Munster pair set for grand Croke Park final
A historic December setting for the GAA Hurling All-Ireland final and a novel pairing as Munster rivals, Limerick and Waterford go head-to-head in Croke Park on Sunday (3.30pm).
It’s a re-run of the Munster final which Limerick won by four points last month.
They are bidding to win the title for a second time in three seasons while Waterford are hoping to end a 61-year wait for glory, having last triumphed in 1959 when they beat Kilkenny in the final (replay).
Next Sunday’s final will be preceded by the Joe McDonagh Cup decider between Antrim and Kerry (1pm).
LIMERICK v WATERFORD – PATHS TO THE FINAL
LIMERICK
Limerick 0-36 Clare 1-23 (Munster quarter-final)
Limerick 3-23 Tipperary 2-17 (Munster semi-final)
Limerick 0-25 Waterford 0-21 (Munster final)
Limerick 0-27 Galway 0-24 (All-Ireland semi-final)
TOP SCORERS
Aaron Gillane………..2-34 (0-27 frees, 1-0 pen, 0-1 ‘65’)
Ger Hegarty……………0-13
Tom Morrissey………0-12 (0-1 free)
Diarmuid Byrnes……..0-11 (0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘65’)
WATERFORD
Waterford 1-28 Cork 1-24 (Munster semi-final)
Limerick 0-25 Waterford 0-21 (Munster final)
Waterford 3-27 Clare 3-18 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
Waterford 2-27 Kilkenny 2-23 (All-Ireland semi-final)
TOP SCORERS
Stephen Bennett……..1-44 (0-33 frees, 0-1 ‘65’)
Dessie Hutchinson…..2-8
Austin Gleeson………..0-12
Jamie Barron……………0-5
LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS
2020: Limerick 0-25 Waterford 0-21 (Munster final)
2019: Limerick 2-24 Waterford 0-10 (Munster round robin)
2018: Limerick 2-26 Waterford 1-16 (Munster round robin)
2011: Waterford 3-15 Limerick 3-14 (Munster semi-final)
2009: Waterford 0-25 Limerick 0-17 (Munster semi-final) Replay
LAST FIVE ALL-IRELAND FINALS
LIMERICK
2018: Limerick 3-16 Galway 2-18
2007: Kilkenny 2-19 Limerick 1-15
1996: Wexford 1-13 Limerick 0-14
1994: Offaly 3-16 Limerick 2-13
1980: Galway 2-15 Limerick 3-9
WATERFORD
2017: Galway 0-26 Waterford 2-17
2008: Kilkenny 3-30 Waterford 1-13
1963: Kilkenny 4-17 Waterford 6-8
1959: Waterford 3-12 Kilkenny 1-10 (replay)
1959: Waterford 1-17 Kilkenny 5-5
*Limerick have reached the All-Ireland final 17 times previously (1897-1910-1918-1921-1923-1933-1934-
1935-1936-1940-1973-1974-1980-1994-1996-2007-2018), winning eight in 1897-1918- 1921-1934-1936-
1940-1973-2018).
*This will be Waterford ‘s eighth All-Ireland final. They won in 1948 and 1959 and lost in 1938-57-63-2008-
2017.
*Tipperary (2016) are the only Munster champions to win the All-Ireland title since Cork in 2005.
*Seven counties have shared the 60 All-Ireland titles since Waterford were last successful in 1959 as follows: Kilkenny 22, Cork 11, Tipperary 11, Galway 4; Offaly 4; Wexford 3; Clare 3, Limerick 2.
*John Kiely in his fourth season as Limerick manager. Their championship record in that time is: Played 19;
Won 13, Drew 1, Lost 5. Liam Cahill is in his first season with Waterford.
ALL-IRELAND ROLL OF HONOUR
36: Kilkenny: (1904-1905-1907-1909-1911-1912-1913-1922-1932-1933-1935-1939-1947-1957-1963-1967-
1969-1972-1974-1975-1979-1982-1983-1992-1993-2000-2002-2003-2006-2007-2008-2009-2011-2012-
2014-2015).
30: Cork (1890-1892-1893-1894-1902-1903-1919-1926-1928-1929-1931-1941-1942-1943-1944-1946-1952-1953-1954-1966-1970-1976-1977-1978-1984-1986-1990-1999-2004-2005).
28: Tipperary (1887-1895-1896-1898-1899-1900-1906-1908-1916-1925-1930-1937-1945-1949-1950-1951-1958-1961-1962-1964-1965-1971-1989-1991-2001-2010-20162-19)
8: Limerick (1897-1918-21-34-36-40-73-2018).
6: Dublin (1889-1917-1920-1924-1927-1938).
6: Wexford (1910-1955-1956-1960-1968-1996)
5: Galway (1923-1980-1987-1988-2017)
4: Offaly (1981-1985-1994-1998)
4: Clare (1914-1995-1997-2013)
2: Waterford (1948-1959)
1: Kerry (1891), Laois (1915), London (1901)
