Saint Angela’s All-Ireland Glory on the Double

Camogie is on the up in Waterford with the last number of years and it got another massive boost last week, not once but twice when Saint Angela’s Ursuline School won the Junior ‘A’ and Senior ‘B’ All-Ireland Camogie finals.

The senior side were first into action when they took on Coláiste Íosagáin from Dublin in a re-arranged game, called off earlier in the month because of the weather conditions on the day.

Not for the first time this year the hugely talented Annie Fitzgerald would finish the game as top scorer for her side accounting for 1-7 of her sides tally, six points of which came from placed balls.

Some fantastic work has been put in at the Gailltir club in recent years as has with all clubs in the county and it must be pleasing for those within the Barony Club who put in this work with the players in their care to see nine of their club start in this game and the two subs used on the day also came from the club. On the day the De La Salle club had four players in the starting line up while Saint Anne’s and Butlerstown had one each.

The Saint Angela’s side were powerful in attack on one the day the six forwards shared 4-6 from play, something any side playing at this level would be more than proud of.

But while the Waterford side looked strong in attack they came up against a side that they had to work hard to get the better of.

Sinéad De Bhuilde who impressed in their semi final win over Presentation from Wexford recently would finish the game as their top scorer, proving very accurate with shooting from placed balls as she put over ten points, all from placed balls, eight of which came from frees and two for the forty-five metre lines.

In their semi final win over the Dublin side hit three goals and they repeated the act in this game as Michelle Ní Chiardha, Saoirse Mai Nic Aindriú and Niamh Nic Cormaic all struck shots that resulted in green flags being waved.

The Waterford side had a dream start to this game as Butlerstown’s Rachael Walsh finished to the net on two minutes. Annie Fitzgerald followed up with a brace of frees and when Ciara O’Sullivan finished to the net on six minutes, the Waterford side found themselves eight points to the good.

The Dublin side opened their account with a brace of Sinéad De Bhuilde frees and followed it up with a score from play off the stick of Gráinne Ní Drisceóil, and on the quarter of an hour mark Saoirse Mai Nic Aindriú struck the first of the side from the Capital’s goals.

However two minutes later the Waterford side struck a third goal, this time from Gailltir’s Emer Walsh which put her side seven in front.

Points from Sinéad De Bhuilde and Gráinne Ní Drisceóil followed for the Dublin side before the Waterford side struck a fourth goal on 21 minutes as Aoife Fitzgerald fired to the net after she collected a brilliant cross field pass from Annie Fitzgerald.

The Dublin side however rallied towards the end of the opening half hitting four of the last five scores of the half to turn around trailing 4-6 to 1-9 at the break.

Niamh Nic Cormaic whipped home a second early half goal after which Clodagh Carroll put over a brace of scores.

Try as they might the Waterford side could not put the required daylight between the two sides.

After Aleisha McDonald got her name on the score sheet, a Clodagh Carroll free fell short of the target but Aoife Fitzgerald put the sliotar in the Dublin side net for a fifth goal in this game.

The same player followed up with a point from play and when Annie Fitzgerald followed up with a brace of scores it gave the Waterford side a handsome 5-13 to 2-12 lead.

The Dublin side refused to give up however and they were rewarded with some consolation scores as Michelle Ní Chiardha struck for a third goal for her side seven minutes from time but not before Leah O’Donoghue had pulled off a great save, and Sinead De Bhuilde would also register another score before Alan Doheny blew his whistle for the last time in this game.

St Angela’s Ursuline: Leah O’Donoghue; Leah Sheridan, Lucy Hogan, Emma Flynn; Niamh Murphy, Colette Hogan, Hannah Flynn; Clodagh Carroll, Ciara O’Sullivan; Aleisha McDonald, Abby Flynn, Annie Fitzgerald; Rachael Walsh, Aoife Fitzgerald, Emer Walsh. Subs: Clodagh Curham for Aleisha McDonald, Kate Lynch for Emer Walsh.

Scorers: Annie Fitzgerald 1-7 (6fs), Aoife Fitzgerald 1-2, Rachael Walsh, Emer Walsh, Ciara O’Sullivan 1-0 each, Clodagh Carroll (2fs), Abby Flynn 0-2 each, Aleisha McDonald 0-1. 

Coláiste Íosagáin: Maria Ní Bhuachalla; Laura Joye, Sadbh Nic Uileagoid, Róisín De Fuitléigh; Sarah Ní Fhionlainn, Sinead Ní Dhonnchú, Cassie Sultan; Rachel Ní Airtnéide, Michelle Ní Chiardha; Saoirse Mai Nic Aindriu, Sinéad De Bhuilde, Siobhra Nic Aindriu; Niamh Nic Cormaic, Asha Heibe, Gráinne Ní Drisceóil. Subs: Sarah Ní Fhaircheallaigh for Róisín De Fuitléigh, Aoife Ní Fhlannchadha for Niamh Nic Cormaic.

Scorers: Sinéad De Bhuilde 0-10 (8fs, 2 45s), Michelle Ní Chiardha 1-2, Saoirse Mai Nic Aindriú, Niamh Nic Cormaic 1-0 each, Gráinne Ní Dhrisceóil 0-2.

Referee: Alan Doheny (Laois)

The Junior All-Ireland final came to the school on the Folly 48 hours after the senior final when the side in red and navy proved too strong for Saint Mary’s from New Ross in a low scoring replay at the WIT Arena after the two sides finished 1-9 to 3-3 at the same venue a week and a half earlier.

On that occasion Aoife Fitzgerald proved to the heroine for the Waterford side as she struck all of her sides tally on the day and in this game she hit a further 1-3, while Abby Flynn would hit the remaining scores for her side in this game.

The De La Salle club player who was one of three from her club to start this game was judged to be the player of the game in this game. She hit an all important goal ten minutes from time pouncing on a poor clearance from Hannah Dunphy for a score which put her side in front.

The big attendance for this game which was fought out in miserable conditions saw the Wexford side turn around with a 0-5 to 0-3 lead having played with the wind at their backs in the opening thirty minutes.

Faye Codd and Abby Flynn swapped scores for their respective sides in the opening quarter of this game. But the Waterford side will be the first to admit that they were lucky not to be behind at this stage as Faye Codd flicked just wide in the second minute of this game. Had that chance gone into the Waterford sides net we will never know now how this game would have panned out.

Ciara Walsh edged the Wexford side back in front on sixteen minutes and could have gone even further in front shortly afterwards as the they carved out a second goal scoring chance but Sorcha Cantwell did brilliant to hook Katie Murphy the scorer of 2-1 in the drawn game as she bore down on Elana Gallagher’s goal.

Aoife Fitzgerald levelled for the second time, and the sides would lock horns for the third time soon afterwards but towards the end of the half two Amy Cahill efforts went over the Saint Angela’s crossbar to give the New Ross outfit a two point lead at the turn around.

Aoife Fitzgerald struck the first two scores of the second half to tie the game for the fourth time (0-5 to 0-5).

Ciara Walsh edged the Wexford side back in front and they doubled their advantage on the scoreboard when Aisling Prendergast put over a free after Lucy Hogan fouled Katie Murphy.

But the game was not over, and if any of the New Ross side were celebrating a win in their mind they were made to pay for doing so.

Abbey Flynn drew a free which Clodagh Carroll who played in the senior win two days earlier saw her effort drift to the left, but instead of leave the ball go over the end line Hannah Dunphy opted to keep it in play and as she attempted to get the ball out of defence Abby Flynn grabbed the sliotar and finished to the net to the delight of the big home support.

Ciara Walsh missed a chance to send the game into extra time late on in this game, and the New Ross side also Elena Gallagher and Rachael Walsh produced goal line save as the New Ross side tried their luck for goals instead of taking the safer option.

Two All-Ireland’s in a week for any school at any level is something that most can only dream off. These two wins bring to three the number of All-Irelands won by the side from The Folly in the last year having won the All-Ireland Junior ‘B’ title last year, something for a school only taking part in Gaelic Games competitions with a short number of years, and we must not forget that the same school contested a Munster Ladies Football Final this year as well.

Should the players involved in these wins continue to play a sport that they will now all have fond memories of, there can be no disputing that Camogie in Waterford has a very bright future in Waterford.

St Angela’s Ursuline: Elena Gallagher; Shauna Farrell, Lucy Hogan, Sorcha Cantwell; Holly Ryan, Sarah Maher, Jodie Tuohy; Clodagh Carroll, Rachael Walsh; Laoise McLoughlin, Abby Flynn, Clodagh Hoctor; Alisha Flynn, Aoife Fitzgerald, Clodagh Curham.

Scorers: Abby Flynn 1-2, Aoife Fitzgerald 0-3 (3fs).

St Mary’s New Ross: Hannah Dunphy; Áine Galavan, Elaine Quigley, Brid Walsh; Niamh O’Shea, Katie Kehoe, Niamh Ogilvie; Amy Cahill, Tara Doyle; Kate Foley, Ciara Walsh, Cria Langton; Katie Murphy, Aisling Prendergast, Faye Codd.

Scorers: Ciara Walsh, Faye Codd, Amy Cahill (2fs) 0-2 each, Aisling Prendergast 0-1 (1f).

Referee: Mike Ryan (Tipperary)

Waterford Edge Closer To Semi Final Spot

            Waterford Senior Ladies Football team are within shouting distance of winning a place in the semi finals of this year’s Division Two National League competition after they came from behind at the break to beat a strong Cavan side at the WIT Arena in Carriganore on Sunday afternoon.

            It was the visiting side that settled the strong of the two sides in this encounter and by the break they were 1-5 to 1-3 in front.

            It was wing forward Donna English that opened the scoring for the visitors with a brace of scores but the home side through Aoife Murray pulled one back after seven minutes.

But the visitors seen upped their performance another gear and hit the first goal of the game on nine minutes when Aisling Sheridan burst through the Waterford defence and beat Gráinne Kenneally starting her first competitive game for the Déise County in the number one shirt.

And they followed this up with points from Amy Rooney and Bronagh Sheridan as the visitors opened up a 1-4 to 0-1 lead with just eleven minutes of the game played.

Waterford refused to lie down however and attacked the Cavan goal at every opportunity.

Four chances however would go wide of the uprights before Geraldine Power hit Waterford second score from a free after Michelle Ryan was fouled while attacking.

This score was however cancelled out with an effort from Aisling Donan from distance after twenty minutes which kept the visitors six in front.

Waterford however finished the half strong, hitting a goal a minute before the break, Eimear Fennell netting at the second attempt after Evelyn Baugh did well to save her first effort, and in stoppage time at the end of the half Aoife Murray got her second of the game to leave Waterford trailing 1-5 to 1-3 at the break.

Whatever was said in the Waterford dressing room at the break worked, as they came out in the second half by far the better of the two sides, and in the second thirty minutes they restricted the visitor to just one further score.

It was the visitors that had the first chance of the second half as Bronagh Sheridan split the Waterford uprights.

After the experienced Ballymacarbry Club pair of Aileen Wall and Sinead Ryan came in for Lauren McGregor and Geraldine Power in the third quarter Waterford began to really dominate all over the field.

Points from Geraldine Power, Maria Delahunty and a brace of scores from Eimear Fennell followed for Waterford after Cavan’s early second half score which put Waterford in front by one.

Substitute Sinead Ryan netted just over five minutes after coming on and when Maria Delahunty followed up with a third Waterford goal within sixty seconds on fifty minutes, the game was over as a contest.

The Abbeyside club player followed up with the conversion of a ’45 and when she put the size four into the Cavan net from a penalty it gave the home side a 4-8 to 1-6 advantage on the score board.

Waterford began to empty their bench in the time that remained and it was Sinead Ryan that hit the games last score of the game on the stroke of full time to help Waterford not only win the game but also to improve their score difference.

Waterford: Grainne Kenneally; Kate McGrath, Rebecca Casey, Megan Dunford; Michelle McGrath, Emma Murray, Mairead Wall; Katie Murray, Karen McGrath; Aoife Murray, Geraldine Power, Maria Delahunty; Lauren McGregor, Eimear Fennell, Michelle Ryan. Subs: Aileen Wall for Lauren McGregor (35), Sinead Ryan for Geraldine Power (44), Keeley Corbett-Barry for Aoife Murray (52), Liz Devine for Eimear Fennell (57), Laura Cusack for Katie Murray (59), Aisling Mullaney for Mairead Wall (61), Abbie Dunphy for Michelle Ryan (62), Kate Hahessy for Rebecca Casey, Caragh McCarthy for Karen McGrath and Kelly Moroney for Grainne Kenneally (all 63).

Scorers: Maria Delahunty (2-2, 1-0 penalty, 0-1’45), Eimear Fennell (1-2), Sinead Ryan (1-1), Geraldine Power (0-2, 0-1f), Aoife Murray (0-2).

Cavan: Evelyn Baugh, Rachel Doonan, Laura Fitzpatrick, Joanne Moore, Sinead Greene, Grainne McGlade, Mona Sheridan, Sinead O’Sullivan, Catherine Dolan, Donna English, Aishling Sheridan, Ciara Finnegan, Amy Rooney, Aisling Donan, Bronagh Sheridan. Subs: Roisin O’Keeffe for Amy Rooney and Catriona Smith for Sinead O’Sullivan (35), Beth Farrelly for Ciara Finnegan (48).

Scorers: Aisling Sheridan (1-0), Bronagh Sheridan (0-2, 0-1f), Donna English (0-2), Amy Rooney and Aisling Donan (0-1 each).

Referee: Barry Redmond (Wexford).

Waterford Face Cavan In Must Win Game

After a number of weeks without a game due to the staging of the third level Education Ladies Football Finals, the weather calling off one round of games, and the All-Star teams of 2016 and 2017 playing an exhibition game in Bangkok, the teams in the second division of this year’s Ladies Football National League are back in action this weekend, and for Waterford Pat Sullivan’s side have a must win game against Cavan with Waterford having home advantage.

Waterford are currently two points better off than Cavan on the league table having won three of their four games played to date, while the visitors to the Déise County have recorded wins over Laois and Clare but dropped two points against Armagh when they met in round two and last time out were beaten by table toppers Tipperary.

Since coming up to this division after winning the third division final in 2015, Waterford while playing well have found it hard to get into the top half of the table come the business end of the competition, but this year the side are going extremely well with three games to play stand a great chance to win a semi final place, which if achieved anything is possible.

But Waterford will not get complacent with these three games to play as they know they are playing the three strongest sides in the last three games and to take the foot off the gas at this stage and to drop points in this game, their last home game before they play Armagh and Tipperary away could well cost the side dearly.

The sides met in the Senior Championship last year and on that occasion it was Waterford that emerged as victors on a 1-15 to 1-13 score line in dramatic fashion.

Cavan were leading with time ticking down, and looked as if they would extend their lead when Aisling Doonan stood over a free, but Caoimhe McGrath leapt high in the Waterford goal mouth to pull the ball down and the side quickly worked it down field and when Lauren McGregor won a 50/50 ball and laid it off to Aileen Wall the Ballymacarbry Club player almost in slow motion style stuck the ball into the Cavan net to win the game for Waterford.

Aisling Sheridan and Aisling Doonan will be Cavan’s best known players but they are by no means a two person team as in the likes of Sinead McKenna, Sinead Greene, Neasa Byrd, Donna English, Caithriona Smith, Bronagh Sheridan and Beth Farrelly-Magee they have players of some quality.

But Waterford too have players of some ability in the likes of the Wall, Murray, McGrath and Ryan sisters, Grainne Kenneally, Maria Delahunty, Megan Dunford, Rebecca Casey, Róisín Tobin, Lauren McGregor and Eimear Fennell to name but a few Waterford have plenty of talent available to them, and even of those named not all would be expected to start this game but maybe come on as legs begin to tire.

Playing on home soil should count for something in this game for Waterford and if they were to pick up all three points on offer it should go a long way towards securing that semi final spot that the side are looking for.

Fitzgerald Excels In All-Ireland Final

Saint Angela’s Ursuline School in Waterford and Saint Mary’s from New Ross will have to do it all over again in the All-Ireland Junior ‘A’ Colleges Camogie Final after the two sides finished all square at the WIT Arena on Saturday afternoon.

When it comes to local monthly awards presented to sports people be it at a local, regional or national level it is often very hard for women in sport to get a nomination let alone win the overall award, but be a monthly or yearly winner, but when it comes to this month’s awards one player that will have to come into serious contention is Gailltir Club player Aoife Fitzgerald who got all of her sides scores in this game, all but two points of which came from placed balls, but it must never be forgotten how the scores come so long as they go up on the scoreboard and none more so than in games like this.

The most import of her ten scores in this game came three minutes from time when she dipped a free under the New Ross crossbar, a score which Paul Flynn a player she may well remember from his latter days as a Club hurler with Club and County and if she can’t she will certainly have heard all about what he could do when presented with a chance be it from open play or a placed ball.

The Wexford side were possibly the better of the two sides for much of this game, but they were left cursing their luck at the end of the hour as they missed late chances through Kate Foley and Ciara Walsh which if taken could well have won the title for their side. It should also be pointed out that the Wexford side hit a wides tally in the double digits on the day while the umpires at the end that Saint Angela’s were playing into didn’t have to cross wave their arms over the course of the game.

The visiting side to the WIT Arena would have been the happier of the two sides at the break in this contest as they held a 2-1 to 0-4 advantage by this stage.

Katie Murphy was the scorer of her sides two first half goals, the first coming on eight minutes when she cut in from the right hand side of the field and blasted high into Elena Gallagher’s net.

By strange coincidence her second goal game eight minutes from the break when Katie Murphy again finished past Elana Gallagher after she engaged in some good work with Kate Foley in the build up.

At the other end three frees from the Gailltir player and one from play which was set up by Clodagh Hoctor meant that the Waterford side were still in touch with the whole of the second half still to come.

The brilliant Gailltir full forward opened the second half with a brace of scores to leave just one between the sides, meaning it was very much so a case of game on.

Kate Foley edged her side 2-2 to 0-6 in front, which was followed with an exchange of scores between Aoife Fitzgerald from a free on Abby Flynn and Katie Murphy.

Ciara Walsh and Katie Murphy would miss chances for the Wexford side when it looked as if scores were on and when Kate Foley missed again soon afterwards the Waterford side could be forgiven for thinking it might just be their day.

At the other end of the field Aoife Fitzgerald with the chances she had for her side was not missing and she put over a brace of scores to tie up matters 2-3 to 0-9 on the score board.

The side now that showed the greater hunger would surly win this final. Clodagh Curham had a chance for goal blocked down and Mullinavat club player Hannah Dunphy in the New Ross goal did brilliant to keep an effort from Aoife Fitzgerald out.

On fifty six minutes it looked as if it was curtains for Saint Angela’s as Ciara Walsh fed in Faye Codd and the Cloughbawn player made no mistake from close range in beating Elena Gallagher.

The premature celebrations from the New Ross supporters watching this game however was short lived as within sixty seconds Aoife Fitzgerald hit one of the most important goals she will have stuck in her career to date when she dipped a free under Hannah Dunphy’s crossbar.

St Angela’s Ursuline: Elena Gallagher; Hannah Leamy, Lucy Hogan, Sorcha Cantwell; Shauna Farrell, Sarah Maher, Jodie Tuohy (Gailltir); Clodagh Carroll, Holly Ryan; Rachael Walsh, Abby Flynn, Clodagh Hoctor; Alisha Flynn, Aoife Fitzgerald, Clodagh Curham. Sub: Laoise McLoughlin for Hannah Leamy.

Scorers: Aoife Fitzgerald 1-9 (1-7fs).  

St Mary’s New Ross: Hannah Dunphy; Niamh Ogilvie, Katie Kehoe, Brid Walsh; Elaine Quigley, Amy Cahill, Áine Galavan; Aisling Prendergast, Tara Doyle; Niamh O’Shea, Ciara Walsh, Cria Langton; Katie Murphy, Kate Foley, Faye Codd.

Scorers: Katie Murphy 2-1, Faye Codd 1-0, Kate Foley 0-2 (2fs).

Referee: Cathal Egan (Cork)

 

Back to Back Wins For Waterford Hurlers

Waterford will have to beat Cork for the second time this year when they meet on Sunday afternoon next at Pairc Ui Rinn if they are not to be relegated from Division 1A for the second time in five seasons, despite beating a fancied Clare side at Walsh Park on Sunday afternoon.

The win brings to an end a run of defeats at the Keane’s Road venue dating back to St. Valentine’s Day in 2016, also means that Waterford have now won back to back games this year which if another win is recorded this weekend, Derek McGrath’s side will go into the championship in May in a much more confident mood than they would have after they lost their first three outings of the campaign.

The home side ended this game with a man short after Conor Gleeson was ordered off late in the game by the County Limerick referee, after he collected his second yellow of the game.

Dungarvan’s Patrick Curran often the player many supporters were asking why he was not getting a run more often in Waterford’s drive to the All-Ireland Final last year was Waterford’s main here in this game, as he hit 1-13 of his sides tally of 1-23, 1-4 or which came from open play, and in doing so will have made it very hard for Derek McGrath, Dan Shanahan and Eoin Murphy to leave him out of the championship team barring he picks up an injury or suffers a massive dip in form between now and then.

The Old Boro Club man was not Waterford’s only player to have impressed in this game as Austin Gleeson showed signs as to why he was named Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year in 2016, while Mikey Kearney also impressed for the home side, and the Ballyduff Upper man in his outings in the league to date like Patrick Curran have done his chances of staking a more regular place in the starting line up no end of good.

Playing against the breeze in the opening half it was Clare that were the happier side early in this game and by the seventeenth minute they were 1-8 to 0-5 in front, the goal coming from the stick of Conor McGrath who finished to Ian O’Regan’s net after John Conlon pounced on a misplaced pass by Kevin Moran with Ian Galvin also playing a part in the build up.

This proved to be a wakeup call for Waterford and with Austin Gleeson showing why he might have to play at Centre Back going forward, Waterford upped their game and his seven points in a row, five from the stick of the Dungarvan man to lead 0-12 to 1-8 with four minutes of the first half still to play.

David Reidy levelled matters with his sides first score in 15 minutes, but Waterford would go to the dressing rooms with a 1-13 to 1-10 advantage showing on the scoreboard as Patrick Curran whipped to the net before the break after Stephen Bennett had an initial attempt for a goal foiled.

Clare started the second half brightly as Tony Kelly with a brace of score and one from Peter Duggan tied up the scoring.

Patrick Curran and Mikey Kearney edged the home side back in front but Peter Duggan and John Conlon quickly tied matters up once more a 1-15 apiece.

Three points in a row from Patrick Curran helped Waterford to a 1-21 to 1-17 lead with nine minutes to play.

Clare refused to give up and got to within two points of the hosts and could have got much closer or even gone in front but for the brilliance of Austin Gleeson who did well to deny Peter Duggan.

Patrick Curran brought a great afternoon’s work to a close late on in this game when he pointed three minutes into stoppage time.

Clare had one more effort from a Peter Duggan close in free late in the game, but he could not get the required power in his shot to beat the line of players on the Waterford goal line. 

WATERFORD: Ian O’Regan; Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan, Ian Kenny; Tadhg De Búrca; Conor Gleeson, Austin Gleeson, Kieran Bennett; Mark O’Brien, Kevin Moran; Michael Walsh, Stephen Bennett, DJ Foran; Michael Kearney, Patrick Curran. Subs: Thomas Ryan for Michael Walsh (50), Tom Devine for DJ Foran (50), Conor Prunty for Mark O’Brien (54), Maurice Shanahan for Kevin Moran (60), Philip Mahony for Stephen Bennett (70).

Scorers: Patrick Curran 1-13 (9fs), Michael Kearney 0-4, Stephen Bennett 0-2, Kieran Bennett, Conor Gleeson, Austin Gleeson, Kevin Moran 0-1 each.

CLARE: Donal Tuohy; Jack Browne, Conor Cleary, Patrick O’Connor; Séadna Morey, David McInerney, David Fitzgerald; Cathal Malone, Tony Kelly; Peter Duggan, John Conlon, David Reidy; Shane O’Donnell, Ian Galvin, Conor McGrath. Subs: Michael O’Malley for Séadna Morey (52), Jamie Shanahan for Patrick O’Connor (60), Cathal McInerney for Cathal Malone (67), Ryan Taylor for Ian Galvin (69), Eoin Quirke for Jack Browne (70).

Scorers: Peter Duggan 0-5 (4fs), Conor McGrath 1-1, Tony Kelly 0-4, David Reidy 0-3, Ian Galvin, John Conlon 0-2 each, Séadna Morey, Cathal Malone, Shane O’Donnell 0-1 each.

REFEREE: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)

Heartbreak Once More For Waterford Footballers

There was heartbreak for the Waterford Senior Footballers on Saturday evening at Martinstown when they went under to Limerick who had one point to spare at the end of seventy minutes.

Waterford were made paid for a number of costly errors late in this game, as despite a poor start, Waterford were well in with a chance of claiming a first maximum points tally from a game this year, as they lead with three minutes remaining on the clock, but the home side showed the greater hunger and levelled matters before Sean McSweeney gave his side the lead in stoppage time.

Limerick faced the breeze in the first half it was the home side that quickly settled with an early point from Seamus O’Carroll from a tight angle and the same player followed up by setting up Jamie Lee for the first goal of the game.

Gavin Crotty hit Waterford’s first score of the game but it was followed with efforts from O’Carroll and Robbie Burke for the home side.

JJ Hutchinson and O’Carroll swapped scores before Joe Allen put over from a tight angle after which Danny Neville pointed for the home side.

Conor Murray and Robbie Bourke swapped scores before Waterford began to win in a number of sectors of the field and they were rewarded Gavin Crotty planted the ball into Donal O’Sullivan’s net from the penalty spot to leave the visitors trailing 1-6 to 1-4 after the Old Boro Club man was bundled off the ball inside the Limerick box.

James McGrath pointed after the restart but it was followed with scores from Darragh Treacy and Paul White to keep the home side in front with a three point advantage, but as the game was about to enter its final quarter, Gavin Crotty pulled one back for the visitors.

Joey Veale pointed for the visitors as Waterford again began to up the tempo. Michael Curry ran deep into the Limerick half of the field and slit home a second goal for the visitors, one which they were full value for.

Conor Murray and Gavin Crotty followed up with points for the visitors and were beginning to look as if the first maximum amount of points would be won in this year’s campaign.

But no game is over till the final whistle is sounded and in the time that remained Limerick showed a lot of hunger.

Darragh Treacy saw a goal chance go wide but the home side made up for that disappointment when Davy Lyons dropped a delivery across the Déise defence which was not dealt with by the Waterford defence and Seamus O’Carroll was in the right place to capitalise for the home side finishing to the net to level matters with three minutes remaining.

In the time that remained with the majority of the small attendance in Martinstown supporting the home side, it were they that were the happier of the two sides at the final whistle as Sean McSweeney from a free won the points on offer for his side.

LIMERICK: Donal O’Sullivan; Garrett Noonan, Seán O’Dea, Brian Fanning; Paul White, Cillian Fahy, Colm McSweeney; Darragh Treacy, Tommy Griffin; Peter Nash, Jamie Lee, Danny Neville; Dave Connolly, Robbie Bourke, Séamus O’Carroll. SUBS: Paul Maher for Colm McSweeney (49), Davy Lyons for Tommy Griffin (53), Shane Cusack for Jamie Lee (60), David Ward for Robbie Bourke (64), Seán McSweeney for Peter Nash (64), Daniel Daly for Brian Fanning (69).

SCORERS: Séamus O’Carroll 1-3, Jamie Lee 1-1, Robbie Bourke 0-2 (1 free), Danny Neville, Darragh Treacy, Paul White, Seán McSweeney (free) 0-1 each;

WATERFORD: Stephen Enright; Conor McCarthy, Thomas O’Gorman, Jack Mullaney; James McGrath, Michael Curry, Shane Ryan; Joe Allen, Kieran Power; Conor Murray, Gavin Crotty, Dylan Guiry; Tommy Prendergast, JJ Hutchinson, Aidan Trihy. SUBS: Joey Veale for Aidan Trihy (28), Jason Curry for Joe Allen (53), Garry Cullinane for Shane Ryan (64), Eoin O’Brien for Kieran Power (69).

SCORERS: Gavin Crotty 1-3 (1-0 penalty, 0-2 frees), Michael Curry 1-0, Conor Murray 0-2, JJ Hutchinson, James McGrath, Jason Allen, Joey Veale 0-1 each.

REFEREE: Dan Mullan (Derry).