Waterford and Limerick share the spoils

While many will take a draw against a fancied Limerick side playing on their own sod as a fair result for Waterford in their National Hurling League opener over the past weekend, there may well be some that will be disappointed with the final result.

At four different stages in the game Waterford lead by four points and you would expect when this happens that a team would press on and win the game, but for Waterford it did not happen.

On seventy minutes, Waterford trailed by one, and needed a stoppage time equaliser from Padraig Prendergast to get something from the game.

What happened or did not happen however now has to be forgotten. Waterford are off the mark, and have points on the board. What is important now is what happens over the next four games. Both Waterford and Limerick will in the eyes of many be expected to get eight points from eight in the next four games, and with just one side getting promoted every white flag raised and more important every green flag waved is going to be very important.

Waterford won the toss in this game, and elected to play towards the Ennis end of the ground.

The home side had a tonic start to this game winning a penalty inside a minute of the game starting, as Patrick Begley was pulled to the ground and from just outside the 20 metre line facing three men on the Waterford line, David Reidy even with a poorly hit shot finished to the net, which surely will have people asking if the one on one rule is introduced, what chance has the person on the line of stopping the penalty.

OK, some will say penalties are given for a reason and should be scored, but sometimes penalties are given wrongly. And what is the difference between a foul which happens just inside the fourteen metre line and one given for a foul outside it. Both will be taken from the same area (roughly), but for one you could have just one of the line, for the other you could have maybe five and at times even more guarding the net.

Following Reidy’s goal Waterford captain Kevin Moran put over a delightful point, after which Paul Browne again put three between the sides with an effort from distance.

Waterford however enjoyed a greater period of dominance after this.

Pauric Mahony, Michael Walsh and Brian O’Halloran landed points to level matters on the score board.

Gavin O’Mahony put Limerick back in front once more, but the lead was a short lived one as Jamie Barron, Pauric Mahony from a free, Austin Gleeson from distance and Brian O’Halloran with a sweetly struck effort and Jamie Barron with his second score of the game landed points to give Waterford a 0-9 to 1-2 lead, one which Waterford were full value for.

Gavin O’Mahony and Pauric Mahony traded scores to keep four between the sides. Cian Lynch one of the rising stars of the game on the national scene hit a point on his league debut for Limerick only for it to be cancelled out by an effort from Pauric Mahony struck inside his own sixty-five metre line.

Gavin O’Mahony pulled two points back for Limerick before Pauric Mahony again put four between the sides when he put over a brace of frees.

However with half time looming, neither side were finished yet with the scoring. David Reidy put over a free for Limerick only for it to be cancelled out with a good effort from Paudie Prendergast, a first half sub for Philip Mahony which game Waterford a 0-14 to 1-7 lead at the break.

The second half began even enough.

Paul Browne and Pauric Mahony traded scores to keep four between the sides. Limerick however soon ate into the Waterford lead as efforts from Adrian Breen and Tom Condon left just two between the sides.

Pauric Mahony with his eight score of the game soon had Waterford three up after putting over a free, but the sides were not separated on the score board for much longer as Tom Morrissey, one of Limerick’s minor stars for the two previous won a penalty for his side.

Again David Reidy stood up to take it, and while he converted a poorly struck effort in the first half, he connected much better this time, and the result was much the same, a goal for Limerick which locked the sides together, 2-10 to 0-16 on the score board.

There is always interest how a side responds after leaving in a goal, and for Waterford they responded as they did in the first half, a Pauric Mahony put over a brace of frees and Shane Bennett put over one to give Waterford a 0-19 to 2-10 lead.

Waterford however despite being in a good position were not able to press on and win the full brace of points on offer.

Paul Browne and David Reidy shared the next five scores to give the home side a two point advantage.

Points from Austin Gleeson and Pauric Mahony followed for Waterford to level matters and to set up a nail biting final few minutes to the game.

Played out in front of just over 3500 and in front of a TV audience, on seventy minutes it looked as though Limerick had done enough to start the campaign with a win, when full back Richie McCarthy put over a long range effort.

However, no game is over till that final whistle is blown and full marks to Waterford, no one gave up and with just seconds left on the clock, Paudie Prendergast put over his second score of the game, one that will possibly rank as one of the most important he has ever hit in his playing career.

Over all both sides will settle in public anyway for a share of the spoils, but deep down, both will also be disappointed as they will know that a win was there for the taking.

Next up for Waterford is a home game in Fraher Field this Saturday evening against Laois who lost 1-24 to 0-23 against Offaly last weekend, while Limerick make the trip north to play Antrim at Ballycastle. The Glens’ men last weekend lost 1-24 to 2-20 away to Wexford.  

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Stephen Walsh, Richie McCarthy, Seamus Hickey; Donal O’Grady, Wayne McNamara, Tom Condon; Paul Browne, Cathal King; Niall Moran, Gavin O’Mahony, Cian Lynch; David Reidy, Patrick Begley, Adrian Breen. Subs: Tom Morrissey for Niall Moran (27mins), James Ryan for Cathal King (h-t), Dan Morrissey for Patrick Begley (50mins), John Fitzgibbon for Donal O’Grady (64mins), Seanie O’Brien for Tom Condon (65mins).

SCORERS: David Reidy 2-3 (2-0pen, 0-3 frees), Gavin O’Mahony 0-5, Paul Browne 0-4, Cian Lynch, Adrian Breen, Tom Condon, Richie McCarthy 0-1 each.

WATERFORD: Stephen O’Keeffe; Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan, Noel Connors; Austin Gleeson, Tadhg Bourke, Philip Mahony; Jamie Barron, Kevin Moran; Jake Dillon, Pauric Mahony, Michael Walsh; Brian O’Halloran, Tom Devine, Michael Kearney. Subs; Paudie Prendergast for Philip Mahony, (22mins), Shane Bennett for Michael Kearney (41mins), Stephen Bennett for Jake Dillon (48mins), Martin O’Neill for Tom Devine (56mins), Gavin O’Brien for Kevin Moran (68mins).

Scorers: Pauric Mahony 0-11 (9 frees), Jamie Barron and Brian O’Halloran, Austin Gleeson, Paudie Prendergast 0-2 each, Kevin Moran, Michael Walsh, Shane Bennett 0-1 each.

REFEREE: Colm Lyons (Cork).