Three-goal Limerick beat Waterford to retain Munster U20 B football crown
A Padraic Phelan double helped Limerick to the win
Limerick retained their Munster U20 ‘B’ football crown, as goals proved the difference against Waterford. The John Kerins Cup — named after the late Cork goalkeeper — was also contested by these sides last season.
Goals from the lively Padraic Phelan, who bagged a brace, and another from Tommy Ryan ensured safe passage to the All Ireland series, where they will face an Ulster side in early May.
After coming third and fourth in the Munster Phase One series, these sides were looking to add to a single victory in one outing to date. The Shannonsiders had won their meeting during March, narrowly.
Diarmuid Hynes curled over a beautiful effort inside three minutes, after his side had already kicked two wides and sent an effort into the keepers gloves.
They further asserted their dominance when Tommy Ryan, their centre-half back joined into the attack to bury a goal. Spotting space beyond the Waterford cover, he raced clear when collecting on the arc and blasted beyond Simon Burns.
Joe Brennan opened the Waterford account on the quarter hour with an exquisite curling effort. However, Hynes replied with a similar effort within forty seconds, as the Treaty started to turn the screw.
They quickly added efforts from Evan Curry before Hynes got a third. Another goal chance came for Brian O’Callaghan but he had to be content with a point — blazing over.
The second goal, from Phelan, arrived when Curry and Shane O’Grady linked well to feed the Pallasgreen man.
By half-time, Waterford had registered a second point through Brennan but Limerick were now 11 clear. Shane O’Grady getting in the act to become the seventh man in green to register. It was 2-7 to 0-2.
The same attacker added two more early in the second half. A rare Waterford opening saw Conor Keating denied by a decent Cian McGrath save. Not to be deterred Paul Power’s charges kicked the next two points — from Paddy McCarthy and Brennan.
It sparked a run of scores that saw Waterford kick four two-pointers on the trot. Three of those (two frees) from Brennan as well as a long-range effort from sub Calum Sloan cut the gap to just four points. Brennan brought his tally to 0-10 when adding the last of the two-pointers.
However, that was as good as it got. A penalty, entering the final ten minutes saw Phelan bag a second. From here, points from subs Luke Walsh, Padraic Murphy as well as a second from Curry ensured a comfortable victory.
P Phelan 2-0 (1 pen); Tommy Ryan 1-0; D Hynes, S O’Grady 0-3 each; E Curry, L Walsh 0-1 free) 0-2 each; B O’Callaghan, T Hourigan, A O’Shea, P Murphy 0-1 (free) 0-1 each.
J Brennan 0-10 (2 tpf, 1tp, 1f); C Sloan 0-2 (1 tp); P McCarthy 0-1.
C McGrath (Oola); C O'Sullivan (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), C Mangan (Croom), C Boyle (Fr Casey's); T Lloyd (Mungret St Paul's), Tommy Ryan (Dromcollogher-Broadford), J Butler (Ahane); T Hourigan (Pallasgreen), B O'Callaghan (Dromcollgher-Broadford); P Phelan (Pallasgreen), A O’Shea (Cappagh), E Curry (Athea); D Hynes (Capt, Mungret St Paul's), M Fahy (Dromcollogher Broadford), S O'Grady (Oola).
Tom Ryan (Oola) for Hourigan (37); P Murphy (Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan) for Fahy (45); L Walsh (Mungret St. Paul’s) for O’Shea (50); B Smith (Ballybrown) for Boyle (56); B Griffin (Monaleen) for O’Callaghan (60).
S Burns (Dunhill); M McMaugh (Capt, The Nire), B Boland (St. Saviours), C Kiely (Portlaw); D Jacob (St. Saviours), F O’Brien (Gaultier), J Foley (Affane Cappoquin Tourin); C Mac Cathmhaoil (Ferrybank), D Cooney (Gaultier); D Mackle (Abbeyside Ballinacourty), P McCarthy (Brickey Ranger), D Murphy (Fenor); J Brennan (Tramore), C Keating (Kilmacthomas), K Flynn (Gaultier).
C Sloan (Gaultier) for Foley (24); C Spellman (The Nire) for Boland (inj – 28); E Adebayo (Mount Sion) for Flynn (40); L Winkle (De La Salle) for Keating (56).
Eoghan Ó Muircheartaigh (Kerry).
