Limerick 0-27 Waterford 3-15
Limerick advanced to the Munster Under-20 final despite a late scare from Waterford at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.
Patrick Fitzgerald scored 1-1 in stoppage time to bring this back to a two-point game but Limerick held on to return to the decider that they lost to Cork last summer.
The winners had impressive showings from Shane O'Brien, Aidan O'Connor and Adam English. All three contributed five points from play with senior panel member Colin Coughlan having a quality second half.
This contest was level on 0-11 at half-time with Aaron Ryan top scoring for Waterford. They will rue 10 first-half wides with most of those in the first 10 minutes as they failed to punish a slow start from Limerick. The sides traded scores with six men in white scoring from play in the opening half.
Limerick came flying out of the blocks in the second half, pulling eight clear before goals from substitutes Cian Rellis and Jake Foley gave Waterford hope. They could never pull level however, with Patrick Kirby the last of the starting Limerick forwards to find the target.
By the time Shane O’Brien pointed on 60 minutes, Limerick were seven points clear but Patrick O’Connor’s quality made it a one-score game before O’Connor pointed a free from 45 meters to seal the victory.
LIMERICK: C Hanley Clarke; C Thomas (0-1), F O'Connor, E O'Leary; C Scully, E Hurley, C Coughlan (0-2); J Quilty, J Sweeney; A English (0-5), A O'Connor (0-10, 5 frees), E Stokes (0-2); S O'Brien (0-5), P Kirby (0-1), D Ó Dalaigh (0-1). Subs: J Kirby for Sweeney (half-time), B Duff for Scully (50), B O'Meara for Quilty (54), Reale for Ó Dalaigh (61).
WATERFORD: C Troy; C Foley, R Furlong, J Fitzgerald; J Booth (0-1), M Fitzgerald, R Power; S Fitzgerald (0-1), W Beresford; A Ryan (0-8, 5 frees, 0-1 65), S Callaghan (0-1), S Walsh; C Berry, Patrick Fitzgerald (1-2, 1-0f), Padraig Fitzgerald (0-1). Subs: C Rellis (1-0) for Callaghan (38), J Foley (1-0) for Berry (48), E O'Brien for S Fitzgerald (55).
Referee: C Doyle (Tipperary)
