Lack of precision sees Waterford’s challenge fizzle out - Limerick 2-12 Waterford 0-7

For once you can disregard the final score. For an hour of this below par Munster quarter final Waterford more than held their own but just couldn’t deliver the finishing touches to countless forays into enemy territory. Even after the penalty miss the visitors continued to pile on the pressure against a Limerick side that also struggled to put the pieces together up front. As the wides count soared into double figures (eventually coming in at 14), the vibrancy seeped away from the Déise and Ian Ryan led a late flurry at the other end.

The fact that John Owens’ men failed to register in the second half left the majority of the 2,341 attendance scratching their heads. It was all the more surprising given the long range shooting that they displayed in the opening thirty five minutes. From a tactical point of view, it was Waterford that set out the terms of engagement. Despite starting at full forward, Wayne Hennessy drifted out the field to shield his full back line and performed the role capably by cutting off the supply to the inside men. Limerick also adopted the sweeper system but Waterford coped better in an attacking sense. Tony Grey made some telling bursts forward that resulted in two points with JJ Hutchinson and Mark Ferncombe also looking sharp.

They trailed by a point at half time and while Owens would have been satisfied to be in that position, a greater return may have accrued from the volume of attacks. Tommy Prendergast and Shane Ahearne took turns to act as the big man at the edge of the square but all too often the deliveries inside went astray. Those turnovers and that overall absence of a clinical edge would come back to bite later on. At the other end Limerick proved far more economical but also received a large dollop of good fortune in the manner that their green flag arrived. A speculative Paul Kinnerk point attempt, that wouldn’t have looked out of place up the road at Thomond Park, lingered in the air for an age and the break fell to Eoghan O’Connor who supplied Seamus O’Carroll.

The game remained in the balance right up to the last ten minutes as only four points separated the teams. Ian Ryan tapped over some simple frees and displayed a swagger that was lacking in the Waterford ranks. Four of the starting sextet departed before full time but it did little to alter the trend. After all their huff and puff led to nought, Limerick put the foot to the floor. Ryan finished emphatically to the roof of the net before Ger Collins arose from his slumber to kick two points. By close of play Limerick had converted 14 of their 22 scoring chances while Waterford took only seven of their 22 chances. First impressions suggest however that Maurice Horan’s side may have regressed from last year and Clare could well thwart their Munster final ambitions next month if they don’t pick up their performance levels.

Waterford now enter the unknown as they await the first round of the qualifiers at the end of June. Another two weeks of club action leaves only a short window to arrange training sessions or challenge matches in the interim. The injury situation also remains unclear and a number of key figures may still be out of action by the time the next game comes into view. Eamonn Walsh, Conor McGrath and Gary Hurney were all sorely missed on Sunday. A home draw against beatable opposition would also energise a camp down on their luck.