Emphatic Limerick with 18-points to spare over Waterford in Munster Football Championship

LIMERICK booked their place in the semi finals of the Munster senior football championship with this 18-point victory over Waterford.

In the LIT Gaelic Grounds this Saturday afternoon, this quarter final finished Limerick 4-18 Waterford 0-12.

Billy Lee's Limerick now entertain Cork in the provincial semi final on Saturday July 10.

The win ensures Limerick win a game in three successive Munster SFC campaigns for just the second time across the last 30 years - following on from 2008-2010 and before that it was 1989-1991.

The victory saw Limerick with nine different scorers and just four wides in total.

Unbeaten in championship against Waterford in championship since 1981, Limerick laid the foundation for victory with an eight point interval lead.

At goal in the opening minutes and another in the closing minutes of the opening half from the Bourke brothers saw Limerick into the half time dressing room with a 2-9 to 0-7 lead.

It was a half in which the men in green had the aid of the breeze and could very well have been further ahead with another series of goal chances - albeit they only had three wides in the 38-minutes played.

The first goal came in the third minute - Robbie Bourke marking his first ever championship appearance by finding the back of the net. All had started with Brian Fanning bursting from defence and then Cillian Fahy carried forward to set up Bourke.

Cian Sheehan and Danny Neville had the first of their two points in the half and soon Limerick were 1-3 to 0-1 ahead and 10-minutes played. Indeed both Neville points in the half could have been goals but just flew over the crossbar.

Waterford had seven points in the half and three came from play from Dermot Ryan.

Ryan had his points scored by the first half water break on 18-minutes with Limerick 1-6 to 0-4 ahead - Cillian Fahy and Tommie Childs getting on the scoresheet.

On the resumption Sheehan and Neville points stretched Limerick 1-9 to 0-5 ahead with 10-minutes to the break.

Then in the 33rd minute Neville set up Hugh Bourke for his goal to leave Limerick eight points clear at the interval.

On the restart, Darragh Corcoran had the opening point to cut the lead but it was to be the only Waterford score of the third quarter.

Hugh Bourke had pointed frees before sub Brian Donovan announced his arrival with a fine point.

Then in the 13th minute of the half, centre back Iain Corbett goaled from a penalty after Neville was fouled.

And, that's how the game stood at the second half water break - Limerick 3-12, Waterford 0-8.

Within two minutes of the restart, Limerick had a fourth goal - Cillian Fahy palming to the net.

Waterford did finally return to the scoresheet in the final 10-minutes but Limerick's victory was never in doubt.

SCORERS: Limerick: Hugh Bourke 1-6 (0-3frees), Robbie Bourke (0-1free) and Iain Corbett (1-0pen) 1-2 each, Cillian Fahy 1-1, Cian Sheehan and Danny Neville 0-2 each, Tommie Childs, Brian Donovan and Josh Ryan 0-1 each.

Waterford: Brian Lynch 0-4 (3frees), Dermot Ryan 0-3, Jason Curry (2frees) and Darragh Corcoran 0-2 each, Michael Kiely 0-1.

LIMERICK: Donal O'Sullivan; Sean O'Dea, Brian Fanning, Michael Donovan; Bob Childs, Iain Corbett, Gordon Brown; Darragh Treacy, Tommie Childs; Cian Sheehan, Danny Neville, Adrian Enright; Cillian Fahy, Robbie Bourke, Hugh Bourke. Subs: Brian Donovan for Adrian Enright (42mins), James Naughton for Cian Sheehan (51mins), Josh Ryan for Robbie Bourke (53mins), Paul Maher for Sean O'Dea (53mins), Peter Nash for Danny Neville (57mins).

WATERFORD: Paudie Hunt; Aaron Jones, John Elsted, Darrach O'Cathasaigh; David Halihan, Brian Looby, Dermot Ryan; Tommy Prendergast, Michael Curry; Conor Murray, Michael Kiely, Aaron Jones; Stephen Curry, Jason Curry, Darragh Corcoran. Subs: Dylan Guiry for Jason Curry (h-t), Brian Lynch for Michael Kiely (51mins), Sean Boyce for Aaron Jones (51mins), Caomhan Maguire for Michael Curry (51mins), Jason Gleeson for Mark Cummins (57mins).

REFEREE: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).