No Joy for Waterford in National League Opener

For the third year in a row Waterford failed to win their opening fixture in the National Football League when they went under to Limerick at Fraher Field on Saturday evening, the Treaty County side coming out on top by three points after they hit the games only game.

The win for Limerick was their second this month over the home side following up on their McGrath Cup win at the same venue at the start of the month. The visitors travelled to Dungarvan for this game on a bit of a high after they won the McGrath Cup Final recently against Cork at the Gaelic Grounds, but had to work hard for this win. The visitors finished this game with only 13 players on the field as they had defender Paul Maher sent off after he collected his second yellow card on 57 minutes and had Bob Childs who was making his league debut sent off in stoppage time again after he picked up a second yellow card.

It was the winners that opened the scoring in this game after just 35 seconds when Seamus O’Carroll split the Waterford posts, but Waterford hit back in fine fashion as Brian Lynch replied for Benji Whelan’s side sixty seconds late and this was followed up with scores from Jason Curry on four minutes from a free and then Darragh Corcoran on his League Debut split the posts, before Conor Murray put the home side three points in front with eleven minutes played.

The first goal chance of the game was created on fourteen minutes when Cillian Fahy set up Danny Neville but his shot was blocked by Paudie Hunt one of a number of players making their league debut in this game and from the rebound Danny Neville saw his chance for a goal on the follow up smothered by the Waterford defence.

The visitors however did not have to wait long to breach the home side defence as on fifteen minutes Padraig de Brun who plays his club football with Firies in Kerry one of two Limerick players in this game to play for clubs outside the county combined with Iain Corbett to set up Danny Neville who played a clever pass to Adrian Enright who finished past Paudie Hunt to level matters on the score board.

Conor Murray restored a one point advantage for the home side but the sides were level once more when Donal O’Sullivan was brought up field to kick a free mid way between the 20 and 45 metre lines over Paudie Hunt’s crossbar.

The same player converted another free three minutes from time to give his side the lead but two minutes later Waterford Jason Curry put over a free for the hosts to level matters 1-3 to 0-6 as the break loomed.

Limerick started the second half as they did the first with an early score from Tommy Griffin and they followed it up with Adrian Enright’s second score of the evening on 41 minutes to put them two in front. Jason Curry pulled a point back for the hosts with another converted free leaving the minimum between the sides, but the visitors would double their advantage on 50 minutes when Danny Neville split the posts and the same player put three between the sides when he scored again.

Cillian Fahy and Conor Murray swapped scores to keep Enright’s goal between the sides with three quarters of the game played. Josh Ryan fired the visitors three in front with a fisted effort, but it was cancelled out with another Jason Curry free.

After Limerick had their numbers on the field cut, both sides continued to work hard to get the full brace of points on offer in this game, but it was the visitors who would take them as both sides shared two points in the closing minutes as Danny Neville brought his tally to three for the evening while for Waterford Rathgormack’s Jason Curry popped over a ’45 in stoppage time.

Next up for Waterford is a very tricky assignment away to Wicklow in Aughrim.

LIMERICK: Donal O'Sullivan; Paul Maher, Brian Fanning, Michael Donovan; Tony McCarthy, Iain Corbett, Bob Childs; Tommy Griffin, Adrian Enright; Padraig de Brun, Cillian Fahy, Seamus O'Carroll; Jamie Lee, Danny Neville, Josh Ryan. 

Subs: Tommie Childs for Adrian Enright, James Naughton for Seamus O'Carroll (49), Hugh Bourke Padraig for de Brún (64), Padraig Scanlon for Jamie Lee (68), Patrick Begley for Josh Ryan (70).

Scorers: Adrian Enright 1-1, Danny Neville 0-3, Donal O'Sullivan 0-2 (2 frees), Tommy Griffin, Cillian Fahy, Seamus O'Carroll, Josh Ryan 0-1 each.

WATERFORD: Paudie Hunt; Darach Ó Cathasaigh, Brian Looby, Robbie Flynn; Darragh Corcoran, Sean O’Donovan, Dermot Ryan; Michael Curry, Mikey Kiely; Dylan Guiry, Jason Curry, Stephen Curry; Conor Murray (Capt), Brian Lynch, Jason Gleeson. 

Substitutes: Fearghal Ó Cuirrín for Robbie Flynn (43), Donie Fitzgerald for Jason Gleeson (62), Corey Kennedy for Sean O'Donovan (64). 

Scorers: Jason Curry 0-5 (0-4 frees, 0-1 '45), Conor Murray 0-3, Darragh Corcoran, Brian Lynch 0-1 each. 

Referee: James Bermingham (Cork)