Bad weather hurling has its uses. In the smudgy, rain-mist of Walsh Park yesterday, nothing was more clearly visible than the distance between Laois and the top table. Rumours of their rise have been greatly exaggerated.
Advance notice of Laois's new-found proficiency had been so fulsome and frequent in the media that at times the denizens of the press box feared that the crowd might turn on them. Those lured to Walsh Park under the illusion that they would see a match would have had a fair point.
With the A list stars cavorting in Ennis and Thurles, this was an afternoon for the understudies. Waterford were fluent. Laois were stuttery, the poverty of their striking best summed up by the despairing look on Padriag Horan's face when he turned to peer into his dug-out during the second half looking for substitutes. Where to begin the repairs? The first half was niggly and unpretty and full of Easter surprises for Laois. Waterford began in aggressive mood and drew blood early when Billy Sullivan found Paul Flynn, who served notice of his mood by hammering a point home from 30 yards.
That was a sample of Flynn's day. He had 1-4 in the first half, topping the sequence off by slamming a 20-metres free into the Laois net. The Laois men on the line were still scanning the skies for incoming sliotars when the net was rippling. Flynn's clenched-fist celebration gave expression to the emotion.
By then, however, Laois were already looking groggy. Waterford had claimed an efficient three-point lead in the opening 10 minutes and were out-hurling the visitors in all areas. On a day when the Waterford forwards gorged on scores, it might be strange to say that their defence took the honours. Yet this was a fine performance, especially across the fullback line where space was never granted.
Waterford were feeling the sting of a couple of league outings which brought them less reward then their effort deserved and yesterday Laois felt the brunt of the frustration. Flynn's performance was matched by that of Michael White, Ken McGrath and Stephen Frampton, all of whom had pivotal roles.
With Niall Rigney following McGrath, we should have seen the clash of the day along the Laois halfback line. Instead, the point of tension was the Waterford full-back line, who were so snappish and tough that it was no surprise when tempers snapped and fists flew after 15 minutes. The first couple of what would be five bookings were made, but Waterford didn't soften up as a result.
Waterford got to half-time with a nine-point lead and eight minutes of the second half elapsed before Laois made a dent in that. They needed to be faster and more furious. Instead, the next goal and three points fell to Waterford, who were suffocating them in every area.
The goal of the game, nay the season so far, came just as the second half was settling. McGrath, bottled in under severe pressure inside his own 45, managed to pull crisply on a ball which was fast escaping from him. At the end of its arc, Flynn presented himself a fox among hens. He pulled low to the corner of the net. There were 15 minutes left, but the score put an emphatic full stop to the drama.
From there on, Waterford contented themselves on the one hand with some dogged defending and on the other with trying to conjure up a score of such beauty that it would eclipse Flynn's second goal. McGrath and Sullivan pulled first time on a couple of loose ones and sent screamers just wide. The crowd of 3,000 oohed and aahed appreciatively, for this was the tonic to make them believe that summers might be long again.
In the closing minutes, substitute Liam Tynan had a close-in shot wonderfully saved by Stephen Brenner and another goal attempt ended with about 10 players bundling each other into the Waterford net and a free out for the home side. Some days are like that and Laois will remember the bitter taste of this one for some time to come.
WATERFORD: S Brenner; T Feeney, S Cullinane, B Flannery; P Queally, S Frampton, J O'Connor; F Hartley, D Bennett (0-1, free); D Shanahan, B O'Sullivan (0-1), K McGrath (0-1); M White (0-3), A Kirwan (0-1), P Flynn (2-5, one goal, three points from frees).
LAOIS: R Cashin; S Dooley, B Maher, PJ Peacock; N Rigney (0-1), P Cuddy, A Bergin; D Conroy, O Dowling; D Cuddy (0-2, one free), D Rooney (0-1), C Cuddy (0-1); E Fennelly (0-1), M Rooney, N Delaney. Subs: L Tynan for D Conroy (41 mins), N Lacey for N Delany (41 mins).
Referee: W Barrett (Tipperary).
