LIMERICK take on Waterford this Sunday in Thurles in the 2020 Munster Hurling Final.
Limerick are looking to make it back-to-back titles against a Deise side who last triumphed in the Province in 2010.
Waterford have lost four finals to Tipperary in the past decade with this the first meeting in the final between Limerick and the Deise since 2007 where Waterford came out on top in the same venue.
These sides have only met five times in the championship since that final with two wins each and a draw.
Below recap each of those ties.
Limerick 1-8 : 0-11 Waterford (Munster Hurling semi-final)
14 June 2009 in Semple Stadium
A briliant second half recovery from Justin McCarthy’s Limerick saw them earn a draw in the Munster Hurling quarter-final.
The Deise were the quickest out of the blocks and four points each from John Mullane and Eoin Kelly had them 0-9 to 0-3 to the good at the short whistle.
Limerick would get the all important goal two minutes within the restart as David Breen pounced.
Andrew O’Shaughnessy would find the leveller late on at 1-7 to 0-10 but Eoin Kelly appeared to win the day for Waterford moments later.
However, on his debut, James Ryan would have the final say to bring the sides to a replay six days later.
Waterford 0-25 : 0-17 Limerick (Munster Hurling semi-final replay)
20 June 2009 in Semple Stadium
Waterford moved into the Munster Final after pulling away from a spirited Limerick side late on.
In a much better fare than what was on show a week previously, the sides exchanged 42 scores over the 70 minutes, more than double what they scored in the previous meeting.
Once again Waterford started the brighter and kept Limerick at arms length for the majority of the first half.
Limerick would find a leveller after 25 minutes but Waterford would grab the final two points of the half to take a 0-10 to 0-8 lead into the dressing rooms.
The sides would go tit-for-tat in the opening 25 minutes of the half with the score finely poised at 0-18 to 0-16 in Waterford’s favour on 63 minutes.
However, the Desie would pull away down the home stretch, outscoring Limerick 0-7 to 0-1 to secure an eight-point win and a Munster final berth.
Waterford 3-15 : 3-14 Limerick (Munster Hurling semi-final)
12 June 2011 in Semple Stadium
John Mullane would prove the hero as his late goal ended Limerick’s hopes of a first Munster championship victory since 2007.
The Deise held a slender 1-9 to 1-6 lead at the break with Wayne McNamara getting Limerick’s goal from wing back.
The game burst into life in the second half and a double from 19-year-old Kevin Downes helped Limerick into the lead.
The sides were level approaching injury time before a scores from David Breen and Niall Moran looked to have given Limerick the desired result and a place in the Munster final.
However, a second goal from John Mullane in the last hour snatched the game for the Deise.
Limerick 2-26 : 1-16 Waterford (Munster Hurling Championship)
10 June 2018 in the LIT Gaelic Grounds
Limerick got their first Munster championship win over Waterford in 17 years as they booked their place in the All-Ireland series with an impressive 13-point win.
A powerful first half from Limerick saw them put the game beyond the reach of the Deise with Graeme Mulcahy and Gearoid Hegarty getting the goals for John Kiely’s side.
That gave them a 2-14 to 0-7 lead at the short whistle which they would maintain in the second half.
Replacing the suspended Aaron Gillane, Shane Dowling was in scintillating form for Limerick and ended the day with a personal tally of 0-15 as the Treaty went top of the Munster table heading into the final round game with Clare in Ennis.
Limerick 2-24 : 0-10 Waterford (Munster Hurling Championship)
2 June 2019 in Walsh Park
Limerick got their season back on track as they pummeled the Deise in the second round of the Munster championship.
Essentially facing elimination in their second game of the competition, Limerick traveled to Walsh Park to take on Waterford.
The Deise raced into a three point lead and were two to the good after 16.
From here, Limerick dominated as they did in the League final to devastating effect.
Aaron Gillane’s goal pushed Limerick ahead as they outscored Waterford 1-8 to 0-2 in the final twenty minutes of the half.
This left them 1-10 to 0-7 to the good at the half.
Gearoid Hegarty’s goal on 38 minutes put the game to bed as Limerick steamrolled to a 2-24 to 0-10 win.
The post Limerick v Waterford: Last Five Championship Clashes appeared first on Sporting Limerick.
