Munster SFC Semi-final/Limerick 1-18 Waterford 0-7: After 106 years of trying, Limerick's gifted young footballers finally won back-to-back Munster finals with a sizzling victory over a disillusioned Waterford, in front of 5,000, at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.
Afterwards captain Tommy Stack declared they were looking forward to a revenge mission against Kerry, at the same venue.
"We did not do ourselves justice in last season's decider in Fitzgerald Stadium. Now we have another opportunity to right that wrong."
And veteran John Quane wants to bid farewell to the county scene with victory over the Kingdom who, he recalled, pipped them by two points in a memorable final at Killarney, in his first season in senior ranks, in 1991.
"We owe them one at this stage."
Impressive as they were yesterday, Limerick know it will be a much different assignment when the reigning champions hit town.
Waterford were clearly not in the mood to seriously test their character and might as well have packed their bags at the interval when they trailed by 14 points, 1-13 to 0-2.
Limerick had all the big guns on their side. With top scorer Stephen Kelly having started on the bench, wing back Conor Mullane moved to his position at right-half forward, making way for the return of Pádraig Browne in defence.
Liam Kearns' men were clearly intent on rectifying the mistakes made against Tipperary in the opening round, when they conceded three first-half goals. This time they started with a panache, rattling over six points before their opponents had even caught sight of the whites of goalkeeper Seamus O'Donnell's eyes.
Conor Fitzgerald, Muiris Gavin and Owen Keating were hungry for scores, John Galvin and Quane supplied the ammunition from midfield, towering over Karl O'Keefe and Andy Hobbard, and centre back Stephen Lucey ensured Waterford's Michael Ahearne and Ger Power were kept free of the danger zone.
Waterford's opening score, a pointed free by Shane Walsh, was delayed until the 26th minute, after they had waited 15 minutes to get deep inside enemy territory.
Limerick, though, emerged with one major worry. O'Donnell, who missed the opening round win over Tipperary, and who was passed fit just hours before yesterday's game, hobbled off late into the second half with a recurrence of his ankle injury.
Waterford realised the game was up after they conceded a string of early points to Michael Reidy, Owen Keating, Gavin (two) and Fitzgerald.
By the time Waterford had found the target, Limerick had added a further five points, from Damien Reidy (two), Gavin (two), Michael Reidy, and Fitzgerald, again, to make them virtually uncatchable at 0-10 to 0-1.
Waterford, without a game plan, had an excellent opportunity to peg back their opponents when John Hearne was gifted the ball in front of a yawning goal, but he miscued his shot.
Shortly afterwards, Conor Mullane made the art of goalscoring look simple when he got to the end of a sweeping move to blast past Paul Houlihan, and by half-time Limerick, barring a complete collapse, were already in the decider, at 1-13 to 0-2.
The second half was always going to be a matter of form, and the only excitement was when the fire alarms went off inside the ground.
LIMERICK: S O'Donnell; M O'Riordan, J McCarthy, T Stack; P Browne, S Lucey, D Reidy (0-1); J Quane, J Galvin; C Mullane (1-0), M Gavin (0-9, six fres), M O'Brien; C Fitzgerald (0-4), O Keating (0-1), M Reidy (0-2). Subs: S Lavin for D Reidy (35 mins); J Murphy (0-1) for Keating (41); S Kelly for Fitzgerald (46); M Horan for O'Brien (49); M Jones for O'Donnell (57).
WATERFORD: P Houlihan; J Moore, E Rockett, T Costelloe; C Watt, T Dunphy, N Hennessy; K O'Keeffe, A Hubbard; J Hearne, M Aherne (0-1), J Coffey; L Ó Lionáin, S Walsh (0-4, three frees), G Power (0-2). Subs: B Harty for O'Keeffe (44 mins); K Connery for Rockett (36), T Whelan for Ó Lionáin (48 mins); P Ogle for Coffey (50).
Referee: T Quigley (Wexford)
