Waterford Take Maximum Points at Nowlan Park

In a week that was dominated by boundary extensions and land grabs between Waterford and Kilkenny, when the two counties clashed in the first round of games in this year’s National Hurling League Campaign at Nowlan Park on Sunday afternoon, it was Waterford that emerged as victors with a minimum to spare.

In front of just under 8,800 spectators as the game progressed it looked as if the hosts despite trailing for all but a minute of this game would get something from the game as they hit the last three scores of the game to move to within one of Waterford but Derek McGrath’s side held out for a much deserved victory.

And even after Kieran Joyce hit his side’s seventeenth point of the game, the Danesfort Club man had one last chance to get something from this game for his side but his effort went just wide of Ian O’Regan’s upright.

Waterford however could argue that they could have won the game by an even bigger margin, but they say Kilkenny net-minder Eoin Murphy save spectacularly from Shane Bennett as early as the fourth minute when the Ballysaggart man looked odds on to rattle the Kilkenny net.

Patrick Curran hit the only goal of the game for Waterford on thirteen minutes when following some good work by Tom Devine the Dungarvan Club man beat Eoin Murphy.

TJ Reid who finished as top scorer with Kilkenny on ten points opened the scoring on six minutes when he put over a free, only for it to be cancelled out a minute later by Conor Gleeson.

Pauric Mahony gave Waterford the lead on nine minutes when he put over a free and he repeated the act a minute later to give Waterford a 0-3 to 0-1 lead.

TJ Reid pulled one back for Waterford on eleven minutes from a free but it was followed up with Patrick Curran’s goal to give the visitors a four point cushion.

Richie Hogan and Patrick Curran both from play traded scores on fifteen minutes to keep Waterford in control.

Kilkenny then enjoyed a bit of a purple patch as they hit three of the next four scores. TJ Reid and Man of the Match Jamie Barron swapped scores before Reid pointed twice in the nineteenth minute to leave just two between the sides.

Pauric Mahony with a brace of frees put some daylight between the sides which was followed with an exchange of scores between TJ Reid and Pauric Mahony from placed balls.

Pat Lyng and Mahony were next to exchange scores with the game now inside the final five minutes of the half. Liam Blanchfield fired one over for Kilkenny with three minutes to go, only for Pauric Mahony to follow up with a brace.

The final score of the half fell to Kilkenny as Ollie Walsh, a Grandson of the Kilkenny great with the same name pointed to leave his side trailing 1-11 to 0-10 at the interval.

Kilkenny were first out for the second half and were left to wait at a cold Nowlan Park for the restart as Derek McGrath took every available second to talk to his side ahead of the start of the second half and it looked as if it was going to work as Pauric Mahony and Jamie Barron put over the first two points of the second half.

But Kilkenny enjoyed another purple patch over the next ten minutes Walter Walsh, a half time substitute for Sean Morrissey pointed followed by three from TJ Reid left just two between the sides with the game heading into its final quarter.

Pauric Mahony and Jamie Barron hit the next two points to put day light between the sides once more, but points from a TJ Reid ’65, Eoin Murphy with a long range free and Kieran Joyce made it squeaky bum time for Waterford with the game in added time.

Waterford however were able to hold out without conceding any further scores and will now going into next Sunday’s home game against All-Ireland Champion’s Tipperary at Walsh Park very confident.

Waterford: Ian O’Regan; Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan, Noel Connors; Conor Gleeson, Tadhg de Búrca, Stephen Daniels; Jamie Barron, Kevin Moran; Michael Walsh, Mikey Kearney, Pauric Mahony; Shane Bennett, Tom Devine, Patrick Curran. Subs: Austin Gleeson for Mikey Kearney (53), Brian O’Halloran for Shane Bennett (55), Jake Dillon for Tom Devine (63), Gavin O’Brien for Patrick Curran (69), Shane McNulty for Stephen Daniels (71)

Scorers: Pauric Mahony 0-10 (9fs, 1 65’); Patrick Curran 1-1; Jamie Barron 0-3; Conor Gleeson 0-1.

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Joey Holden, Padraig Walsh, Conor O’Shea; Kieran Joyce, Paul Murphy, Cillian Buckley; Ollie Walsh, Conor Fogarty; Pat Lyng, TJ Reid, Sean Morrissey; Jonjo Farrell, Liam Blanchfield, Richie Hogan. Subs: Walter Walsh for Sean Morrissey (H-T), Paddy Deegan for Ollie Walsh (52), Richie Leahy for Pat Lyng (56), Shane Prendergast for Cillian Buckley (61), Conor Martin for Liam Blanchfield (74).

Scorers: TJ Reid 0-10 (6fs, 2 65s); Kieran Joyce, Eoin Murphy (f), Ollie Walsh, Pat Lyng, Liam Blanchfield, Richie Hogan, Walter Walsh 0-1 each.

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)