Limerick vs Waterford: Prediction & Odds - Munster Hurling

🏆 Limerick vs Waterford Munster Championship Prediction

The Buttermilks appeared odds-on to reach the Munster final after two rounds of fixtures, following comfortable wins over Clare and Tipperary, respectively. However, matchday three saw Limerick beaten by Cork in a 72-point thriller at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, as the Rebels struck 1-04 in the final four minutes to overturn a seemingly prohibitive four-point deficit.

So, although Limerick’s destiny remains in their own hands, they now need to avoid defeat against Waterford to continue their pursuit of a fifth successive provincial crown (they’ve also won four All-Ireland Championships on the spin). John Kiely will also have been surprised by just how vulnerable his team were defensively against Cork, as they’d only previously conceded 1-36 in their first two Munster outings.

This collapse was reminiscent of Limerick’s Division 1 semi-final defeat to Kilkenny earlier in the season when they shipped 3-17 against the Cats and ultimately lost by an eight-point margin. During the regular season, they conceded just 92 points and a paltry five goals in five matches. So, even though they were outscored by both Clare and Tipperary, they topped the division and earned promotion to Division 1A.

The good news for Limerick is that Waterford aren’t particularly prolific, scoring just 111 points in five National League games as they were relegated from Division 1A. Although they’ve been more potent in the Munster Championship and scored 7-72 in just three games so far, they remain heavily reliant on Stephen Bennett (4-3) and Dessie Hutchinson (0-22), while the former continues to struggle with a chronic hip injury.

Because of this, I’m tipping Limerick to edge their matchday five opponents and secure their place in both the Munster final and the All-Ireland Championship!

💯 Limerick vs Waterford Munster Championship Odds

Limerick are the heavy pre-game favourites to defeat Waterford at the Gaelic Grounds this weekend, so there’s little value in backing the Buttermilks to win outright. However, the good news is that there are plenty of alternative hurling betting markets that you can explore, including handicap wagering and predicting the eventual winning margin. Both of these markets are likely to be popular given Limerick’s perceived advantage, as will betting on player props such as anytime goalscorers.

Limerick vs Waterford: Match Winner

For those of you who want to back Limerick to win outright, you’ll be able to do so at an average price of 1.22. This implies an 83.33% probability of a home victory, which reflects Limerick’s status as provincial champions and the fact that they’ve won seven of their previous eight matches against Waterford in all competitions. You can bet on Crystal County to prevail at around 5.25, suggesting that they have just a 19.04% chance of beating Limerick for the first time since May 2021. The draw is priced prohibitively at 10.00, implying a 10% probability of the match ending in a tie.

Teams
Limerick to Win	1.20	1.20	1.20	1.22	1.30
Waterford to Win	5.00	5.00	5.50	5.25	5.50
Draw	10.00	10.00	10.00	11.00	11.00

✔️ Limerick vs Waterford - Betting Tips

Unless you’re able or willing to back Limerick to win outright with a sizable stake amount, you’re likely to find superior value in some of the alternative markets referenced above. But which wager types offer optimal value? Here are some expert betting tips and insights to keep in mind!

• : Tip 1: Back Limerick to Win with a Handicap of -6 Points: Not only have Limerick won seven of their last eight head-to-head clashes with Waterford, but these victories have produced a combined winning margin of 54 points. This equates to an average winning margin of 7.71 points per game, and while they only prevailed by two points in last year’s Munster clash, this was held at Walsh Park in Waterford. The Buttermilks are also unbeaten at home in all competitions in 2024, so get on them to beat Waterford with a handicap of -6 points at the enhanced price of 2.00 with Unibet.
• Tip 2: Back Limerick to Win by Between 7 and 9 Points: Limerick have also record six competitive victories in 2024 (four in the National League and two in the Munster Championship). These matches have been won by a combined margin of 70 points and an average of 11.66 points per game, suggesting that the Buttermilks tend to dominate and score heavily when they get on top of their opponents. This is especially true at the Gaelic Grounds, so consider backing Limerick to win by between seven and nine points at the highly competitive price of 5.00 with BoyleSports. This is particularly recommended if you want to deploy one of your available free bets.
• Tip 3: Back Séamus Flanagan as an Anytime Goalscorer: Limerick’s Aaron Gillane may be your first pick as a potential anytime goalscorer here, as he has struck 2-20 in the Munster campaign so far. However, full forward Séamus Flanagan hit top form in the match against Cork, hitting an impressive 3-3 to take Limerick to the edge of victory before the Rebels’ unlikely comeback. Flanaghan has also scored 9-37 in his 23 Munster career appearances so far, so get on him as an anytime scorer here at a price of 2.40 with BoyleSports.

1️⃣ Limerick Update

The odd defensive lapse and last-gasp defeat aside, Limerick have enjoyed a largely successful 2024 campaign so far. In fact, they’ve won six and lost just two of their nine National League and provincial matches since the beginning of February, with Cork and Kilkenny the only sides to defeat them during this period. Remember, they’ve also won seven of their previous eight competitive matches against Waterford since June 2018, including a 20-point provincial thrashing in the summer of 2019. During the same period, Limerick have also collected five consecutive Munster titles and four All-Ireland crowns, marking them as the sport’s dominant county team.

Both Sean Finn (hamstring injury) and Declan Hannon (cramp) were withdrawn during the defeat against Cork, and will continue to be assessed ahead of the visit of Waterford. However, Mike Casey (leg) and Darragh O’Donovan (calf) are expected to be fit in time for the weekend, providing a timely boost for the Buttermilks.

2️⃣ Waterford Update

When Waterford thrashed Offaly by 12 points at the very beginning of their 2024 Division 1A National League campaign, few could have envisaged the team’s subsequent run of just one win in seven competitive matches. Five of these games have ended in defeat, while this sequence has seen Davy Fitzgerald’s side relegated to Division 1B in the National League and slump to fourth in the Munster Championship table. Forward Stephen Bennett (who has struck 4-5 in this season’s provincial campaign so far) continues to be rotated as he suffers from a chronic hip injury too, so it has yet to be confirmed whether he’ll start at the Gaelic Grounds.

Although Bennett is widely expected to start this weekend, given the importance of the match, it’s unlikely he’ll play for the entire 70 minutes ahead of the All-Ireland SHC. The good news is that two-time All-Star defender Tadhg de Burca completed 70 minutes in defeat against Clare last time out, as he’s now fully recovered from the Achilles tendon injury that sidelined him for around 12 months.

👕Limerick vs Waterford - Potential Lineups

✒️ Lewis Humphries – Expert Tipster

Lewis Humphries is an experienced football and GAA writer and tipster from the UK. He writes regularly about the Champions League, Premier League, Serie A and the GAA provincial championships, regularly delivering expert match predictions and betting insights. He also successfully predicted the winner of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while accurately forecasting the outcome of several group stage and knockout games.