Kilkenny 2-21 Waterford 0-21
It’s hard enough to take on Kilkenny in Nowlan Park without an imbalance in the respective motivation levels. Brian Cody’s team needed to win whereas Waterford’s progress was under threat only from circumstances marginally less likely than an alien spaceship falling on them.
The more familiar peril posed by a focused Kilkenny proved too much for the visitors, who after a lively opening quarter, watched the match slip away from them and they were never quite able to get it back within their sights.
Pádraig Walsh thrived at centre-forward, scoring five points from play and his namesake, Walter added three to drive the scoreboard. There were also good displays by Richie Reid and David Blanchfield in the half-backs.
Two goals, one in either half, proved the substance of the victory, which sent Brian Cody’s team to the top of Allianz Hurling League Division 1B and into next weekend’s semi-final - a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland meeting at the same stage with Cork.
It wasn’t as if Waterford had no goal chances themselves. In fact they had two in the first 15 minutes but a misplaced pass from Carthach Daly to Dessie Hutchinson undid the opportunity.
Then, a lovely triangulated move from Hutchinson to Mahony, whose inside pass to Austin Gleeson opened up the goal, came to nothing when Gleeson thundered the ball wide.
By this point Waterford were in the ascendancy, moving the ball slickly and taking good scores. Five of them had scored from play by half-time but they trailed 0-11 to 1-10.
That was because in the 26th minute Cillian Buckley raced down the left wing and in on goal and his shot from was well placed, even if Billy Nolan will be disappointed not to have got to it.
The bottom line, as pointed out by Macdara Mac Donnchadh on WLR FM at half-time, was that Waterford had goal chances and scored none whereas Kilkenny had one and scored one.
The visitors were lining up without the league’s top scorer Stephen Bennett, who was unwell but Hutchinson and Pauric Mahony made first starts since their club Ballygunner’s historic All-Ireland.
Mahony, who hadn’t played for the county for two years between injury and club commitments, shot three frees before heading off at the break. As explained by manager Liam Cahill: “It was Pauric’s first game back and we said to him that we’d go for at least half an hour and try to blow the lungs out and get going again. We’ll look ahead next weekend and try to get some more into the legs for him.”
Although tightly poised at the break, the match’s prospects of staying that way evaporated in the opening minutes of the resumption with three points from Billy Ryan and the Walshes, Walter and Pádraig.
Waterford struggled to get back into it. Austin Gleeson took over the frees from Mahony but missed a couple even if he also produced a great gallop and point in the 66th minute which reduced the margin to a single score, 0-20 to 2-17.
Earlier attempts to rein in the deficit came unstuck in slightly unfortunate circumstances in the 47th minute. Pádraig Walsh had a point in his sights when an excellent hook by Carthach Daly spilled the ball. It fell for Ryan and enough space opened up for him to scoot in and score the second goal, removing any lingering mystery about the outcome.
Waterford replacement DJ Foran was sent off in the 61st minute for a clumsy and reckless challenge on Mikey Butler. The team battled away but were undone by inaccuracies and, at times, clumsiness. Tadhg de Búrca tried to orchestrate a rally but it was too difficult to get purchase on the Kilkenny defence.
Brian Cody gave the updated version of his perennial appetite for the league. “Once you are out on the field everything kicks in, you are playing hurling. Why would you not want to win? It always matters whether you want to win or lose. If it doesn’t matter there is something wrong.
“Once the game is on it is off you go. It is brilliant preparation for the Leinster championship. It goes beyond that too. There are two competitions you try to win each year, the league and the championship.”
His opposite number Liam Cahill wasn’t to be outdone when asked was the league too close to the championship for comfort.
“We’re really anxious to get back into a national final again, which is the opportunity next weekend. We want to avail of that and do our best to get to a league final and try to win it. That’s the only way we can make progress is to keep getting to the big days and keep knocking on the door and see if we can get over the line.”
He had no definite updates on long-term injury absentees beyond hoping that he’d have Calum Lyons - maybe next weekend - Jamie Barron and Conor Prunty back in time as soon as possible.
Waterford also now progress to the semi-finals and will face Wexford next weekend, details of both matches are to be announced.
Kilkenny: E Murphy (0-1, free); M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; M Carey, R Reid, D Blanchfield; C Kenny (0-1), C Buckley (1-0); W Walsh (0-3), P Walsh (0-5), A Mullen (0-1); B Ryan (1-1), M Keoghan, A Murphy (0-5, four frees).
Subs: E Cody (0-2) for Mullen (42 mins), J Maher (0-1) for Kenny (57 mins), J Donnelly (0-1) for Keoghan (59 mins).
Waterford: B Nolan; C Wadding, I Daly, S McNulty; J Fagan (0-1), T de Búrca, C Dalton (0-1); C Daly (0-1), D Lyons (0-1); N Montgomery (0-3), A Gleeson (0-7, four frees, one 65), P Mahony (0-3, three frees); D Hutchinson (0-2), M Kiely (0-1), C Dunford (0-1).
Subs: DJ Foran for Mahony (half-time), Shane Bennett for Kiely (49 mins), K Bennett for Dunford (53 mins), M Harney for Wadding (59 mins), M Mahony for Lyons (65 mins).
Referee: J Murphy (Limerick).
