Déise leave it behind them in Cats defeat
Waterford's Reuben Halloran tries to burst through the challenge of Kilkenny's Paddy Deegan, Liam Moore and John Donnelly.
Waterford were left to rue missed opportunities as Kilkenny left it late to snatch the Division 1A points on offer at a raucous UPMC Nowlan Park.
Despite a slow start, the Déise clicked into gear to hit the front having been level on eight occasions, but stoppage time scores from Martin Keoghan and Cian Kenny ensured the points belonged to the Cats.
The hosts hit the front through David Blanchfield before a 65 from Stephen Bennett levelled proceedings early on. Kilkenny then established the upper hand as Liam Moore burst through a crowd of defenders to split the posts, and the game’s opening goal arrived soon after.
Keoghan picked the pocket of Aaron O’Neill and bore down on the Déise goal. Billy Nolan made a tremendous stop to deny his first effort, but he managed to bundle a second into the far corner as the Leinster champions went 1-2 to 0-1 ahead on 6 minutes.
Eoin Cody and the lively Moore kept momentum firmly with Kilkenny on either side of another Bennett free, before Sean Walsh got Waterford’s first from play on 14 minutes with a fine point in the corner, having been picked out by Michael Kiely.
A Kenny free restored a five-point advantage before Waterford were caught sleeping and Mikey Butler was afforded the freedom of Nowlan Park to make it six. Waterford needed a shot in the arm fast, and it came on 23 minutes through captain Mark Fitzgerald.
The Passage man won the breaking ball and burst out from defence before cannoning between the uprights to galvanise the troops, and that was the first of five Déise scores on the spin.
Shane Bennett dispossessed Paddy Deegan and made no mistake, and Paddy Leavey then let rip as Peter Queally’s men finally arrived. Superb wrists from Jamie Barron handed Michael Kiely a goal chance and his effort flew over the crossbar, and Barron then planted his feet to make it a one-point game approaching the half hour.
Sharp efforts from Kenny and Timmy Clifford restored a three-point cushion for Kilkenny, and that would’ve been six but for a superb block from O’Neill to deny Deegan. Kenny pointed another free but Barron soon spun and scored again to cancel that out.
A great point from Jordan Molloy on the right flank drew applause from all quarters, but Waterford again responded valiantly with four successive scores to draw level.
Barron picked out Charlie Treen to open his account, before a short puckout was turned over by Treen, who offloaded to Reuben Halloran. Sean Mackey was introduced to replace Calum Lyons right before the break, and the Fenor man made an immediate impact - a beautiful run and score brought Waterford back within a point before he repeated the trick moments later in space to make it 1-10 to 0-13.
Cian Kenny ensured Kilkenny took the slenderest of leads to the dressing room, but Waterford would’ve been more than happy with that, given how slow they had started.
The second half started in exactly the same vein as the first, as Blanchfield added his second, before a Kenny free moved Derek Lyng’s side a goal ahead again. A goal would’ve been timely for Waterford, and they drew level with one moment later.
Nolan picked out Stephen Bennett in midfield, and he marauded down the left flank with a dazzling run before reverse hand passing to the overlapping Sean Walsh, and the Fourmilewater made no mistake in finding the net on 40 minutes - 1-13 apiece, game on.
Waterford then hit the front for the first time on 43 minutes when Shane Bennett picked out Patrick Curran, who finished with aplomb from a tight angle.
A half-chance at goal saw Curran smothered by the onrushing Eoin Murphy moments later as the stakes grew bigger, and Kilkenny worked it upfield for Keoghan to level affairs again.
Substitute Ed McDermott moved Kilkenny back in front, but another dead ball from Bennett kept the Déise on their haunches. A fine strike from John Donnelly again ignited the home crowd, but Shane Bennett responded superbly with a pinpoint drive.
Kilkenny captain Darragh Corcoran then took it upon himself to replicate Fitzgerald’s first-half score, and Cody was left loose to move them two in front going down the home straight.
Again, Waterford wrestled back control as Stephen Bennett wriggled free and tapped over before the returning Dessie Hutchinson beautifully picked out Mackey to knock over his third and level matters for a seventh occasion.
The excellent Iarlaith Daly teed up Sean Walsh, and Waterford again restored the lead on 66 minutes, before a brilliant move saw Barron, Hutchinson and Bennett combine for the Ballysaggart star to slap over another.
Another Kenny free ensured that Waterford’s lead was as slim as could be, and the sound of five extra minutes was met with groans by the travelling supporters and roars from the Cats crowd. It was in this period that Waterford’s mistakes ultimately proved their downfall.
Hutchinson picked out Michael Kiely in space, but he was soon smothered, and his effort trickled wide, before Mark Fitzgerald drove upfield and won a free that would’ve given Waterford breathing room at a crucial interval.
As was the case on more than one occasion, Stephen Bennett’s effort didn’t have enough on it, and Kilkenny emerged with the sliotar. Moments later, Keoghan shot through a crowd to level again.
At 1-20 apiece with mere seconds left, it was anyone’s game - John Donnelly emerged from a ruck, the Thomastown man was fouled and up stepped Kenny to take the two points.
A sucker punch for Waterford, and their visit to Salthill on Sunday now becomes all the more important in their quest for Division 1A survival.
Cian Kenny (0-7; 0-6f); Martin Keoghan (1-2); Eoin Cody, Liam Moore and David Blanchfield (0-2 each); Mikey Butler, Timmy Clifford, Jordan Molloy, John Donnelly, Darragh Corcoran and Ed McDermott (0-1 each)
Sean Walsh (1-2); Stephen Bennett (0-5; 0-2f; 0-1 ‘65); Sean Mackey (0-3); Jamie Barron and Shane Bennett (0-2 each); Mark Fitzgerald, Paddy Leavey, Michael Kiely, Charlie Treen, Reuben Halloran and Patrick Curran (0-1 each)
Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Mikey Carey, Rory Garrett; Killian Doyle, Darragh Corcoran, Paddy Deegan; Jordan Molloy, David Blanchfield; Timmy Clifford, Eoin Cody, Cian Kenny; Stephen Donnelly, Liam Moore, Martin Keoghan.
John Donnelly for Timmy Clifford (43); Ed McDermott for Stephen Donnelly (50); Richie Reid for Mikey Butler (64); Michael Brennan for Liam Moore (68); Luke Connellan for Jordan Molloy (70).
Billy Nolan; Aaron O’Neill, Mark Fitzgerald, Conor Keane; Paddy Leavey, Iarlaith Daly, Shane Bennett; Michael Kiely, Jamie Barron; Calum Lyons, Kevin Mahony, Reuben Halloran; Stephen Bennett, Sean Walsh, Charlie Treen.
Sean Mackey for Calum Lyons (31); Patrick Curran for Charlie Treen (HT); Jack Prendergast for Conor Keane (40); Dessie Hutchinson for Kevin Mahony (53).
Sean Stack (Dublin)
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