (71) 

Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin)