O’Brien strikes late as Déise draw in Kilkenny
Kilkenny's Aoife Prendergast stretches as far as she can but doesn't manage to hook Waterford's Mairead O'Brien. Photos: Noel Browne.
A 64th minute point from Mairéad O'Brien salvaged a draw for Waterford on a bright and breezy Saturday afternoon in Kilkenny city.
The Modeligo attacker hit three wides earlier in the second-half but held her nerve with virtually the last puck of the game. In first half injury time, she rattled the top corner of the net. 5-2 from play in three championship outings for the Déise dual star.
After losing to Cork and Tipperary in recent weeks, this was an important point for Jerry Wallace’s side. The first time Waterford got a result against the Cats since they won promotion in 2015.
The brilliance of De La Salle pair Brianna O’Regan and Beth Carton helped them secure a share of the spoils. O’Regan denied Aoife Doyle and Miriam Walsh in second half one on ones. Surely the best goalkeeper in the country right now. Carton came to the fore when Waterford needed her most. She delivered nine points (four from play). Laoise Forrest also excelled as sweeper.
Waterford made one change from the facile win over Limerick as Alannah McNulty replaced Iona Heffernan. With wind assistance, the away team led three nil after ten minutes. Lorraine Bray won the throw in and shipped a late tackle as she offloaded to Tara Power. The ball went wide but McAllister came back for a free. Bray received treatment before Beth Carton tapped over. The captain showed no ill effects as she got on the scoresheet. Carton delighted Déise fans with a point in front of the stand.
With no Denise Gaule to call on, Kilkenny went through three different free takers. Aoife Prendergast missed two placed balls before Katie Nolan nailed a 45 on thirteen minutes.
In a cagey first half, Laoise Forrest and Tiffie Fitzgerald acted as spare defenders. The tough tackling Forrest made two big turnovers on Miriam Walsh. Clodagh Carroll stuck tight to the All Star forward throughout. A Waterford goal chance went awry when Tara Power couldn’t grab a pass from Róisin Kirwan. Kilkenny blocked two shots before Kirwan made it 5-3.
The game burst into life on 26 minutes. A Nolan point effort was blocked but the ball broke to Aoife Doyle who blasted home (1-3 to 0-5). Carton rose to the challenge. Two points from the four-time All Star edged the visitors back in front. Doyle levelled but Carton won a free off the puckout. Surprisingly, she mishit the sliotar and it dropped short. Mairéad O'Brien kept it alive however and found the top corner (1-7 to 1-4). Tara Power shot wide from the subsequent puckout. A late Nolan free left two between them at the break.
Five of the first six second half points belonged to Kilkenny. There was a dispute over Miriam Walsh’s effort before the umpire waved the white flag. Brianna O’Regan also flicked a Doyle shot away for a 45.
The heroic Carton was chopped down but she put the ball between the posts anyway. Substitutes Annie Fitzgerald and Sarah Lacey combined for a goal chance but Lacey was denied by Aoife Norris. A Carton free levelled it up at 1-10 each. Fitzgerald forced another free which Carton converted. With seven minutes left, Carton and Bray created a point for Niamh Rockett (1-12 to 1-10). “Waterford, Waterford,” chanted the away fans.
Miriam Walsh charged through on the Déise goal but O’Regan raced out and smothered the shot. The Kilkenny attacker collected the rebound and fired over. Walsh then supplied Sarah Barcoe for the equaliser. McAllister awarded an injury time free to Kilkenny which Jerry Wallace strongly disagreed with. With her first touch, substitute Sophie O’Dwyer dispatched it from 60 metres.
The three added minutes were up as Fitzgerald sent a ball into Rockett. The All Star forward went to ground but McAllister waved play on. Rockett fed O’Brien and she did the rest. Two wins in the last two rounds against Antrim and Derry will put Waterford through to the All-Ireland quarter-finals at the very least.
Brianna O’Regan thwarted two one on ones in the second half.
O’Regan’s late save from Miriam Walsh.
Kilkenny manager Peter Cleere won a seat in the local elections.
Waterford embark on a training camp to Fota before travelling to Antrim on June 22.
Beth Carton 0-9 (5fs), Mairéad O’Brien 1-1, Niamh Rockett, Róisín Kirwan, Lorraine Bray 0-1 each.
Aoife Doyle 1-2, Katie Nolan 0-3 (1f, 1 45), Miriam Walsh, Julianne Malone 0-2 each, Katie Power, Aoife Prendergast (f), Sarah Barcoe, Sophie O’Dwyer (f) 0-1 each.
Brianna O'Regan; Kate Lynch, Clodagh Carroll, Alannah McNulty; Keeley Corbett Barry, Laoise Forrest, Bevin Bowdren; Orla Hickey, Lorraine Bray; Róisín Kirwan, Tara Power, Beth Carton; Mairéad Power, Mairéad O’Brien, Niamh Rockett. Rachael Walsh for Bowdren (31), Annie Fitzgerald for Tara Power (37), Sarah Lacey for Kirwan (48).
Aoife Norris; Tiffie Fitzgerald, Grace Walsh, Ciara Phelan; Niamh Deely, Kellyann Doyle, Miriam Bambrick; Katie Power, Laura Greene; Julianne Malone, Laura Murphy, Aoife Doyle; Katie Nolan, Miriam Walsh, Aoife Prendergast. Sarah Barcoe for Prendergast (46), Steffi Fitzgerald for Nolan (53), Michelle Teehan for Kellyann Doyle (56), Asha McHardy for Power (56), Sophie O’Dwyer for Malone (62).
Cathal McAllister (Cork).
