THANK heavens for replays. This Saturday at 5pm Limerick will go back into action against Waterford in the Munster Senior Hurling championship semi final replay and both teams will be extremely happy to have one more chance.
The fare that was served up last Sunday at the Tipperary venue was as poor a game of hurling as you are likely to see. “Hurling is a game won by the team that makes the least mistakes”, the words of Limerick manager Justin Mc Carthy before the game.
Well, a draw was a fair result then as both team’s hurling was littered with under age school boy errors. The first touch of the majority of players from both sides was poor, the intensity level of the game was below par and the score shows it. 1-8 to 0-11 is not a rip roaring Munster championship by any stretch of the imagination.
Limerick went in as underdogs and came out not knowing too much about where they stand on the All Ireland ranking. Both teams were simply as poor as each other.
The Game
The game itself was played in horrific conditions for most of each half. In fact Limerick emerged for the second half only to run back in for new boots as a rainstorm, that would not look out of place in Vietnam, greeted them. The score on the board at that stage was 0-9 to 0-3 in Waterford’s favour. Limerick’s three scores coming from Niall Moran, two frees and Seamus Hickey from play. Limerick were in all sorts of trouble at this stage. The game was never really far from them as Waterford got bogged down in looking for their small forwards. The half time schools camogie game provided some of the biggest cheers of the day.
The second half started better for Limerick as replacement David Breen rattled the Deise net. The Limerick defence with Mark Foley and Brian Geary took the upper hand and restricted Waterford to two Eoin Kelly frees in the second half. One coming 19 minutes after the first.
Limerick chipped away at the Waterford lead. 1-3 became 1-4 when Niall Moran pointed from a free. More scores were added by James Ryan, Andrew O Shaughnessy and Ryan again to level the scores with a minute to go.
Once the sides looked like they were going to be close the referee Diarmuid Kirwan from Cork, who had a great game, decided that the only way to give both teams a chance in the Munster Final was to leave them have another day out.
Negatives
There were plenty of negatives unfortunately, but from such things come change. Limerick struggled in defence and attack at key points in the game. Stephen Walsh had a day to forget as did Donie Ryan and James O Brien. All three made way and will find it hard to find form in the six days between the games. Limerick’s first touch was poor at times as was their striking for scores. Niall Moran’s free taking needs tweaking as the ball seems to float more than go over the black spot with conviction. However, the chance is there for another go and the chance to play in a Munster final is motivation enough for the cobwebs to be truly blown off by Saturday.
Positives
The main positive is that Limerick came back. The six point gap at half time was not easy but attainable. Limerick cut the deficit in half and the confidence grew. Ken Mc Grath and Eoin Mc Grath were both kept scoreless and Jamie Nagle also struggled. Lucey, Geary, O Grady, Hickey and second half goal poacher Breen all played well in the second half and will prove to be a solid spine for games to come. Limerick also created enough scoring chances to win. With nine scores and 11 wides there was a chance there to score 20 plus. It will be needed next weekend. When the pace of the gets up and the crowd is roaring, there is no better team in the country than Limerick. The pride and passion in the jersey is unquestionable, it’s just the cool and collected punishment of the Kilkenny’s of this world that needs refining. Justin has his work cut out for Saturday, but I think Limerick will have grown more from the second 35 than Waterford.
Justin
After the game Limerick manager Justin Mc Carthy knew that his side needed improvement and that half time was crucial. “No doubt we were poor. We never really got off of the ground. At half time we were six points down, which isn’t a huge ask in hurling, but we only had one option from there and that was to look for the ball more and get some scores. The goal helped of course, but we needed to battle and fight more for the ball”
With six days between games Justin also commented that work was needed. “We needed that game badly and we are delighted to have another chance at it, especially after being six behind. We need to improve in every facet of the game because another performance like that and we will be beaten in the replay”
The reply is pencilled in for Saturday the 20th at 5pm in Thurles once more. The TV cameras will not be there this time and with the weather the way it has been a 30,000 plus crowd is expected in the Tipperary venue. Let’s hope it will be a classic this time around. Verdict: Limerick to win as they look to have more in the tank than Waterford.
(I was going to finish this piece with a few quotes from Davy Fitzgerald, but the asterix key on my keyboard broke after a few lines. In case you don’t know what I am talking about, ask the man with the Maor sticker in Thurles the next time you see him)
Player Ratings
Brian Murray
The Patrickswell man didn’t have much to do in terms of shot blocking but his puck outs and frees were accurate enough. (7/10)
Damien Reale
The pocket rocket is back to his best. There are few people who can get around this corner back and once more he was in good form last Sunday. He kept Eoin Mc Grath quiet all day long. (8/10)
Stephen Lucey
The people in the know claim that Dr. Lucey plays better hurling when he is back with the footballers. He looked up to the pace of the game from the off. Got caught once or twice under high balls, but played well enough to make sure that Eoin Kelly only scored from frees. (7/10)
Mark O Riordan
Another player who was quick to adjust to the pace having played in Thurles already with the footballers. Mark hurled well and had a good tussle with the numerous forwards he faced. (7/10)
Stephen Walsh
Not a good day on the pitch for the Bruree man. John Mullane took him for four points before he was switched and then taken off at half time. (4/10)
Brian Geary
Keeping Ken Mc Grath scoreless is no mean feat. His covering in the half back line in the second half was one of the main reasons Waterford struggled so much for score. (8/10)
Mark Foley
Like a good wine this man gets better with age. As Mark Foley’s age changes, his number and level of performance do not. His free taking left him down as he registered two wides, but his positional play and all out want make him a great example for young hurlers the country over. (7/10)
Seamus Hickey
Workman like performance from the converted back. Hickey has an engine that cannot be under estimated. He scored a great point to kick things off in the 19th minute. (7/10)
Donal O Grady
We got what we have to come to expect from “Dodge” on Sunday. A solid hard working performance from the Granagh/Ballingarry clubman. (7/10)
James Ryan
James Ryan scored two points from play in the dying stages of the game yesterday which allows him some respite after an unimpressive performance prior to the scores. (6/10)
Ollie Moran
The Ahane man started the game at full forward and as the evening progressed you could see that the brain was working faster than the body. Not lacking in effort of physicality, the lack of match practice showed in Ollie’s touches. (6/10)
Niall Moran
Niall is all action. It seemed that every tussle and every breaking ball was being contested by Niall. His touch and free taking were poor at times, but the work rate was second to none. Two points from play and two from frees may not have been an ideal return from the amount of chances that Niall had. (7/10)
Andrew O Shaughnessy
The corner assassin was quiet on Sunday and looked to be still struggling to find his form. He did notch up a point but from a man who has so much skill and pace, the fans cannot be called selfish when they look for more. (5/10)
James O Brien
A poor day too for James O Brien unfortunately. The Bruree man never got going and the game seem to flow by the half forward. (5/10)
Donie Ryan
Never have we seen Donie so quiet. It was a frustrating evening for the Garryspillane goal poacher and his substitutions came as more of a relief to Donie. (4/10)
