Kilkenny 2-21 Waterford 0-21
Such was Padraig Walsh’s excellence for Kilkenny as they booked a League semi-final spot that even when things went astray for him, they tended to work out in the end.
Take his effort at a 46th minute point, which would have been his fifth of the day at that stage. Carthach Daly did well to hook him but his half-hit shot fell nicely for Billy Ryan, who wrong-footed Iarlaith Daly to slot Kilkenny’s second goal and ultimately put the game beyond Waterford’s reach.
That Kilkenny had established such a platform when it looked as though Waterford might blow them out of Nowlan Park in the first quarter was largely down to Walsh.
Waterford had built up a 0-7 to 0-3 lead when Austin Gleeson, having been brilliantly picked out by Pauric Mahony, flashed a goal chance wide in the 15th minute; it had been their second goal opening in the early stages.
But Walsh, roving from centre-forward where he has been stationed so far this year, stepped up and slotted three points in the next six minutes and he created the opening for Cillian Buckley’s goal in the 26th minute that drew Kilkenny level for the first time.
With the impetus from that score they moved 1-10 to 0-11 in front at half-time and Walsh’s fourth point pushed them five clear shortly after the restart.
And when 14-man Waterford came at Kilkenny late on, it was Walsh who crowned a fine personal performance with a point from distance to complete a six-point victory.
“He plays an awful lot of hurling for his club in the forwards,” his manager Brian Cody pointed out afterwards.
“Always has done. It’s not as if he’s suddenly converted into a forward, he’s a very experienced club forward and a very, very good hurler.”
His namesake Walter on the half-forward line also put in a decent shift and kept Kilkenny ticking over with scores in that first quarter when they were most needed.
Waterford’s inability to maintain their early pace can probably be attributed to a number of reasons, among them the fact that they were all but through to the semi-finals before a ball was pucked as well as a list of absentees that includes Stephen Bennett, Jamie Barron, Calum Lyons and Conor Prunty, while Mahony is still being eased back in after his club campaign with yesterday his first start for the county in two years.
“Pauric Mahony is back from a long lay-off and he had a marvellous year with his club,” said Waterford boss Liam Cahill, who replaced his free-taker at half-time. “It’s going to take everyone, no matter who you are, time to step up to that sort of intensity and tempo today. It’s just great to have him back, and back on the field.”
With half-time sub DJ Foran given a straight red card for a high challenge on Mikey Butler in the 61st minute, Waterford’s race looked to run but they found a second wind with three points on the trot to reduce the deficit to a goal only for Kilkenny to finish strongly.
“I didn’t expect to see a red card to be honest,” said Cody. “I was looking around the field to see where the ball was going. There was certainly nothing malicious in it, that’s for sure.”
“It’s like Colin Dunford’s incident in Corrigan Park, they’re not dirty players,” said Cahill. “DJ Foran is not a dirty player.
“He went for a body hit against a smaller man and unfortunately it looked worse maybe than it was but if it’s in the area, anything around shoulder high now and you’re in trouble and I suppose Johnny Murphy just implemented the rules the way you’re supposed to and that’s the consequences.”
KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy (0-1f) 7; Mikey Butler 8, Huw Lawlor 7, Tommy Walsh 7; Mikey Carey 6, Richie Reid 7, David Blanchfield 8; Cian Kenny (0-1) 6, Cillian Buckley (1-0) 7; Walter Walsh (0-3) 7, Padraig Walsh (0-5) 9, Adrian Mullen (0-1) 6; Billy Ryan (1-1) 7, Martin Keoghan 6, Alan Murphy (0-5, 0-4f) 6.
Subs: Eoin Cody (0-2) for Mullen (42), James Maher (0-1) for Kenny (57), John Donnelly (0-1) for Keoghan (59).
WATERFORD: Billy Nolan 6; Cian Wadding 6, Iarlaith Daly 7, Shane McNulty 7; Jack Fagan (0-1) 7, Tadhg de Burca 7, Conor Dalton (0-1) 7; Carthach Daly (0-1) 7, Darragh Lyons (0-1) 7; Neil Montgomery (0-3) 7, Austin Gleeson (0-7, 0-4f, 0-1 ‘65’) 7, Pauric Mahony (0-3f) 6; Colin Dunford (0-1) 6, Michael Kiely (0-1) 5, Dessie Hutchinson (0-2) 7.
Subs: DJ Foran for Mahony (HT), Shane Bennett for Kiely (49), Kieran Bennett for Dunford (53), Micheal Harney for Wadding (59), Michael Mahony for Lyons (65).
REFEREE: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).
QUOTE ME ON THAT
“I’m only here to talk about the match. You can talk about next week’s match either. They’re the only things I’m qualified to talk about.”
Kilkenny manager Brian Cody when questioned on the GAA/GPA fallout.
STAR MAN - Padraig Walsh (Kilkenny)
An outstanding display from the versatile Walsh, who turned the game in Kilkenny’s favour and struck 0-5. Where TJ Reid slots in will be interesting as Walsh will take some shifting from No 11.
AN OTHER - Pauric Mahony (Waterford)
His first start for Waterford since a League game against Limerick in March 2020, just before the first Covid-19 restrictions were imposed. A cruciate injury later that year saw him miss two Championship campaigns.
UP NEXT
KILKENNY: March 26/27 v Cork (TBC)
WATERFORD: March 26/27 v Wexford (TBC)
