Mahony's tally helps Waterford to First win

Waterford Senior Hurlers have recorded their first competitive win under new manager Derek McGrath after they beat Galway by six points at Walsh Park.

The Waterford management team announced the team for this game less then twenty four hours after they lost to Tipperary in Thurles and once it became known that Maurice Shanahan was going to be ruled out of the game after he picked up an injury against Tipperary changes were always going to be made to the team.

Six changes were made to the team listed in the programme as the management team opted to give competitive debut starts to Tadhg Bourke at corner back and Ryan Donnelly at corner forward and also opting to bring in Ian O’Regan between the posts with Ray Barry, Stephen Molumphy and Seamus Prendergast coming into the attack. The players to loose out from the team on the programme were Stephen O’Keeffe, Barry Coughlan, Jamie Barron, Jake Dillon, Stephen Roche and Shane Walsh.

Galway too were forced into making changes as Anthony Cunningham had to replace Jonathon Glynn who picked up an injury in mid week with Kevin Hynes.

In what was a very tight first half despite a good start by the visitors, the sides were level on five occasions in the opening thirty five minutes.

The game was only five seconds old when Conor Cooney had Galway in front. Padraig Brehony and Cathal Mannion added further points for the Tribesmen but Ray Barry who impressed for Waterford in this game found the range for Waterford to leave two between the sides with five minutes on the clock.

A brace of Pauric Mahony scores followed with an effort from Kevin Moran had Waterford in front for the first time but the sides would end the first quarter all square after Conor Cooney hit his second of the game for Galway.

This was without doubt Pauric Mahony’s finest seventy minutes in a Waterford shirt. He hit six first half points, three of which came from placed balls which helped his side to a 0-9 to 0-8 lead at the break.

Waterford began the second half in whirlwind fashion as Pauric Mahony, Seamus Prendergast and Ray Barry landed scores to extend Waterford’s lead.

The Visitors levelled matters thirteen minutes into the second half when Jason Flynn put the ball past Ian O’Regan in the Waterford goal after he capitalised on a slip by Tadhg Bourke which saw him fail to clear the ball out of defence.

However, the goal failed to ignite the Galway attack that were short the services of their Portumna players.

Ray Barry, Pauric Mahony, Ryan Donnelly, Jake Dillon, and Stephen Roche in the closing minutes of the game all had the umpire reaching for white flags.

Galway did try for the scores that could have got them something from this game by they came up against a watertight Waterford defence superbly marshalled by the brilliant half back line of Jamie Nagle, Michael Walsh and Philip Mahony.

Others to impress for Waterford in this game for Waterford included Seamus Prendergast on the edge of the square, Ryan Donnelly, Ray Barry and Tadhg Bourke in at corner back. Stephen Molumphy before he was withdrawn also impressed as did the centre field pairing of Kevin Moran and Shane O’Sullivan.

Next up for Waterford is another home game with Dublin, which if Waterford win should bring them a step closer to a place in the quarter finals and if they were to follow it up with another good performance and a positive result away to Clare, Derek McGrath’s charges could secure a quarter final spot ahead of a tricky last league game away to Kilkenny.

Waterford: I O'Regan; T Bourke, S Fives, N Connors; J Nagle, M Walsh, Philip Mahony; K Moran, S O’Sullivan; R Barry, Pauric Mahony, S Molumphy; R Donnelly, S Prendergast, B O'Sullivan. Subs: J Dillon for B O'Sullivan, J Barron for Molumphy, E Barrett for S O'Sullivan, S Roche for Prendergast, G O'Brien for Barry.

Scorers: Pauric Mahony 0-11 (6fs), R Barry 0-4, S Prendergast 0-2, S Molumphy, S Roche, K Moran, J Dillon, R Donnelly 0-1 each.

Galway: C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, J Coen; A Harte, I Tannian, D Collins; David Burke, P Brehony; K Hynes, C Cooney, J Flynn; N Healy, C Mannion, D Glennon. Subs: P Landers for Hynes, Daithi Burke for Glennon, D Dolan for Landers, R Cummins for Mannion.

Scorers: C Cooney 0-6 (2fs), J Flynn 1-0, C Mannion 0-3, P Brehony 0-2, N Healy, David Burke 0-1 each.

Referee: J Sexton (Cork)

 

Allianz National Hurling League Division 1A

Galway              2   1   0   1   44   37   2

Kilkenny            2   1   0   1   53   48   2 

Waterford         2    1   0   1   38   35   2

Tipperary           2    1   0   1   48   51   2

Clare                   2    1   0   1   36   41   2

Dublin                2    1   0   1   38   45   2