https://www.limerickleader.ie/section/1195/advertise-with-us weather & more in Limerick and County Limerick All the latest breaking local news from Limerick and County Limerick Keep up to date with the latest sports news Read all the latest Irish news and updates from around Ireland Find whats happening in and around Limerick and County Limerick Enjoy our award winning photos and picture galleries taken in Limerick and County Limerick Catch up on all the latest business news in Limerick and County Limerick Read about the latest properties available in Limerick and County Limerick Enjoy our latest and up to date motoring review and news in Limerick and County Limerick Limerick and County Limerick Met Eireann Weather Forecast Recent death notices and obituaries from Limerick and County Limerick Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter Support our mission and join our community now you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism THE WOMAN who perished in a house fire in Limerick city in the early hours of Saturday morning has been named locally as Rita Brick She has been remembered as a great friend and neighbour who enjoyed a chat and always had a smile for everyone including Limerick Fire and Rescue Service responded to the blaze at a property in Wolfe Tone Street after the alarm was raised It's understood the fire was quickly brought under control and that the body of a woman was discovered during a subsequent search of the property READ MORE: Daughter, 11, pays beautiful tribute to beloved Limerick mum after her sudden death The scene was preserved by gardai to facilitate a technical examination While the investigation is at an early stage it's understood there is nothing to suggest foul play A file will be prepared for the Limerick coroner John McNamara Many tributes have been paid following the passing of Ms Brick One person said on rip.ie: “Our sincere condolences to all the Brick family and Rita's friends Rita was a lovely lady who always had a smile for everyone Another to extend their sympathies wrote: “Such a pleasure to have known Rita Ms Brick is also fondly remembered by former colleagues in Aer Lingus.  “I had the pleasure of working with her at Aer Lingus and of knowing her through living near her also,” said one The beloved daughter of the late Tim and Eileen Brick was predeceased by her brother Tim (Teddy) and sister Ursula (Walsh) Her passing is deeply regretted by her loving sister Olive Boland and extended family Funeral arrangements will be announced later " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g please subscribe and support local journalism Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles To continue reading this article for FREE,please kindly register and/or log in Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news A view of Limerick city centre Picture: Kieran Ryan-Benson The former Desmond Arms complex in Catherine Street is being marketed as The Printworks reflecting a time when this newspaper was printed in the area | PICTURE: Adrian Butler Join Slimming World Ireland and donate your clothes to charity when you lose the weight The Abbeyfeale-based company Like Bikes is celebrating after it was presented with a Green/Sustainability award at the National Enterprise Awards Local News The Shannon Airport Group recorded a solid financial performance in 2024 with turnover from continuing operations increasing by 7.6% one of the Limerick entries from Salesian Secondary College Popular classical pieces will be performed by staff members of the school Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie COUNCIL conservation bosses are having ongoing talks with the owner of a building in Limerick which has been left undeveloped At this month’s metropolitan district meeting Independent councillor Maria Donoghue sought an update on a city centre site in Catherine Street Located between 34 and 41 on Catherine Street the buildings have stood largely untouched for more than 20 years scaffolding appeared on the complex in 2022 advising of impending development The site is being marketed as The Printworks reflecting a time when this newspaper was printed from a neighbouring building READ MORE: Limerick city drama group bring A Little Bit of Magic to stage Planning permission is in place for development providing 24 apartments and an office complex “There is an ongoing engagement between the conservation team and the owner of this building to progress the development of the site,” confirmed senior planner Maria Woods in a written answer Cllr Donoghue said she is concerned at the pace of delivery “The works never seem to show development or outcome on the site There never seems to be a lot in the way of work being carried out or personnel on the site from the street level at least,” the City West councillor said She contrasted it with the HSE offices opposite which have undergone repair works and said the Printworks site would be ideal for housing RYDER Cup-winning captain Luke Donald and wife Diane enjoyed a tee-rific visit to Limerick Diane posted on her Instagram that the couple had “the best couple of days in a very sunny Ireland” “Is there anywhere better when the sun is shining than Ireland An absolute dream from start to finish,” she shared on social media strolled around the picturesque village and sank a few pints of the black stuff in Bunratty They also enjoyed a sing-song on their travels which has a special place in Diane’s heart.  READ MORE: PICTURES: Riverfest Limerick celebrates 21st birthday in glorious sunshine If the upcoming Ryder Cup in Bethpage Black, New York is another winning one for Luke, he could become a three-time Ryder Cap captain in Adare Manor in 2027.  The form that Rory McIlory, Shane Lowry, Ludvig Åberg, Justin Rose et al are in you wouldn’t bet against Europe winning on US soil in September. “I highly, highly recommend (Adare Manor). If you love golf and want an all out luxurious experience, there is no place quite like it.  “I can’t wait to see it host the 2027 Ryder Cup, it’s going to be epic!” posted Diane to her over 15,000 followers on Instagram. Luke also shared a photo from the trip on his Instagram, saying it was an “amazing few days”. The former World Number 1 golfer has over 250,000 followers. They both thanked Italian luxury fashion brand Loro Piana. “We are so excited to showcase the collection we helped design for Bethpage Black in a couple of months,” said Diane. The trip to Limerick isn’t one they are likely to fore-get for a while. " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g, ' To continue reading this article, please subscribe and support local journalism! Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles. To continue reading this article for FREE,please kindly register and/or log in. Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites. You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news! Michael Sweeney, managing director at Select Forest Ltd Join Slimming World Ireland and donate your clothes to charity when you lose the weight! Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles. Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm. This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie. As a preliminary thought to Saturday’s match in Walsh Park, Limerick and Waterford has over the years been a one-way street Even when Waterford were at their best in the Covid years getting to an All-Ireland final and semi-final Limerick’s cushion against them was essentially a standard 11 points Back then Waterford had greater resources with Calum Lyons and a fully match-fit Austin Gleeson available but I still believed Waterford had a chance on the basis that they had looked quite lively against Clare who had looked fairly well off it against Tipperary so I was really interested to see where they were at the weekend They certainly needed to improve from the Thurles performance and the question was whether they’d be able to do that An underwhelming league could be partly explained by injuries and other absences but this was more like their best team Seán Finn and Dan Morrissey were back in the full-back line and Barry Nash was moved to wing back Will O’Donoghue returned to the middle of the field and Cian Lynch to centre forward with Kyle Hayes at centre back It was their more recognisable foundation or formation [ Limerick dismiss Waterford challenge with usual calm authorityOpens in new window ] a 0-28 points to 0-22 victory didn’t really tell the whole story On the balance of play Limerick would have been full value for a bigger win heading in the direction of their standard 11 points Against Tipperary they were unsure and dropping the ball a lot and even Lynch‘s touch wasn’t as assured as normal it was actually as good as ever from the word go His dictation of the game was a return to best form back in the days before the serious hamstring injury He was running the show from an early stage and picked a few wonderful passes one in particular in the first half when he struck the ball back over his shoulder to a completely unmarked Tom Morrissey for a wonderful assist John Kiely and co will be very happy with the improvement they got from nearly all the key men There’s also more to come from O’Donoghue and Gearóid Hegarty who still managed to score the point of the evening by tapping a hunted turnover ball up into his hand and whipping the Limerick support into a frenzy by driving it over the bar Tom and Dan Morrissey – he really is indispensable at full back – Aaron Gillane [ Waterford’s Stephen Bennett embodies spirit of never-say-die golden generationOpens in new window ] There was also the added bonus of great displays from younger players, such as Shane O’Brien − who top-scored from play at full forward and was desperately unlucky not to get a goal in the first half when hitting the post − and Adam English. Waterford fought hard. They were disadvantaged by the six-day turnaround and never looked to have the same energy they showed against Clare but they resisted strongly to cut the margin to two a couple of times before Limerick simply pulled away again. Mark Fitzgerald and Tadhg de Búrca were very good again in the half backs and Stephen Bennett once more carried the scoring burden, but such is the pressure on him – particularly with Dessie Hutchinson not enjoying his best form – that a couple of inaccuracies before half-time were costly. Waterford’s style suits Limerick at the best of times. The teams that are troubling Limerick are the ones going man-to-man, whereas Waterford are withdrawing. Limerick are able to outnumber the Waterford inside forwards and then work the ball out from the back. When their touch is on like it was on Saturday, you know they’re going to run it out through you, no problem. That’s what happened. Waterford aren’t to be dismissed, as the picture in Munster seems to change every week, but it’s looking like the match against Tipperary will be vital, as it’s hard to see them getting anything in Cork. It was Limerick’s best performance of the year and their players will take a lot from it because even if they weren’t yet under pressure to find form, they were certainly under observation. They also got the likes of Cathal O’Neill and Darragh O’Donovan back on the pitch. After a stuttering year so far, they are right back on track. Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC Limerick's Aaran Gillane in action against Waterford's Iarlaith Daly during their Munster SHC clash at Walsh Park John Kiely has rejected any debate about whether there might be too many miles on the Limerick clock as they bid to regain the All-Ireland SHC crown this season The Treaty made it three points from a possible four in this year’s Munster round-robin campaign when keeping Waterford at arm’s length in Walsh Park on Saturday evening PHOTOGRAPHER Brendan Gleeson was out and about in Limerick city this weekend Did you enjoy a night out in Jerry Flannery's were you snapped and do you feature in our latest gallery GARDAÍ are appealing for witnesses following a late-night assault in Limerick city where a man in his 20s had his nose broken by a group who fled the scene in a car The incident occurred between 2am and 2.10am on Wednesday at the junction of O’Connell St and William St “A man in his early-20s was assaulted by a member of a group who exited a dark coloured Opel Insignia vehicle with one of the males head-butting the victim before the group fled the scene in the vehicle,” said Sergeant Michelle O’Halloran READ ALSO: 'Out of control': Huge increase in shoplifting in Limerick amid 'epidemic' of theft “The injured man was treated at the scene by ambulance services and taken to University Hospital Limerick (UHL), where it was determined he sustained a broken nose.   “Gardaí at Henry St are appealing for witnesses or motorists who may have dash cam footage following an assault that occurred in the city centre.” Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or have any dash cam footage is asked to contact Henry St garda station on 061 212 400.  This is the sixth iteration of the provincial round-robin championship. In Munster the format has proved an outstanding success A general level of competitiveness has been established throughout the province This is despite the apparently unpromising statistics of Limerick having won all but one of those championships – plus the two in between during Covid – and Clare having been beaten finalists in four of the five years to date Waterford have also failed to survive the format by finishing in the top three in any of those years Each year has nonetheless seen drama over who will contest the provincial final and who will get the third All-Ireland ticket Any notions that the Munster title would become a pointless digression have been buried by capacity attendances at the last three high-voltage finals between Limerick and Clare At least four teams have to be in contention to guarantee a contest for three places One of the aspects of the round-robin format that has played a big role in both the enjoyment and competitiveness of the championship has been the guarantee of home matches This is of particular importance to Clare and Waterford whose grounds were generally not considered big enough for Munster fixtures and as a result under the old system It might also explain why Waterford have such a poor record because in two of the years Walsh Park wasn’t available to them because of reconstruction work and they had to play “home” matches elsewhere The most convenient venue would have been Nowlan Park in Kilkenny but that was in another province and the county instead ended up playing its “home” matches in Thurles and bizarrely on one occasion Having Walsh Park restored and available was particularly looked forward to this year after a spring spent in Division 1B The 2025 rotation was to bring All-Ireland champions Clare and their four-in-a-row predecessors Limerick to Waterford It began well with a win over Clare the week before last but the schedules ordained that their next home match would be six days later against Limerick who had enjoyed a week off the previous weekend “We try and build ourselves up and get it into our heads that six days is nothing. We did very little physically, but mentally and emotionally it can be hard to get down and get back up again in such a short space of time. “We’ve been building for probably seven months for the Clare game and six days then to get ready for Limerick. And it’s Limerick, remember. They’re six-in-a-row Munster champions and they showed why today. “They’re a big, strong, physical hurling team and it showed that they’re probably, again, the team to beat this year.” The data indicated that Waterford had no chance and not just because their matches against Limerick have been the one constant in Munster: played five, lost five, the only entirely one-way relationship in the province. Now it’s six and six. Other more relevant evidence is that when a team is obliged to play a week later against opponents, who had no match the previous weekend, the win rate is less than a third, seven out of 22. More damningly, a team forced like Waterford at the weekend, to play six days later against a rested team, can cling to no positive precedent. It has simply never happened. In the five times such a fixture has taken place, the team in Waterford’s position has never won although three of the matches (60 per cent) did end in draws. Then there is the promotional loss. After a season in a lower division, Waterford got their chance to have home fixtures against top teams but because of scheduling, the second of these opportunities to market the hurlers on the big stage had to be exploited within six days. Such has been the interest in the Munster championship together with the rise of Cork that ticket sales have been both healthy and robust but the buzz around the place after beating Clare didn’t get much currency. Of course, Waterford had been the beneficiaries of the same scheduling in their first match against Clare who had played their epic draw against Cork only six days previously. The round-robin era really took off with Cork’s home match against Limerick on the June bank holiday in 2018 when 34,607 turned out in Pairc Uí Chaoimh. It was one of the five matches where a rested team (Limerick) played a side that had been in action six days previously (Cork) – and one of the draws. For context, Limerick, a then rising force who would win their first All-Ireland in 45 years later that summer, lost Aaron Gillane to red card before half-time and their captain Declan Hannon to injury. That they managed a draw in the circumstances was actually further evidence of the unfairness of the six-day turnaround, compounded by the fact that Cork were playing a third match in 14 days. One player’s parents said that he literally hadn’t been able to get out of bed the following day. There were also examples of teams having to play in four successive weekends in both provinces. Of the four who had such a schedule, three did not qualify for the All-Ireland stages. These fixture shortcomings were duly addressed and the fixtures reorganised accordingly. It is not easy to juggle fixtures in such a constricted calendar and these scheduling misfortunes come down ultimately to the luck of the draw but when that results in such unfairness to teams, might it be time to reconsider the draw? Motorists may face delays when travelling the northbound side of the N18 Limerick Tunnel An overheight truck has entered the tunnel Gardaí are currently assisting the driver to remove the obstruction safely.  We need your consent to load this YouTube contentWe use YouTube to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences The GAA must have been big fans of the 2023 Oscars How else to explain a schedule that goes from Everything All At Once to All Quiet On The Western Front there are just three senior men's games this weekend and one in hurling: Limerick's trip to Walsh Park tomorrow The Treaty were not the dominant side we have been used to seeing in recent years in their opening-round draw with Tipperary at Semple Stadium and might have been happy enough to get out with a draw A two-week break will have helped get some players back up to speed after injury and John Kiely has made two changes to the full-back line after conceding two goals against Tipp; Dan Morrissey who had hamstring issues during the league comes in at full-back with Mike Casey switching to left-corner back and four-time All-Star Sean Finn is in the right corner Barry Murphy is left out of the squad and Colin Coughlan drops to the bench as Barry Nash is pushed forward to wing-back alongside Kyle Hayes who moves to centre-back from centre-forward allowing Will O'Donoghue to take his more customary midfield spot Cathal O'Neill is back among the 26 but former captain Declan Hannon remains absent while Peter Casey also misses out on the panel despite having come on as a sub in Thurles goalkeeper Nickie Quaid appears to have come through his return unscathed just over four months after undergoing cruciate ligament surgery By contrast, it's a very quick turnaround for the Déise after their surprise win over All-Ireland champions Clare last Sunday. Waterford are still looking for a first qualification from the Munster round-robin - they progressed when it reverted to the old format in 2020-21 - and a first championship win over Limerick in 14 years would be a huge step towards that. Only once (2019) in the five previous editions of the group stage has a team with four points failed to advance. Peter Queally makes just one switch to the XV that gave him a 100% record in inter-county management, 20-year-old Patrick Fitzgerald replacing Kieran Bennett after coming off the bench to score two points against the Banner. Jamie Barron (0-04 against Clare) moves back into midfield with Fitzgerald at corner-forward. That means former hurler-of-the-year Austin Gleeson is again amongst the subs having come on in the closing stages last weekend. But other key men like Stephen Bennett (2-08, 4fs last week), Tadhg de Burca and Conor Prunty all seem fully fit while defender Mark Fitzgerald continues to impress. Waterford are big underdogs again this weekend, understandable given their opponents and relative lack of recovery time, but have the benefit of home advantage once more. "I think it is a great opportunity for Waterford," Offaly great Michael Duignan told the RTÉ GAA Podcast, while also calling for some league games to be played before Christmas to ease calendar congestion. "Another factor in the six days is that the game last Sunday by Munster hurling standards wasn't the most intense of games. Clare very flat. "I think they have very little to lose in this game. Last week there was pressure on them because of their poor record and where they've been. "But they knew themselves and we talked about it last week, (there's) a sense that they really have bought into Peter Queally. "It's a real Waterford thing. Sometimes an outside manager can work really well and I think it was the time for them to close shop and they've done that and getting two home games in a row, just the way the draw went, I think is very significant as well. "So they have a great chance but I am expecting a much better performance from Limerick as well." Waterford: Billy Nolan; Ian Kenny, Conor Prunty, Iarlaith Daly; Mark Fitzgerald, Tadhg de Burca, Paddy Leavey; Darragh Lyons, Jamie Barron; Jack Prendergast, Stephen Bennett, Patrick Curran; Kevin Mahony, Dessie Hutchinson, Patrick Fitzgerald. Subs: Shaun O'Brien, Gavin Fives, Kieran Bennett, Tom Barron, Shane Bennett, Michael Kiely, Austin Gleeson, Sean Walsh, Conor Sheahan, Carthach Daly, Padraig Fitzgerald. Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Mike Casey; Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Barry Nash; Adam English, William O'Donoghue; Gearóid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Shane O'Brien, David Reidy. Subs: Shane Dowling, Colin Coughlan, Seamus Flanagan, Ethan Hurley, Aidan O’Connor, Fergal O’Connor, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Darragh O’Donovan, Paddy O’Donovan, Cathal O’Neill, Eddie Stokes © RTÉ 2025. RTÉ.ie is the website of Raidió Teilifís Éireann, Ireland's National Public Service Media. RTÉ is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. Limerick goalkeeper Nickie Quaid (R) and Dessie Hutchinson (C) of Waterford during last year\u0027s Munster meeting \u003Cp\u003EAustin Gleeson\u0027s return after a year out has been hampered by a hamstring issue\u003C/p\u003E Limerick’s Aaron Gillane with fans. Pic: James Crombie, Inpho Pubs and restaurants around the city bursting with supporters And then Limerick come along and remind everyone that not a whole lot has changed since the introduction of the round robin This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in Introductory offers for new customers. Annual billed once for first year. Renews at €120. Monthly initial discount (first 4 months) billed monthly, then €10 a month. Ts&Cs apply The death has occurred of Gloria Whelan (née Lynch) Gloria will be sadly missed by her heartbroken husband Maurice Burial afterwards in Castlemungret Cemetery Messages of sympathy may be conveyed through the condolences section (below) www.griffinfunerals.com or by post to Griffin’s Funeral Home ------------------------------------------------------------------- Charleville and formerly of Flemingstown House John passed away peacefully in the presence of his loving family at Milford Hospice Beloved husband of Rita (née Connolly) and dear brother of the late Maureen kind neighbours and a large circle of friends Requiem Mass on Wednesday morning at 11:30am in Holy Cross Church after which John will be laid to rest in Holy Cross Cemetery Limerick for their wonderful care of John during his time with them In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in remembrance of John to the following organisation: https://milfordcarecentre.ie/how-you-can-help/make-a-donation/ You are invited to leave a personal message or share a memory for the family on the condolence page below The death has occurred of Patrick (Paddy) Riordan Pre-deceased by his beloved wife Theresa (nee Lillis) his 18 adored grandchildren and great-grandchild for 2pm Funeral Mass with burial immediately afterwards in the adjoining cemetery The death has occurred of William (Billy) O’Shaughnessy Limerick and late of Irish Cement and SIPTU Billy will be sadly missed by his loving wife Mary Mass streamed live only here Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to Milford Care Centre. Click here to donate online Messages of sympathy may be expressed through the rip.ie condolences section (below) through www.griffinfunerals.com or by post to Griffin’s Funeral Home The death has occurred of Bridget O’Brien (nee Carragher) Bridget passed peacefully on May 5th at her home Wife of the late Jimmy and mother of the late James Sadly missed and fondly remembered by her loving daughters Linda (Gillane) and Annemarie (Walters) Reposing at the Church Of The Blessed Virgin on Wednesday May 7th from 6pm with evening prayers at 7pm Bridget’s Funeral Mass will take place on Thursday May 8th at 12 Noon with cremation service at 2pm at Shannon Crematorium Limerick and Retired Teacher Presentation Secondary School.  peacefully at University Hospital Limerick Sadly missed by his loving daughter-in-law Orla extended family and a wide circle of friends Thomas Street on Wednesday evening from 5pm to 6.30pm John’s Cathedral on Thursday for Requiem Mass at 11am with burial afterwards in St Tony’s Requiem Mass will be live streamed here Pre-deceased by his father Jim and brother Jamie cousins and extended family and dear friends Laurence and Greg May they all rest in peace. To leave a message of condolence, please click here Eli Lilly will invest nearly $1 billion in its new biologics drug substance manufacturing facility in Limerick The company previously announced a $500 million investment.  facility is currently underway at IDA’s Business Park in Raheen It is expected to create more than 300 highly skilled jobs in areas such as engineering The new facility will utilise the latest biologics manufacturing technology to produce biologic active ingredients for life-changing treatments for patients around the world.  Eli Lilly was first established in Ireland in 1978 and currently employs more than 2,700 people in Cork where it has a large manufacturing campus in Kinsale as well as a Global Business Solutions Centre in Little Island Trade and Employment Simon Coveney said: "I am delighted to hear the announcement that Eli Lilly is to increase its investment to nearly $1 billion at its new biologics drug substance manufacturing facility in Raheen Business Park in Limerick The news demonstrates their commitment to Ireland and highlights the wealth of talent we have to offer." Mikey Stafford and Rory O'Neill are joined by Éamonn Fitzmaurice and Shane McGrath to review the weekend's action Listen to the RTÉ GAA Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences Watch Galway v Wexford in the Leinster Hurling Championship on Saturday from 2.45pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 Watch the Ulster Football Championship final, Armagh v Donegal, on Saturday from 5pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 Watch The Saturday Game from 9.40pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on all matches on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates from around the country on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 Watch the Leinster Football Championship final, Meath v Louth, on Sunday from 3.45pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 A man was handed a life sentence after he pleaded guilty to murdering Geila Ibram in Limerick over two years ago. Habib Shah Shamel appeared in the dock of Belfast Crown Court to be formally arraigned. When the charge of murdering Geila Ibram was put to him, Shamel (28), an Afghan national formerly of Cecil Street in Limerick, replied through an interpreter: “I am guilty”. Ms Ibram, who was 27 and originally from Romania, was stabbed at her apartment in Limerick city on April 4th, 2023 five times – twice to the face, once to the chest, once to the abdomen and once to the forearm which appeared to have been a defensive injury. Senior prosecutor David McDowell KC told the court that Shamel had arranged by text to meet Ms Ibram for sex. “He arrived at the flat and paid her €100. She gave the money to a colleague,” said Mr McDowell. “Several seconds later, this colleague heard screams and it was apparent he had stabbed Ms Ibram. “The fatal injury was to the chest which went through her lungs and entered her heart. Death was as a result of blood loss due to multiple stab wounds. “The fact that he stabbed her within seconds of meeting Ms Ibram invites the obvious inference that he came there to kill her.’’ Shamel fled the scene and went to Dublin before heading by bus to Belfast. The PSNI stopped him in a car on the Malone Road in south Belfast just before 3.30pm on April 6th, 2023. During interviews with police, he said he had gone to the escort to “satisfy his sexual needs” because of something he had viewed online. Following his guilty plea to murdering Ms Ibram, Mr Justice O’Hara told the defendant: “Mr Shamel, since you have pleaded guilty to the murder of Ms Ibram in April 2023 I must now impose on you a sentence of life imprisonment.” during the Munster senior hurling round robin fixture at Walsh Park on Saturday evening CHAMPIONS Limerick secured the first win of their Munster senior hurling championship round robin campaign with a convincing 0-28 to 0-22 victory over Waterford in front a sun-drenched attendance of 12,101 at Walsh Park on Saturday evening seeking an unprecedented seventh Munster senior hurling title in a row who looked the more likely winners throughout continued to hold the upperhand in the second period recording an impressive six point success in the end READ MORE: WATCH: Live pre-match analysis from Walsh Park as Limerick face Waterford in Munster Hurling Championship There was much to admire in Limerick's display the provincial champions hurling with a much greater degree of fluency and sharpness than they had displayed in their opening outing Limerick also brought a huge energy all over the pitch their huge workrate will no doubt have pleased their management team.  The Shannonsiders' breathless intensity proved too much for a Waterford side which were playing their second championship fixture in the space of six days who was deployed at centre half-back rather than centre half forward for this game turned in a dominant display all through for the winners pace and athleticism to telling effect.  Cian Lynch was awarded the Man of the Match accolade Mike Casey and Shane O'Brien also caught the eye in an impressive team performance.  The Limerick management team will also be pleased by the impressive impact their substitutions made to this important win A significant total of 22 points from the winners tally of 28 points came from open play while 10 different players contributed score for Limerick Opponents Waterford scored 12 points from play over the 70 minutes with 10 of their points coming from placed balls.  Limerick have  now won their last nine championship games against the Deise the Shannonsiders last defeat in the fixture was a one-point loss in the 2011 Munster semi-final WATCH NEXT: WATCH: Limerick manager John Kiely reflects on Munster Championship victory over Waterford Next up for Limerick, who now have three points from their opening two round robin fixtures, is a home fixture against Cork on Sunday, May 18 at the TUS Gaelic Grounds, 4pm. For Saturday evening's trip to the South East, Limerick made two changes to the team that drew with Tipperary in Round 1 as Sean Finn and Dan Morrissey came into the defence in place of Barry Murphy and Colin Coughlan. Opponents Waterford made just one change to the team that defeated Clare six days earlier as Patrick Fitzgerald came into the starting XV in place of Kieran Bennett. That saw a positional switch with Jamie Barron moving from centre-forward to midfield, Stephen Bennett named at centre-forward, and Fitzgerald in the corner. On a perfect evening for a game, Limerick came roaring out of the blocks. It was evident from the throw-in that the Shannonsiders had learned a great deal in the two weeks since their drawn opening round encounter with Tipperary.Limerick were two points to the good inside the opening 90 seconds with scores from Diarmaid Byrnes and Shane O'Brien. The visitors use of possession was hugely impressive as they moved the ball at pace creating overlaps which they utilised to telling effect. Limerick raced 0-7 to 0-2 in front by the 10th minute as points followed from the influential Cian Lynch, Barry Nash, Adam English and the free-running Tom Morrissey. Waterford, six days on from their opening round victory over Clare, were being outplayed, but stayed in the contest, with points from Stephen Bennett, free, and Jack Prendergast on 14 minutes to get within two of their visitors, 0-5 to 0-7. With their confidence levels rising and their gameplan working well, Limerick stretched clear, 0-10 to 0-5, with a run of three unanswered points from Aaron Gillane, two frees, and another from Man of the Match Lynch. Limerick replaced wing back Byrnes, who had earlier picked up a yellow card, with Ballybrown's Colin Coughlan on 19 minutes.The holders camp within a whisker of netting the first goal of the game on the 21st minute when the impressive Shane O'Brien latched onto Tom Morrissey's long delivery. However, the Kilmallock man's blast for a goal came crashing back off an upright before being cleared. Despite the near miss, Limerick pressed on and points from Gillane, free, and Tom Morrissey, who scored three from play in the opening half, had the Shannonsiders 0-12 to 0-6 in front. Limerick's lead was five at the break as Morrissey and Gillane struck over the last two scores of the half after Waterford had closed to within three points after 33 minutes. Limerick were on the wrong side of the free count in the opening half, an aspect of the game which frustrated their travelling support, who felt the home side were finding it easier to be awarded frees.  Waterford started the second half impressively and drew within two points of their rivals, 0-14 to 0-16, after 42 minutes when topscorer Shane Bennett converted a 42nd minute '65. However, it was to be as close as Waterford would get to their opponents as Limerick succeeded in keeping them at arms' length. A run of four scores without reply from Gillane, with two, including a free, English and O'Brien stretched their advantage out to six points after 47 minutes. The tide had turned in the Shannonsiders' favour. You felt it was going to be Limerick's evening for sure in the 54th minute when Gearoid Hegarty landed a terrific score, the savage work rate displayed by three or four Limerick players which forced a crucial turnover in the lead up to the point brought a deafening roar from the visiting supporters in the covered stand. They were roaring their approval. Limerick never looked like being in any danger of losing the contest in the final quarter. SCORERS: Waterford: Stephen Bennett 0-9 (0-6 frees, 2 '65s); Billy Nolan (frees), Mark Fitzgerald, Jamie Barron 0-2 each; Patrick Fitzgerald, Jack Prendergast, Dessie Hutchinson, Kevin Mahony, Mikey Kiely, Shane Bennett, Gavin Fives 0-1 each. Limerick: Aaron Gillane 0-9 (0-6 frees); Shane O’Brien 0-4; Tom Morrissey, Adam English, Cian Lynch 0-3 each; Barry Nash 0-2; Diarmaid Byrnes, Gearoid Hegarty, Aidan O’Connor, Cathal O’Neill 0-1 each. WATERFORD: Billy Nolan; Ian Kenny, Conor Prunty, Iarlaith Daly; Mark Fitzgerald, Tadhg de Burca, Paddy Leavey; Darragh Lyons, Jamie Barron; Jack Prendergast, Stephen Bennett, Patrick Curran; Kevin Mahony, Dessie Hutchinson, Patrick Fitzgerald. Subs: Michael Kiely for Curran (25 mins), Shane Bennett for Fitzgerald (half-time), Gavin Fives for Lyons (45 mins), Padraig Fitzgerald for Mahony (50 mins), Austin Gleeson for Jamie Barron (65 mins). LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Mike Casey; Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Barry Nash; Adam English, William O'Donoghue; Gearóid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Shane O’Brien, David Reidy. Subs: Colin Coughlan for Byrnes (19 mins), Cathal O'Neill for O'Donoghue (49 mins), Aidan O'Connor for Morrissey (60 mins), Darragh O'Donovan for English (65 mins), Donnacha O'Dalaigh for O'Brien (69 mins). Waterford were spunky and relentless, but they couldn’t cope with Limerick’s abrasive power and dynamism on the ball. Limerick’s defence suffocated the Waterford attack and, but for a couple of speculative efforts in the second half, Waterford never looked like getting the goals they needed to sustain their challenge. Waterford never led in the game, and when they reduced the deficit to just two points with a fast start to the second half Limerick responded with four unanswered points. If that counted as a fright it quickly passed. Limerick were better than they had been against Tipperary, especially against the breeze in the first half, but there will still be a snag list before the visit of Cork to the Gaelic Grounds in a fortnight. John Kiely quoted their shooting efficiency at 67%, and their wides tally slipped into double figures, neither of which met their targets. In everything they do, Limerick are devoted to the numbers. They failed to reach their perpetual target of 30 points and didn’t force a save from Billy Nolan, but they didn’t trip over either of these shortcomings. In his post-match interview Kiely glowed with quiet satisfaction. He mentioned “energy” five times, describing it variously as “great,” “exceptional,” “good” and “through the roof,” twice. He mentioned “intensity” three times; that was “through the roof,” too. Energy and intensity are buzzwords in team sports, but Limerick are one of the teams for whom those words never lose their meaning. “I think structurally, we were extremely sound,” said Kiely. “Defensively, extremely strong. Our full-back line was absolutely excellent. Our half-back line controlled the ball in the air really, really well. And I just thought our energy going forward was exceptional, so very, very happy. We worked hard. Our intensity throughout the game was really, really high. That’s something we’ve noticed in the championship this year, that the intensity levels in all teams have gone way up.” The problem for Waterford in the second half was that they needed to commit more bodies to the middle third in an effort to gain primary possession, but that left them light on numbers close to goal. When the ball was sent in Waterford’s inside forwards were routinely outnumbered. If Limerick didn’t concede a goal they couldn’t lose. Over the years, they have been masters of that equation. Limerick asserted their control from the beginning and were five points up inside 11 minutes. Whatever dirty diesel was in the tank against Tipperary was blown out. Limerick moved the ball with devastating simplicity and coherence. In that mood, they always have receivers in space. With the breeze in the first half Waterford elected to go long with nearly all their puck-outs, either by design or coercion, and Limerick mopped up most of them. The space between the Limerick half-backs and full-backs was so compressed that Waterford’s forwards had very little room in which to play, even when they did get their hands on the ball. Waterford picked off three points in a row in the middle of the half, but it didn’t change the momentum. Young Patrick Fitzgerald landed a brilliant point, and Kevin Mahony got a good score too, but Bennett missed a couple of frees when Waterford couldn’t afford to let any pennies fall through a hole in their pocket. Limerick replaced Diarmaid Byrnes midway through the first half shortly after he became a red card risk. He was booked after 12 minutes and escaped with a warning after committing another yellow card offence a minute later. After a sideline consultation with Byrnes, Colin Coughlan was summoned from the bench. Limerick led by 0-15 to 0-10 at half-time and after they weathered the Waterford storm early in the second half, they were still five points clear after 50 minutes. Waterford’s best chance of a goal came immediately after half-time when Stephen Bennett played a cute ground pass to his brother Shane from a free inside the Limerick D. The pick-up, though, was just a fraction clumsy and by the time he steadied himself to shoot a phalanx of Limerick defenders came rushing at him. One of them made a block with his body. At the other end, Limerick were picking off points at a rate that maintained their comfort levels. Shane O’Brien scored four at his ease and one of these days he will cut loose. Aaron Gillane added a couple of beauties and three of Limerick’s subs scored from play. For Waterford, it was just too much to bear. Waterford: B Nolan (0-2, frees), I Kenny, C Prunty, I Daly, M Fitzgerald (0-2), Tadgh de Búrca, P Leavey, D Lyons, J Prendergast (0-1), J Barron (0-2), Stephen Bennett (0-9, 0-6 frees, 0-2 65), P Curran, K Mahony (0-1), D Hutchinson (0-1), Patrick Fitzgerald (0-1). Subs: M Kiely (0-1) for Curran, 26 mins; Shane Bennett (0-1) for Patrick Fitzgerald, h-t; G Fives (0-1) for Lyons, 46 mins; Pádraig Fitzgerald for Mahony, 50 mins; A Gleeson for Barron, 65 mins. Limerick: N Quaid, S Finn, D Morrissey, M Casey, D Byrnes, K Hayes, B Nash (0-1), A English (0-3), W O’Donoghue (0-1), G Hegarty (0-1), C Lynch (0-3), T Morrissey (0-3), A Gillane (0-9, 0-6 frees), S O’Brien (0-4), D Reidy. Subs: C Coughlan (0-1) for Byrnes, 18 mins; C O’Neill (0-1) for O’Donoghue, 49 mins; A O’Connor (0-1) for T Morrissey, 60 mins; D O’Donovan for English, 67 mins; D Ó Dálaigh for O’Brien, 70 mins. Denis Walsh is a sports writer with The Irish Times Limerick Cricket Club's First XI which played Galway AFTER weather won the opening round of fixtures, Limerick Cricket Club’s 1st XI began their season against County Galway on Sunday of last week in what is a revised schedule at Senior level The season opens with the reintroduced Premier Shield before the league begins in early May With last week’s game against Quins washed out Prasad Hegde led the troops to rivals County Galway where just one wicket separated them from victory.  Hegde put the hosts into field and looked to have made the right decision with an opening stand of 44 made from the pair of Sourabh Teke and Yogesh Borghare READ MORE: Munster Rugby issue injury update ahead of crucial Ulster URC clash in Limerick Galway capitalised as Limerick struggled deeply to withstand the pressure The loss of five wickets in the space of 8 overs cut the batting order in half and turned the game on its head at 58-5.  Limerick were in need of a couple of partnerships in the middle order The middle order however could not add much to the total as the visitors trailed below the 100-run mark at 86-8 Some late surges from the skipper (26) and Shani Alam (29) meant Limerick reached the 150-run mark exactly Limerick struck early through Ramoji Alla who carried his white ball form from last season through with a wicket in the first over Galway consolidated a 50-run partnership for the second wicket as the game started to slip away from the Shannonsiders with the home side making 73 at drinks for the loss of just three wickets.  Limerick valiantly fought tooth and nail to dig their way back into the game and astonishingly picked up five wickets in just under nine overs leaving the game on the edge at 108-8 The contest was well in the balance for the remaining 43 runs with Galway’s opener still at the crease and holding firm to thwart the bowlers further Galway conceded their last wicket with just one run needed to potentially add a sting to the tail but it wasn’t to be as the hosts came on out on top-just Limerick Cricket Club lost to County Galway by 1 wicket                                             Limerick Cricket Club’s 4th XI picked up the club’s first win of the season on Saturday afternoon of last week with a comfortable six wicket win against Cork Harlequins in the Manor Fields.  After economical opening spells from Darshan Dwarakanath and Waqar Ahmed the first change bowlers brought dividends namely in the form of vice-captain Jeevan Krishna who bowled stump to stump and started to rip into the top order This was well followed up with Shravan Chandra and Muhammad Ammar both chipping in with wickets as Quins failed to consolidate any partnerships.  Quins could only make 120 in the end with no batsman getting past double digits as a target of 121 was set Limerick started aggressively and managed to chase down the target before drinks openers Vinaykumar Nagaraju and Pavan Rao set some solid foundations with a high scoring run-rate and despite the loss of Deepak Nagaraju and brother Vinaykumar the middle order cruised to the total in no time with Bharatkumar Dahima and Darshan Dwarakanath putting 50 runs or so together to give skipper Ramji Lakshmanan an opening round victory Cork Harlequins 4: 120 all out off 40 overs                                            where Limerick’s U15 side made light work of opponents County Galway on Saturday afternoon of last week in Lycidan with a comprehensive 10-wicket victory Limerick did their damage with the ball early as the Chaudhry brothers worked hard to deserve their two wickets In a spell with the concession of just four runs Chinmay Shinde’s raw pace was too much for the opposition batsman and with little to wag in the host’s tail Limerick had the small total of 28 runs to chase in reply.  Ghufran Chaudhry would complete an all-rounder performance carrying his bat and making 16 runs to bring Limerick to their target just after the fifth over His partner Riyan Shah would go one better with 17 not out from the other end as the two rotated the strike well to ensure full points and set their team on winning ways early in the season County Galway U15: 38 all out off 17.3 overs              A man has been handed a life sentence after he pleaded guilty to murdering a woman in Limerick city over two years ago Habib Shah Shamel appeared at Belfast Crown Court from custody to be formally arraigned on two charges he faced When the charge of murdering Geila Ibram was put to him by the court clerk an Afghan national formerly of Cecil Street in Limerick replied through an interpreter: "I am guilty.'' was stabbed five times at her apartment in Limerick city on 4 April once to the abdomen and once to the forearm which appeared to have been a defensive injury Senior prosecutor David McDowell KC told the court that Shamel had arranged by text to meet Ms Ibram for sex She gave the money to a colleague,'' said Mr McDowell "Several seconds later this colleague heard screams and it was apparent he had stabbed Ms Ibram "The fatal injury was to the chest which went through her lungs and entered her heart Death was as a result of blood loss due to multiple stab wounds "The fact that he stabbed her within seconds of meeting Ms Ibram invites the obvious inference that he came there to kill her.'' Shamel fled the scene and went to Dublin before heading by bus to Belfast The PSNI stopped him in a car on the Malone Road in south Belfast on 6 April 2023 he said he had gone to the escort to "satisfy his sexual needs'' because of something he had viewed online the PSNI seized a rucksack and found a notebook which contained a hand-written letter to his mother in which he expressed a desire to "sacrifice his life to Allah'' The court heard the bag also contained a USB stick which contained alleged terrorist-related videos of executions instructions on how to construct and detonate an Improvised Explosive Device Mr McDowell said there were also videos of suicide bombers including a father encouraging his 10 to 12-year-old son to blow himself up and then him doing so When the charge of possessing a "document or record containing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism The court heard a trial date had been set for 8 September this year and which is expected to last two weeks Defence barrister Chris Sherrard said he would be seeking expert witnesses as rebuttal to two prosecution experts who have made reports on the contents of the USB stick Following his guilty plea to murdering Ms Ibram Mr Justice O'Hara told the defendant: "Mr Shamel since you have pleaded guilty to the murder of Ms Ibram in April 2023 I must now impose on you a sentence of life imprisonment "There will be a subsequent hearing at which I will set the number of years which you must serve before your release can be considered you will serve a very long period of time in prison before consideration of your release ever comes around.'' Mr Justice O'Hara postponed the life sentence tariff hearing until after the September trial The senior judge added that he would review the case of possessing documents likely to be of use to terrorists in three weeks' time Geila Ibram was stabbed five times at her apartment in Limerick city on 4 April, 2023 \u003Cp\u003EGeila Ibram was found dead at an apartment on Dock Road in Limerick\u003C/p\u003E A woman aged in her 70s has died in a house fire in Limerick city in the early hours of Saturday, gardaí said. Gardaí and emergency services were called to the scene of the blaze at Wolfe Tone Street in the city on Saturday morning. During a search of the premises, the body of a woman was discovered. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The scene is being preserved for technical examination and inquiries are ongoing. Gardaí do not at this time suspect foul play is involved. – PA Kerry manager Jack O’Connor commemorates Paul Geaney on a job well done. Picture: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American film adapted from F Scott Fitzgerald's 1922 short story about a man who ages in reverse When Lee Keegan and Paul Flynn were chatting in MacHale Park after having watched the first half of the Munster final in Killarney Keegan referred to Paul Geaney as Benjamin Button By clicking on 'Sign Up' you will be the first to know about our latest and best sporting content on this browser You have accepted push notifications for this content. If you would like to manage your push notification preferences, you can do so here OVER 18,000 participants took part across all distances - marathon six-mile and relay - in the Regeneron Great Limerick Run There were huge cheers for Limerick's own Ava Crean who won the women's marathon CLICK NEXT OR USE THE ARROWS TO SEE MORE PHOTOS From seasoned marathon runners to first-time six-mile walkers, the spirit of achievement was unmistakable as finishers crossed the finish line on O’Connell Street in the city centre The sun shone down on athletes and spectators but a cool northerly breeze helped to keep one and all from overheating and strangers alike in a true celebration of community and triumph This year’s participants are forecasted to raise over €300,000 for a wide range of local and national charities— a testament to the power of collective effort and generosity PICTURES: Riverfest Limerick celebrates 21st birthday in glorious sunshine won the women’s marathon in a time of 2:43:39 The former Crescent College Comprehensive student took up running during Covid. The men's marathon was won by Poland's Pawel Kosek in 2:25:54 Alex Murphy was the first female home in 1:20; Chris Jeuken won the men’s section in 1:08:40 John Travers claimed the men’s six-mile race in 29:24; the women’s first home was Sinead O’Connor with a time of 34:32 The relay was won by The Culchies of West Limerick Athletics Club in 2:33:31 race director Sliabh Wells said today’s event was a celebration of everything that makes Limerick such a special place “I want to sincerely thank all our participants the people of Limerick for their unwavering support The Regeneron Great Limerick Run continues to grow year after year and today’s record participation reflects the spirit It’s been an incredible day and one we can all be proud of,” said Sliabh senior vice president and site head at Regeneron Ireland said they are honoured to once again be the title sponsor The event embodies the spirit of our community uniting people of all ages and backgrounds in a celebration of fitness this race not only inspires thousands to challenge themselves but also generates vital support for charities that make a real difference in people’s lives.  we are deeply committed to making meaningful change in our community and showcasing Limerick and this partnership reflects that dedication We extend our best wishes to all participants and organisers who make this incredible event possible and we look forward to another unforgettable race day,” said Niall As the curtain falls on another memorable Regeneron Great Limerick Run organisers celebrate not just the physical achievements but the incredible community spirit that makes this event truly special.  “Limerick once again proved itself as a world-class host and we already look forward to next year’s event Blood donations clinics will take place in Limerick this weekend BLOOD stock levels have fallen following Easter and are expected to decline again after the May bank holiday. However, the need for blood in Irish hospitals remains consistently high and two blood clinics will take place in Limerick this weekend The upcoming blood donation clinics will be held in Castletroy Park Hotel on Sunday May 11 from 11.50am to 3.10pm and in Limerick Racecourse New and returning donors are welcome at all clinics Appointments can be made by phoning 1800 222 111 Donors make a vital contribution to patient care as 65% of donated blood supports cancer treatment and 5% is used in childbirth-related care READ MORE: Construction underway on €60m Limerick surgical hub under plan to reduce patient waiting times The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) is encouraging first-time donors, younger donors, and people from diverse communities, including those of African heritage, to consider donating. Whether you're a regular donor or it's been a while, your help is truly valued. This year has brought added challenges, including disruptions from severe weather and increased respiratory illnesses, both of which have impacted blood collection efforts across the country. Maintaining a strong blood supply is essential, and the IBTS are asking the public to support them in meeting hospital needs. Sorry, this product is unavailable. Please choose a different combination. Fáilte chuig gaa.ie - suíomh oifigiúil CLG Stephen Bennett of Waterford in action against Barry Nash and Dan Morrissey of Limerick during the 2024 Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 5 match between Limerick and Waterford at TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick Every match in the Munster SHC intrigues and this one is no different All the more so after Waterford put reigning All-Ireland champions Clare to the sword so impressively last weekend They’ve made just one change to the team that won that match as Patrick Fitzgerald comes into the XV in place of Kieran Bennett That necessitates a positional switch with Jamie Barron moving from centre-forward to midfield The Deise will have taken huge confidence from the nature of that win and will believe they can make it two big scalps in as many weeks here but you’d wonder if a six-day turnaround might make it challenging for them to get up to the same physical and emotional pitch again Limerick have had two weeks to prepare for the game and will have gathered a lot of intelligence from watching Waterford’s win over Clare They’ve made two changes to the team that drew with Tipperary in Round 1 as Sean Finn and Dan Morrissey come into the defence in place of Barry Murphy and Colin Coughlan Kyle Hayes is named at centre-back again and it’ll be interesting to see if he plays there on Saturday or instead starts at centre-forward like he did against Tipperary Getting more output from their half-forward line will be high on Limerick’s agenda for this game A prolific half-forward line played a big part in their four-in-a-row of All-Ireland Finals but against Tipperary two weeks ago produced just four points from play only got a point apiece and will be keen to prove here that they’re still at the peak of their powers rather than on a down slope Waterford’s half-back line of Mark Fitzgerald and Paddy Leavey was dominant against Clare so this will be a key battle zone You could see both teams breaking relatively even around the middle third in which case it’ll come down to whichever inside line makes the most of what comes their way Shane O’Brien and Aaron Gillane are a real physical handful but in Conor Prunty and Iarlaith Daly Waterford have a brace of defenders who should be able to give as good as they get in this regard Sean Finn has had the better of Dessie Hutchinson whenever they’ve come up against one another but might lack some match sharpness so this is another battle to watch Stephen Bennett was hugely influential for Waterford against Clare and it’ll be interesting to see who Limerick tag to shadow him The returning Dan Morrissey is a good bet here Limerick looked a little vulnerable against Tipperary but will have learned a lot from the game and you’d imagine they’ll be 5% to 10% better here because a Waterford team high on confidence roared on by a packed Walsh Park will be formidable opponents Laois and Dublin through to oneills.com Leinster U20 hurling semi-finals3 hours ago Munster SHC: Limerick assert themselves against Waterford 2 days ago Round-up: Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship2 days ago Cork and Waterford to contest Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Final2 days ago Official Sponsors of the GAA Football All-Ireland Championship Official Sponsors of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Championship MAIN MAN GILLANE: Limerick’s Aaron Gillane and Conor Prunty of Waterford An Aaron Gillane-inspired Limerick were full value for their first victory in this Munster SHC campaign as they impressed in front of a 12,101 crowd at a sundrenched Walsh Park the only trouble for the defending champions came in the opening minutes of the second half but after Waterford had sliced their arrears to two points He was superb in the corner and fired over a couple of frees and one from play as Limerick moved six ahead Three times they stretched that gap to seven points as Waterford hung on for dear life Five was as good as it got for them on an evening when their touch deserted them at critical junctures when goal chances were developing Not too far behind Gillane in terms of influence were captain Cian Lynch and young bull Shane O’Brien who helped himself to four points and was his team’s top-scorer from play Waterford simply couldn’t summon the intensity to go the well so soon after that fillip Five points from play from their starting attack told as much about the game as the scoreline The Angelus from the adjacent Holy Family Church on Luke Wadding Street chimed with Amhrán na bhFiann but the bell was only tolling for one player who was hooked off by Limerick after fouling one too many times Cian Lynch and Dan Morrissey with Michael Kiely of Waterford Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie.John Kiely felt they couldn’t risk their wing-back remaining on the field after a 12th minute yellow card offence on Kevin Mahony and then a high tackle on Mark Fitzgerald a minute later Colin Coughlan was introduced and the potential crisis was averted who wouldn’t be known for their lightning starts Lynch and David Reidy were weaving magic at times and threatened to tear apart Waterford the fluidity of the passes they were combining it was a mystery they didn’t find the net at least once by the break They were 0-7 to 0-2 up after 11 minutes courtesy of four unanswered scores The Déise came back with a hat-trick of their own but they were cancelled out by a brace of Gillane frees and a Lynch point The difference was five points and the game into its 21st minute when O’Brien attempted to strike for the opening goal His effort was good but the angle too acute and the sliotar spanked off the post back into play It wasn’t the let-off Waterford hoped it might be as Gillane penalised a foul on the industrious Reidy and Tom Morrissey sent over his second Wides were costing Waterford far more and they had seven by the end of the half became the fourth Limerick forward to score two points a fine Kevin Mahony point was followed by Stephen Bennett’s fourth converted free but the home side just couldn’t generate enough momentum Morrissey brought his haul to three and Gillane produced his first from play and Limerick’s cushion grew to five From as little as €1 a week with our digital introductory offer Already a subscriber? Sign in more waterford gaa articles SKORT PROTEST: Laois’ camogie players have become the latest team to join the skort protest by lining out in shorts before the throw-in of Monday’s Leinster intermediate camogie semi-final You have accepted push notifications for this content. If you would like to manage your push notification preferences, you can do so here. © Examiner Echo Group Limited, Linn Dubh, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork. Registered in Ireland: 523712. BRING THE NOISE: John Kiely has called on Limerick’s support to make their presence felt at their home Munster SHC game against Cork later this month. Pic: Tom Beary/Sportsfile. The manager said most of his group’s key performance indicators and player availability are pointing in the right direction after picking up three points from their opening two fixtures on the road Following this convincing victory over Waterford in Walsh Park Kiely sent out a rallying call to the county’s fans for the eagerly-waited Round 4 clash in TUS Gaelic Grounds on May 18 “Our supporters here tonight were absolutely brilliant We definitely had a huge number of them here It's a brilliant part of the Munster championship but I can tell you I'm sending the message out to our supporters that we're at home it's our home ground and we want to hear them the next day and hear every single last one of them “We want them to take the seats and fill the seats We look forward to seeing them in two weeks' time." Kiely cut a satisfied figure after this victory It's all about getting results in the Munster Championship so we're very Our full-back line was absolutely excellent Our half-back line controlled the ball in the air really “And I just thought our energy going forward was exceptional Our intensity throughout the game was really That's something we've noticed in the championship this year that the intensity levels in all teams have gone way up "Very happy with where we're at in that regard we'd like to be a little bit more efficient That's a work-on for us for the last couple of weeks and it's a work-on going forward for the next couple of weeks as well." Barry Murphy and Peter Casey were not included due to small setbacks but Kiely is not overly concerned about either Regarding the decision to take off Diarmaid Byrnes after he picked up an early yellow and then fouled again You'd love to have him continue that but when you've a yellow got and you've a warning got Colin [Coughlan] went in and was brilliant as well He got a fantastic score and worked really "He was brilliant with UL as well so really happy for him as well." CELEBRATING its 15th year of creativity, innovation, and climate-conscious design, Junk Kouture continues to champion the next generation of Irish creatives.  Junk Kouture returns to Dublin on May 7, celebrating Ireland’s most creative young minds at The Helix.  After two successful Regional Finals in March sixty talented design teams from across the country will gather in the capital to battle it out for a place in the Junk Kouture World Final 2025 Each design featured in the show is aligned with at least one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) encouraging students to use fashion as a vehicle for change and to address environmental and social issues through their creativity.  Recognised as an SDG Champion by the Department of Environment Junk Kouture aims to empower young minds to innovate for a better future READ MORE: Final chance to walk around much loved Limerick school set for demolition Young designers aged 12 to 19 will take the stage showcasing incredible wearable works of art crafted entirely from recycled and repurposed materials in a high-energy performance-based fashion show like no other There will be three Limerick teams of student designers competing at the Dublin City Final Alexandra Giltenane and Sarah Kinnnane from Salesian Secondary College was created from high-vis vests David MacAodha and Mark O’Sullivan from Coláiste Íde agus Iosef is created from Bike Gears Isabelle O’Brien and Olivia O’Brien from Scoil Mhuire and Íde is created from bale wrap This year’s prestigious judging panel features some of the fashion and entertainment industry’s brightest stars including Claire Garvey fashion designer and Junk Kouture alumnus and Zeda the Architect aka Oyindamola Animashaun Guiding audiences through the night will be presenters India Sasha and Fionnuala Moran And for those who didn’t manage to grab a ticket to the now sold-out show - fear not The event will air on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player on Monday bringing all the action straight to your screens at home SEE MORE: PICTURES: Cut From The Same Cloth exhibition launch at the Hunt Museum the 2024 Junk Kouture World Designer of the Year about her inspiring journey on RTÉjr’s climate and nature podcast The special episode will be available on Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts right after the show airs The event begins with pre-show entertainment courtesy of Junk Kouture’s event partners including a live DJ set to set the tone for an evening of dazzling designs and unstoppable talent Attendees can also look forward to a fun and interactive pre-show activation from EUROSPAR DHL Express Ireland also returns as Official Logistics Partner ten design teams will be crowned Junk Kouture World Finalists, earning the chance to represent Ireland and compete against peers from the UK and the UAE later this year at the global showcase of youth creativity Follow the journey live on Instagram and TikTok at @junkkouture and join the conversation as young voices share their creativity and sustainable innovation with the world I think structurally we were extremely sound I thought our full back were absolutely excellent I thought our half back line controlled the ball in the air our intensity throughout the game was really high," said Limerick senior hurling manager John Kiely.  Limerick defeated Waterford 0-28 to 0-22 in round three of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship on Saturday evening in Walsh Park John Kiely's side are in back in action on May 18 against Cork in the TUS Gaelic Grounds.  READ NEXT: Dominant Limerick see off Waterford to secure crucial win in Munster senior hurling championship during their 2024 Munster senior hurling round robin fixture | PICTURE: Sportsfile THE Waterford team to face Limerick in Saturday evening's Munster senior hurling championship round robin fixture at Walsh Park Waterford have made one change from their starting team that beat Clare last weekend for the visit of provincial champions Limerick Kieran Bennett is replaced by Patrick Fitzgerald READ NEXT: Limerick senior hurling team announced for Munster Championship clash with Waterford Limerick have won their last eight championship games against Waterford The Shannonsiders have not suffered defeat in the fixture since a one-point loss in the 2011 Munster semi-final John Kiely's Limerick charges began their seven-in-a-row tilt in the province with a 2-23 apiece draw with Tipperary in Thurles two weeks ago WATERFORD (SHC v Limerick): Billy Nolan (Roanmore); Ian Kenny (Ballygunner) Iarlaith Daly (Lismore); Mark Fitzgerald (Passage) Paddy Leavey (Ballygunner); Darragh Lyons (Dungarvan) Jamie Barron (Fourmilewater); Jack Prendergast (Lismore) Patrick Curran (Dungarvan); Kevin Mahony (Ballyguunner) Patrick Fitzgerald (Ballygunner). Substitutes: Shaun O’Brien (Le La Salle) Alan SherryYesterday at 11:53Wayne Dundon will stand trial next year accused of violent disorder in Mountjoy Prison Limerick man Dundon (47) appeared at Dublin Circuit Court for an arraignment hearing via videolink on Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to the charge The case relates to an alleged incident in Mountjoy Prison in July 2023 where eight inmates were alleged to have been involved A person found guilty of the offence of violent disorder is liable on conviction in the Circuit Court to a fine and or imprisonment of up to 10 years in prison He was remanded in custody and is due to stand trial on November 11 2023 at Mountjoy Prison on the North Circular Road he committed violent disorder in that he with other persons used or threatened to use unlawful violence and such conduct was such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at said place to fear for his or another person’s safety Today's News in 90 Seconds - May 5th The charge is contrary to Section 15 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act entered a guilty plea when he appeared in court on Tuesday whose address was given as the Skypacker Hostel on Little Lane Four other men charged with the incident at Mountjoy on that day have pleaded not guilty Co Louth has been given a court date of May 13 Stephen Coveney (29) of St Finian’s Avenue was previously given a trial date of November 11 A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of Eamon Savage (37) from Emmett Road Dublin after he failed to appear in court on Tuesday Cian Fay (29) from Empress Place in Dublin will be arraigned next Tuesday Please check your inbox to verify your details Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. Available on Apple and Android devices Waterford v Limerick Highlights TEAM NEWS: Limerick have brought four-time All Star winning pair Seán Finn and Dan Morrissey into their full-back line for Saturday’s Munster SHC Round 3 clash with Waterford in Walsh Park.Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie and Colin Coughlan go out for Finn and Morrissey who did not feature in the draw with Tipperary in Thurles last month Barry Nash is named at wing-back and Mike Casey moves to corner-back while Kyle Hayes is again given the No 6 jersey although he played at centre-forward against Tipperary and William O’Donoghue filled the centre-back role Peter Casey is not in the 26-strong panel heading to Waterford city who was a late addition to the team for Cathal O'Neill is announced to start with O'Neill named among the substitutes Waterford have made one change from their starting team that beat Clare for the clash with Limerick LIMERICK Celtics have enjoyed a season to remember Last month the club capped off an incredible season by winning the Domino's Men's Division One Final It means that the Celtics will play Super League basketball for the first time in the club's history next season.  The Limerick side got the better of ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers in the Division One final on a score line of 81-70 with American AJ Williams playing a starring role It completes an excellent season on the court with the club having also won the Presidents' National Cup and with only one defeat to their name all season.  READ MORE: Limerick Celtics celebrate historic promotion to Men's Super League head coach Tony Hehir said: “It’s incredible the first quarter was really difficult for us to manage but this group of players turned up when we needed them to.”  some great teams in there and I thought we grew and grew as the year went on and got better and better it has been equally successful for the club off it with Williams and Hehir picking up personal accolades Williams was awarded Domino's Men's Division One Player of the Year for his contributions to a dazzling season picking up multiple player of the month awards before saving his best for last with a MVP display in the final.  Hehir was also recognised for his efforts as head coach The Limerick native was awarded Domino's Men's Division One Coach of the Year leading his team to the league and cup double.  Limerick's Seamus Flanagan in action against Waterford's Mark Fitzgerald during the 2023 Munster SHC clash between the counties THE LIMERICK senior hurlers will be aiming to record their first victory in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship this weekend John Kiely's face Waterford in round three of the Munster SHC on Saturday evening at 6pm in Walsh Park.  The Shannonsiders played out a draw with Tipperary in round one and had a bye last weekend Waterford recorded an impressive win over Clare last weekend.  Cork lead the way in the Munster round robin standings on three points Waterford sit in second place on two points Clare and Tipperary are all level on one point READ NEXT: Derek McGrath has unique insight into Limerick and Waterford Limerick make the trip to Waterford on Saturday evening at 6pm in Walsh Park in round three of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship.  Walsh Park has a capacity of 12,100 spectators A number of Limerick supporters will face a scramble for tickets this week ahead of the big game Coverage of the Limerick vs Waterford match begins at 5:15pm on GAA+ supporters can view highlights from the action in Walsh Park on The Sunday Game on RTE2 at 9:30pm.  Limerick: Nickie Quaid (Effin); Sean Finn (Bruff) Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh) ; Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell) Barry Nash (South Liberties); William O'Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh) Adam English (Doon); Gearoid Hegarty (St Patrick's) Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), Tom Morrissey (Ahane) ; Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell) Waterford: Billy Nolan (Roanmore); Ian Kenny (Ballygunner) Colm Lyons will referee Saturday's Munster Senior Hurling Championship clash between Limerick and Waterford. Saturday will be Colm Lyons' first game that he referees in the Munster Championship this year.  How can I stay updated with the Limerick Leader and on limerickleader.ie?  The Limerick Leader Sports department will be bringing viewers all the action and analysis from Walsh Park on Saturday evening.  LIMERICK senior hurling manager John Kiely has urged as many supporters as possible to get behind his side against Cork in round four of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship against Cork Kiely's side host Cork on Sunday May 18 in the TUS Gaelic Grounds at 4pm.  "It's a brilliant part of the Munster championship but I can tell you it's our home ground and we want to hear them the next day and hear every single last one of them. We want them to take the seats and fill the seats We look forward to seeing them in two weeks' time," said Limerick senior hurling manager John Kiely.  Limerick defeated Waterford 0-28 to 0-22 in round three of the Munster SHC on Saturday evening in Walsh Park Kiely was impressed with his side's performance after the victory.  that the intensity levels in all teams have gone way up." READ NEXT: WATCH: Limerick manager John Kiely reflects on Munster Championship victory over Waterford Peter Casey and Barry Murphy were absent from the fixture against Waterford due to injury; however Limerick manager John Kiely confirmed following the match that both players are dealing with only minor issues The Limerick manager made the decision to take off Diarmaid Byrnes in the first half after he picked up a yellow card and a warning from referee Colm Lyons 1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-1sgza6o:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-1sgza6o:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-1sgza6o.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-w5p45x::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{pointer-events:none;cursor:default;}@media print{.css-w5p45x{-webkit-print-color-adjust:exact;color-adjust:exact;}}.css-w5p45x:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-w5p45x:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 0.26);}PrintShareSaveThe death has occurred of Messages of sympathy may be conveyed through the condolences section (below), www.griffinfunerals.com or by post to Griffin’s Funeral Home. memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one Mass streamed live only here Donations if desired to Milford Care Centre Click here to donate online Messages of sympathy may be expressed through the rip.ie condolences section (below), through www.griffinfunerals.com or by post to Griffin’s Funeral Home. Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday PlayIconTitans of the Tee | Team McLaren Racing | Episode 13 months agoVideoCamera0:28 PlayIconComing Soon: Titans of the Tee | McLaren Racing3 months agoVideoCamera5:27 Limerick senior hurling captain Cian Lynch John Kiely has named his Limerick senior hurling team for this weekend's round three Munster Senior Hurling Championship clash against Waterford.  The action gets underway at 6pm in Walsh Park on Saturday evening Limerick and Waterford will be shown live on GAA+.  Kiely has made two changes from the Tipperary game bringing Sean Finn and Dan Morrissey into the side Barry Murphy and Colin Coughlan drop out from the Shannonsiders starting XV.  READ NEXT: Derek McGrath has unique insight into Limerick and Waterford Goalkeeper Nickie Quaid starts his second competitive game this year Mike Casey makes the switch to corner back where he is joined by Sean Finn and Dan Morrissey in the full back line Barry Nash moves out to the half back line alongside Diarmaid Byrnes and Kyle Hayes.  William O'Donoghue made the switch back to number six and Kyle Hayes was pushed into the Limerick attack against Tipperary. Hayes and O'Donoghue have returned to the positions where they have featured regularly this year.  Vice-captain William O'Donoghue partners Adam English in midfield.  Cian Lynch and Tom Morrissey make up the Limerick half forward line Shane O'Brien and David Reidy complete the Munster champions full forward line Cathal O'Neill and Seamus Flanagan make their returns to the match-day squad after missing out on the Tipperary game Peter Casey and Barry Murphy have not been included in the Limerick 26 man panel to face Waterford.  Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.