LIMERICK are the Munster SHC victors for the second year running after a hard fought final against Waterford at Semple Stadium.
The Treaty came out victorious on a 0-25 to 0-21 win against a dogged Waterford outfit.
Aaron Gillane top scored for Limerick with 0-10 for a Limerick side that did just enough to win it.
Limerick got off to a fast start with Graeme Mulcahy and Peter Casey firing over the first two points against the breeze.
Waterford were soon back on level terms through Dessie Hutchinson and Jake Dillon after a cagey opening.
John Kiely’s men picked up the pace to lead by three on 13 minutes with Aaron Gillane’s first free of the game seeing them to a 0-6 to 0-3 advantage.
The Deise stayed in the contest through the free taking accuracy of Stephen Bennett and squared the game up for a second time at 0-7 apiece at the first water break.
Two points in the space of 60 seconds put Limerick back in the ascendancy after the break.
Bennett and Gillane swapped frees before a Diarmaid Byrnes put Limerick three ahead once again with a ’65.
A glorious Gillane effort from play then put them four clear again but once more Bennett intervened and the score at the half time was 0-14 to 0-11 in Limerick’s favour.
Waterford made a flying start to the second half with three in a row to level the game but Gillane settled Limerick with a free in the eighth minute of the half
The sides were nip and tuck from there on and Waterford briefly led thanks to Bennett but Gearoid Hegarty immediately levelled. 0-18 each at the second water break.
Limerick upped the pace in the final quarter with Seamus Flanagan, Hegarty, Gillane and Mulcahy (2) on target.
Waterford kept on fighting but scores from Adrian Breen and Gillane saw Limerick home to victory.
Scorers Limerick: Aaron Gillane 0-10 (8f), Graeme Mulcahy 0-4 Peter Casey 0-3, Cian Lynch, Diarmaid Byrnes (1f, 1 ’65) and Gearoid Hegarty 0-2 each, Seamus Flanagan and Adrian Breen 0-1 each.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Kyle Hayes; Cian Lynch, William O’Donoghue; Gearoid Hegarty, David Reidy, Tom Morrissey; Graeme Mulcahy, Aaron Gillane, Peter Casey.
Subs: Seamus Flanagan for Casey (53 mins), David Dempsey for T Morrissey (53 mins), Darragh O’Donovan for Reidy (58 mins), Adrian Breen for Mulcahy (69 mins).
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