By Anthony Newman
Waterford 4-5
Limerick 1-8
Delight for Waterford as they won the Munster Ladies Football Minor C Championship at Mallow.
The win saw them make it three in a row for the county, with two second half goals helping them retain their title.
Overall they were the better side, with impressive performances from the likes of Treasa Ni Chrotaigh, Abbie Fitzpatrick and Deirdre Roche.
Limerick can’t be faulted for their efforts and gave it everything to the final whistle, with Molly O’Mahony and Cait Murphy impressing for them.
Both sides had chances early on to take the lead with Waterford goalkeeper, Gemma Corcoran, saving well to deny Olivia McCarthy an early goal.
She repeated the feat after eight minutes, this time denying Caitlin Moriarty a goal scoring opportunity.
Waterford created chances at the other end and one paid off for them, thanks to good work by Rachel Fitzgerald.
She made it difficult for Limerick to clear their lines and dispossessed a defender to set up Ava Connolly for the game’s opening goal and score.
Limerick were quick to respond with Molly O’Mahony setting up McCarthy to point to get them off the mark.
A free from Emma Fitzgerald put Waterford further in front, as they led by 1-1 to 0-1 with 23 minutes played.
Abbie Fitzpatrick increased their lead further, after a good team move, before McCarthy replied for Limerick.
With four minutes to half time Waterford got their second goal as Fitzpatrick turned provider to set up Treasa Ni Chrotaigh to find the back of the net, to see then lead 2-2 to 0-2 at the break.
Limerick hit back early in the second half with Moriarty scoring, before Fitzpatrick replied for Waterford.
Limerick were back in contention when a free from Summer Behan hit the crossbar and Emily Franklin was quickest to react, making it 2-3 to 1-3.
But Waterford didn’t panic as Emma Fitzgerald intercepted a crossfield pass, to race from just inside the Limerick half to score her side’s third goal.
Clodagh Power added a point, before three from Cait Murphy closed the gap, 3-4 to 1-7.
Connolly and Franklin exchanged points, before Ni Chrotaigh was taken down late on and Power slotted home the resulting penalty to see them run out winners by 4-5 to 1-8.
Scorers for Waterford: T Ni Chrotaigh 1-0, E Fitzgerald, A Connolly, C Power 1-1 each, A Fitzpatrick 0-2.
Limerick: E Franklin 1-1, C Murphy 0-4 (4f), O McCarthy 0-2, C Moriarty 0-1.
WATERFORD: G Corcoran; R Power, R Walsh, K Winkle; S Peters, D Roche, G Carrigan; R Fitzgerald, T Ni Chrotaigh; C Power, A Butler, E Fitzgerald; A Connolly, M Kenneally, A Fitzpatrick.
Subs: D Ryan, E Curran, S Condon, M McCusker, S Mernin, E Foran, A Lynch, S Gaffney, G O’Rourke, E Campbell, A Fitzgerald, J Whelan, M Laffan, K Kelly, A Geoghan.
LIMERICK: A Kennedy; K O’Regan, R Conway, L Kelly; A Russell, K O’Donnell, M Cremin; E Cleary, S Behan; S O’Halloran, M O’Mahony, C Moriarty; O McCarthy, E Hogan, G Fitzgibbon.
Subs: L Kiely, G Leahy, L Mannix, E Franklin, E Fitzgerald, C Murphy, G Morgan, A Davis, C Heffernan, M Stanley, G Kelly, L Chambers, E O’Donnell, G Buckley, A Hogan.
Referee: Maurice Murphy, Kerry.
