National Hurling League Division One Final/Kilkenny 0-18 Waterford 0-20:Relief and jubilation rippled around Thurles yesterday, as Waterford scooped the Allianz National Hurling League title with two injury-time points. It was a timely achievement for the county after the recent years of frustration and narrow defeats in big matches.
There was an element of relief for neutrals, who were witnesses to the fact that Kilkenny are not unbeatable, but the All-Ireland champions could equally console themselves that they aren't yet at full tilt and that, in such circumstances, yesterday was a creditable performance.
Waterford did all that could be asked of them. They won the county's first national title in 44 years by beating the holders and All-Ireland champions in a tight finish. Manager Justin McCarthy will be pleased that the team has positioned itself well for the coming championship and that he has successfully trialled some new players.
Of these, Aidan Kearney gave the most eye-catching display yesterday. Playing in the right corner of the defence, he kept Kilkenny's All-Ireland final Man of the Match Aidan Fogarty scoreless and battled for possession around the full-back line producing one particularly vital block in the first half.
This mightn't have been a full-on championship encounter and the crowd was a disappointing 22,235, but the match was exciting and well-contested with the result in doubt until the end and there was never more than a score between the teams.
The holders could have done the three-in-a-row in the competition, but were undone by some poor wides in the second half when they had the chances to put away their neighbours.
Henry Shefflin started his first match for Kilkenny since last year's All-Ireland and played a storming role. His total of 12 points was accompanied by five wides and, whereas he won't be fully tuned until the summer championship, yesterday's display was pretty frightening as a throat-clearing exercise.
The most inexplicable wide came just before half-time. The main question as he addressed a 20-metre free was whether he would go for goal or content himself with a point given that the distance between the teams was just three points. He seemed caught in two minds and the shot went to the left.
Kilkenny were hampered by the loss of their centre back John Tennyson, who woke yesterday with a flu, and his place was taken by PJ Delaney who struggled to hold the centre.
The early stages of the match progressed on almost a point-for-point basis, largely made up of exchanged frees between Shefflin and Eoin Kelly.
Neither side had a clear advantage, but Kilkenny looked more dangerous and fluent - attacking at pace and moving the ball quickly. Waterford were holding their own in defence, although under pressure. Beside Kearney, Eoin Murphy had moved to full back and kept James Fitzpatrick - once more lining out at full forward rather than his award-winning centrefield position - scoreless. Completing the line, Declan Prendergast did well once Shefflin was switched out to the wing.
Ken McGrath anchored the defence effectively and provided a barrage of three long-range frees towards the end of the half that handed his team the initiative and the lead.
Leading by two points at half-time, 0-11 to 0-9, Waterford were well placed to end their trophy famine at national level, but an anonymous third quarter handed the initiative to Kilkenny, who rattled off five points without reply to lead 0-14 to 0-11.
With the match threatening to drift away from them, Waterford brought on Paul Flynn to try and revive the attack. Dan Shanahan had already been moved into the full forward line, but overall was getting little change out of JJ Delaney and John Mullane was having a particularly frustrating afternoon. Both would sign off with a flourish when the match reached its climax.
Going into the final quarter, Kilkenny still led by three, 0-15 to 0-12, but just as it appeared that Waterford were fading they raided three points from the hard-working Séamus Prendergast, Flynn and Shanahan to level the match.
The failure to move ahead in the minutes that followed suggested that the pressure was getting to the team and a goal chance went for nothing when Stephen Molumphy went alone, despite Flynn being free inside and was blocked by Brian Hogan, who gave further indication that he is in line to play full back this summer.
Kilkenny could have had goals themselves earlier in the half, but Eddie Brennan and Shefflin were just kept out.
Twice in the final 10 minutes Kilkenny rapidly countered and through Martin Comerford and Richie Power restored their one-point lead renewing concerns that Waterford were going to get edged out despite having momentum and territory.
Captain Michael Walsh came into the game most strongly at this stage as Waterford's push for home began. Mullane stepped forward at these fraught junctures to equalise on both occasions and it was Prendergast - whose first-half point had been taken at the expense of a clear goal opportunity for Shanahan - who earned the vital score that pushed Waterford ahead.
Rising and taking a hard ball, he made the space to fire off a point for 0-18 to 0-17.
Shefflin's last-minute equalising free set up an injury-time crescendo. Kelly hit the first of the winning points, rising and striking the ball over from about 65 metres to restore the lead. Prendergast provided the grace note a minute later.
The scenes of enthusiasm at the end as Michael Walsh lifted the trophy were an encouraging tableau with the championship on the horizon.
KILKENNY: PJ Ryan; N Hickey, B Hogan, JJ Delaney; J Tyrrell, PJ Delaney, T Walsh; D Lyng (0-1), W O'Dwyer; E Brennan (0-1), M Comerford (0-2), R Power (0-2); H Shefflin (0-12, nine frees, one 65), J Fitzpatrick, A Fogarty. Subs: E Larkin for Fitzpatrick (49 mins), E McCormack for Fogarty (66 mins).
WATERFORD: C Hennessey; A Kearney, E Murphy, D Prendergast; T Browne, K McGrath (0-3, all frees), J Murray; M Walsh, J Kennedy (0-1); D Shanahan (0-1), E Kelly (0-8, six frees), S Molumphy; S Walsh, S Prendergast (0-3), J Mullane (0-2). Subs: P Flynn (0-1) for S Walsh (49 mins). E McGrath (0-1) for Murray (53 mins), S O'Sullivan for Kennedy (74 mins).
Referee: S Roche (Tipperary).
