FIVE-STAR Limerick breeze into semi-finals with 100% record

with 0-5 between them. The midfield battle between Cian Lynch and Jamie Barron provided a glorious sideshow to an otherwise flat half, with the Deise man slightly edging the opening 35.

Had more of Barron’s team-mates won their battles, then manager Liam Cahill might not have felt moved to replace two of his forward sextet just before the break. That came in response to the

Limerick goal which was a thing of beauty.

Lynch sent in a high diagonal that Dempsey snapped and fed to the onrushing Hegarty. The St Patrick’s man glided into the penalty area and fired home with aplomb in the 28th minute.

By the half, the Treaty had scored 1-5 from play whereas a blunt – albeit experimental – Waterford side would produce just a single point when placed balls were excluded. That came from midfielder Barron, while free-taker Pauric Mahony converted six of nine.

Waterford coped better at the start of the second half but were a little too wasteful with two sideline cuts and long-range frees returning nothing.

Either side, Peter Hogan and Iarlaith Daly found their range but Limerick always had an answer with Hegarty scoring freely while Mulcahy and Gillane both collected low in the corner and turned to fire over.

The hosts were playing their usual predictable game but few teams can stop their methodical, skilful approach of working the ball until the inside option is available.

Jack Fagan gave the visitors something to shout about just before the hour as the Meath native sped through and smashed the ball to the roof of the net from 16 yards.

Hegarty’s final score was nothing short of astonishing. After collecting a sideline ball, he spun away from his man and cut a shot over from the sideline from 50 yards out.

Waterford kept pushing as Bennett and Mahony hit scores but they never truly threatened to overtake the hosts.