Bennett set to make 100th Waterford appearance
Waterford Senior hurler Stephen Bennett is set to make his 100th Déise appearance against Clare on Sunday. Photos: INPHO
Stephen Bennett will hit 100 appearances for the Waterford senior hurlers in Sunday’s Munster championship clash with Clare.
The 2020 All Star and Hurler of the Year nominee has struck a sensational 38 goals and 546 points across 99 outings in white and blue. This milestone is all the more remarkable given that the Ballysaggart scoring machine twice underwent double hip surgery before he was 20.
Highlights? The solo goal against Kilkenny in the 2020 All Ireland semi final comes in at number one. He was man of the match in an empty Croke Park that Saturday night in November with a personal tally of 1-10. He ended up as top scorer in that Covid championship on 1-54.
The league final goal against Cork in 2022 was another moment of magic. A haul of 2-11 resulted in another man of the match award. That league campaign belonged to Stephen Bennett. He scored 8-51 over five matches including 1-16 against Tipperary in Walsh Park.
During Liam Cahill’s three year tenure, from 2020 to 2022, he totalled 17 goals and 250 points! He lined out 30 times during that period and reached double figures in 19 of them!
Bennett first made national headlines in 2011 when he scored 3-2 as a fifteen year old for the Waterford minors in an extra time victory against Limerick. Two years later, he netted nine times and went up the steps of the Hogan Stand. 9-11 all told including another hat trick against the Shannonsiders.
Fast forward to 2016 where Bennett blasted 6-5 from play and took home two man of the match awards on the way to Under 21 glory. His assists as well as his scores wowed the crowds that summer. Remember the overhead pass to Peter Hogan in the Munster final and the cross for younger brother Shane in the All Ireland. TG4 commentator Brian Tyers coined the term “iománaíocht samba”. Samba hurling.
His senior inter county career was a slow burner. He made his championship debut as a late substitute in the 2014 qualifier defeat to Wexford but it took the underage star another five years to nail down a starting berth.
During a forgettable 2019 campaign, Bennett prospered. Paraic Fanning started him in all fourteen competitive matches that season and handed him the free taking duties. He shot 7-131 across all competitions. An average of 11 points per game.
His inter county future looked bleak over the winter of 2023. He told the Smaller Fish GAA podcast recently that he was diagnosed with arthritis in both hips as there is no cartilage left. “I was told I had €10,000 in the bank and every time I run that money is being spent. I don’t know how much money I’ve left but I’ll keep going! I’ve a load of stubbornness and ignorance and that’s the one thing they can’t test.” When he finishes up, he will need two hip replacements.
“How Stephen is actually togging out is beyond me,” then Déise manager Fitzgerald told reporters in January 2024. “Lesser players would be gone. The advice he got was to go and not play. Stephen Bennett being Stephen Bennett, he doesn't want that. Ye probably didn't know that but that's how bad it was with him, the news he got.” Peter Queally persuaded him to give it another go in 2025. “I retired about four times over the winter!”
Bennett quipped after the league win over Dublin. “Peter, I just remember him saying one thing to me down in The Park Hotel. They’re really good the management, Dan, Eoin, Nigel, all of them. Dan and Eoin, they just want you to play hurling like. Have that little bit of magic, do what you want. It’s just lovely to play for them. I wish I could play for another ten years!” He didn’t disclose what Queally said to him. “I’ll tell you that when I retire!”
The 29 year old continues to light up the scoreboard. 1-48 in five Division 1B games since his return to the side. He continues to astound. Think about the cross for Patrick Curran’s goal against Dublin. And what about that outrageous point away to Antrim. “A banana shot if ever I saw one,” said WLR Big Match commentator Kieran O’Connor. “Oh wow,” Michael Ryan exclaimed beside him. “He actually put spin on the ball!” Bennett’s inter county days are numbered but Waterford fans will savour every single one of them.
