Mullane saves Déise at the death

Munster GAA Hurling Championship Semi-FinalWaterford 3-15 Limerick 3-14

John Mullane scored a dramatic late goal to send defending champions Waterford into the Munster final after an engrossing tussle with Limerick in Thurles on Sunday.

The Déise will put their Munster title on the line against Clare or Tipperary on July 10, but Davy Fitzgerald's side will know just how lucky they are to have the chance to retain the provincial crown for the first time in their history after a truly searching test against Limerick.

Leading by 1-9 to 1-6 after a pedestrian first half that only came to life in the closing stages, Waterford were rocked on their heels by a second half double from Limerick's teenage prodigy Kevin Downes.

Limerick were two points clear in the 70th minute after David Breen and Niall Moran sent over scores as the clock counted down, but Mullane was on hand to rattle home his second goal of the game as the game moved into added time and Waterford escaped with the win.

Waterford were presented with an early goal chance when they were awarded a penalty after Damien Reale's foul on Brian O'Sullivan. Debutant Pauric Mahony stood up to take the dead ball, but his well-struck shot was block by a combination of Gavin O'Mahoney and goalkeeper Nicky Quaid.

A Déise goal, however, was not too long in coming, the buzzing Mullane escaping the clutches of Tom Condon - who was caught on the wrong side - and ramming a shot into the top corner, giving Quaid no chance.

After a promising start, Limerick began to betray their nerves and too often opted to shoot from too far out the field, hitting a string of wides - they hit seven in the first half alone - which was clearly frustrating their manager, Dónal O'Grady. Allied to that, three of their defenders were shown yellow cards in the first half an hour.

Waterford were more accurate, working the ball into better positions before shooting. While Limerick struggled, the Désie forwards were making hay, as they strung four points without reply together before the break. Shane Walsh, Shane O'Sullivan, Maurice Shanahan and Mahony all found the target to leave them 1-7 to 0-4 ahead and apparently cruising.

However, the Treaty men snaffled a goal completely against the run of play to reignite their challenge. Wing-back Wayne McNamara spotted a gap in the Waterford defence and ran straight through it, before cutting inside a defender and cracking a low shot past Clinton Hennessy. O'Grady added his second point from midfield and the gap was down to two.

Suddenly, the game crackled to life and Waterford responded with two successive scores, Brian O'Sullivan and Shanahan finding their range in injury time.

Moran sent over his second of the game, flicking over the bar after Hennessy had sent a rebound from a shot straight into his path.

But there was more action packed into a five-minute spell than the 33 that had preceded it. Mullane was handed a golden chance to grab a second with practically the last puck of the half, but his low shot was well saved by Quaid and Waterford had to be content with a three-point, 1-9 to 1-6, lead at the break.

Limerick maintained that momentum on the restart as Brian Geary sent over an early free before the game was turned on its head when Kevin Downes scored a brilliant solo goal in the 38th minute. It was a trademark Downes effort, evading a defender and beating his man for pace on the outside before finishing with a crafty flick of the hurley. The excellent O'Grady and Graem Mulcahy added scores and Limerick were suddenly 2-9 to 1-9 ahead.

In keeping with the tone of a dramatic and thrilling game, Shane Walsh had Waterford level within two minutes, winning a breaking ball in the Limerick defence and steering his shot beyond Quaid. There was nothing separating the sides, 2-9 to 2-9.

Spurred by the goal, Waterford hit three points on the spin, before Richie McCarthy and Moran hit back for Limerick. Then, Downes, by now running riot at full-forward, was found with a fine diagonal ball and, quite remarkably, repeated the trick he performed 12 minutes earlier, to snatch another fine goal - again finished in style from a tight angle.

Waterford were level by the 60th minute, Mahony grabbing two points from play to leave the game on a knife edge. However, it was Limerick who made the break for the line, Breen and Moran, his fourth of the day, sending over scores to leave Donal O'Grady's side within reach of a place in the Munster final.

On a day that will live in the memory for its sheer drama, it was a man who has seen and done it all before, Mullane, who came up trumps, grabbing a late ball across the square and ripping a bullet of a shot - aided by a slight deflection - into the top corner for the match-winning goal.

Limerick Scorers: D O'Grady 0-3, K Downes 2-1, N Moran 0-4, R McCarthy 0-3 (0-3f), W McNamara 1-0, B Geary 0-1 (0-f), G Mulcahy 0-1, D Breen 0-1.

Waterford Scorers: P Mahony 0-7 (0-4f), J Mullane 2-2, S O'Sullivan 0-1, S Walsh 1-1, M Shanahan 0-2, B O'Sullivan 0-2,

Limerick: N Quaid; D Reale, S Hickey, T Condon; W McNamara, B Geary, G O'Mahony; D O'Grady, P Browne; J Ryan, R McCarthy, N Moran; S Tobin, K Downes, G Mulcahy. Subs: D Moloney for Reale (59), P Tobin for McCarthy (65), D Breen for S Tobin (66).

Waterford: C Hennessy; D Fives, W Hutchinson, N Connors; T Browne, M Walsh, K Moran; S O'Sullivan, D O'Sullivan; P Mahony, S Molumphy, M Shanahan; J Mullane, S Walsh, B O'Sullivan. Subs: J Nagle for Hutchinson (54), S Prendergast for Shanhan (59), E Kelly for Mahony (66).

Referee: Barry Kelly

Attendance: 15,650