Déise delirium as Waterford book place in minor decider
Cormac Spain scored 2-6 as Waterford beat Kilkenny to reach the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Final. Photo: Noel Browne
Waterford are through to the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship final for the first time since 2013 - largely thanks to 2-6 from talisman Cormac Spain The Déise saw off Kilkenny by three points at Wexford Park, and they’ll now come up against either Cork or Clare in the decider.
Waterford came into the game boasting a better head to head record against the Cats at minor level, an interesting anomaly given Kilkenny’s dominance against the Déise at senior level.
Kilkenny got off to the perfect start as Cian Byrne found the net on 42 seconds, but Waterford responded with great points from Shane Power and Jamie Shanahan to move back within a score.
The sides traded blows throughout the opening exchanges, until superb work saw Tommy Kennedy set Gearoid O’Shea free and he offloaded to Cormac Spain to drive home his seventh goal of the season on 18 minutes to send the Déise two in front.
Kilkenny responded well but momentum was firmly with Waterford, as Shane Power, O’Shea and Hugo Quann galvanised their cause with inspirational scores - the Déise leading 1-10 to 1-7 at the break.
Whatever Niall Bergin said to his players at half time worked wonders, as Kilkenny hit five on the spin after the break, two of which came from excellent Eoin Brennan efforts.
While that response was supposed to rattle Waterford, it seemed to do the opposite - the Déise knocking over 1-7 without response to effectively leave their rivals for dust.
Shane Power (2), Eanna McHugh and the excellent O’Shea moved Waterford back in front, before the marauding Spain was found in space and finished superbly on 43 minutes, sending the Déise five to the good.
O’Shea launched over another monstrous score as Waterford threatened to pull away, but Kilkenny kept them on their toes.
The impressive Jake Mullen was deadly accurate throughout on dead balls, but as the clock approached the hour mark - Waterford still held a seven point lead, largely thanks to a superb stop from goalkeeper James Comerford to deny Conor Holohan.
Out of nowhere, it was game on however as substitute Adam Maher fired home when found in space on the edge of the area as the Cats began to throw the kitchen sink, before a Honohan score made it a two-point affair late on. Waterford defended valiantly to keep Kilkenny out, before a Jamie Shanahan insurance score sent the travelling Déise support into raptures.
James Comerford; Conor Lynch, Daragh Murphy, Darragh Keane; Bradley Penkert, Hugo Quann (0-1), Tommy Kennedy; Eanna McHugh (0-1), Gearóid O’Shea (0-3); Pierce Quann, Jack Power (0-1), Shane Power (0-4); Dylan Murphy (0-1), Cormac Spain (2-6, 0-5f), Jamie Shanahan (0-3)
Caoilinn Reville (0-1) for Bradley Penkert (56)
Jake O’Doherty; Oisin Henderson, Larry Phelan, Darragh Hickey; Ben Nevin, Josh Dowling, PJ Mackey; Diarmuid Behan (0-1), Brian Hickey (0-1); Kevin Buggy (0-3), Ollie O’Donovan (0-2), Jake Mullen (0-6, 0-6f); Eoin Brennan (0-2); Conor Holahan (0-2), Cian Byrne (1-1)
Adam Maher (1-0) for Cian Byrne (45); Kealan Barcoe for Brian Hickey (54); Sean Hanrahan for Jake Mullen (60)
Eamonn Furlong (Wexford)
