LIMERICK Senior hurlers have booked their place in the Munster Senior Hurling Final after a resounding 0-30 to 2-14 victory over Waterford this afternoon in the TUS Gaelic Grounds in the final group game of the round robin campaign. This will be the Treaty sides sixth consecutive Munster Final which is set to to take place on Sunday, June 9 at 4pm in FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles against Clare, who beat Tipperary today as well. John Kiely's men went into cruise control in the second-half scoring 16-points compared to Waterford's eight.
The Déise side got onto the scoreboard first though with a Stephen Bennett free after a minute of play. This point was answered by a fabulous long-range effort from Diarmaid Byrnes to settle the Limerick team. Points flowed after this effort with Limerick's backs showing their scoring talents with points from Barry Nash and Kyle Hayes as Aaron Gillane popped over a free to leave them 0-4 to 0-1 ahead after eight minutes.
During this opening quarter the current All-Ireland champions clocked up seven wides. These wides aided Waterford's come back as Davy Fitzgerald's side leveled the game with a point from play from Paddy Leavey and another Stephen Bennett free. Waterford regained their lead once again as Bennett stepped up from the 45 yard-line and drove the sliothar low and hard ending up in the back of Limerick's net leaving them 1-4 to 0-4 ahead after 16 minutes.
The goal could have damped the Limerick's sides spirits but had the opposite e.