Kilkenny 0-18 Waterford 0-16
It was a winner-takes-all clash between neighbouring counties and keen rivals, but turned out to be more of a damp squib.
In the end, Kilkenny finished the stronger to book a League semi-final spot with Cork next weekend as Waterford relinquished the title they won in style last year, with a daunting Championship opener against All-Ireland champions Limerick in five weeks’ time next up for them.
With the rain teeming down in Kilkenny all afternoon, the conditions weren’t conducive to flowing hurling at UPMC Nowlan Park and with both teams favouring a possession game for the most part, the play frequently broke down amid much groaning from the crowd.
Waterford played with an extra defender from the off this time with Tadhg de Burca the spare man at the back and they looked more solid defensively compared to the defeat to Tipperary eight days earlier, but they lacked a scoring threat up front, partly down to their lengthy injury list.
“It’s not a sweeper to us, it’s a plus one counter-attacking thing we are,” said Waterford boss Davy Fitzgerald, taking somewhat of an exception to the labelling applied to De Burca’s role.
“There’s certain teams that play with 11 and 12 defenders – we won’t be one of them. We’ll be more of an attacking team. If you really look at the last few years, look at it and see how many bodies are getting back inside the 65, we’ll be different.”
Fitzgerald felt that his side were “the best team out there” and pointed to their poor conversion rate in the first half as they spilled eight wides to Kilkenny’s two while dropping another effort short.
“Should have converted a few more of them. It was a tough battle. If you’d given me that with the team, with the lads that were missing, I’d have taken it.
“Disappointed we didn’t get through to the League semi-final but that’s the way it goes,” added Fitzgerald, who whisks his side away for a five-day training camp in Portugal this week.
In the circumstances, a reliable free-taker was always going to carry a high premium and Kilkenny had one in Billy Drennan, who converted nine from nine.
Waterford goalkeeper Billy Nolan was off target with a couple from distance while Patrick Curran’s radar was off too, missing two before duties passed to Paudie Fitzgerald. He scored their last three points of the first half from frees to leave them 0-8 to 0-7 behind, with all bar two of Kilkenny’s scores coming from Drennan frees.
Waterford had the better of the third quarter and pushed three points in front at one stage though Tom Barron really should have goaled in the 43rd minute when all he could manage was a point.
De Burca was mopping up at the back for them at that stage and though Kilkenny rallied to level, Waterford pushed two clear again.
“In the second half, we lost our shape a little bit up there,” admitted Kilkenny boss Derek Lyng.
“It’s difficult to play against and with the conditions we had today a lot of passes were going astray. It took two or three touches but it was the same for both teams.”
A run of five points without reply from Kilkenny restored their lead and they held out with reasonable comfort coming down the stretch despite a Waterford rally.
“It wasn’t perfect from either side,” Lyng added. “We made plenty of mistakes but I thought our attitude at all times was really good, particularly in the second half Waterford were getting a run on us and I thought we did well to get a few scores back and get ahead eventually.
“Overall, reasonably happy. Plenty to work on but happy to be in a semi-final.”
After opposing Brian Cody on the sideline so many times over the years in his first coming as Waterford manager as well as subsequently with Clare and Wexford, this was Fitzgerald’s first time to face Kilkenny without him.
“I can see Derek is trying other things and the crowd is getting a bit frustrated. Derek has to hold in his beliefs. I think Kilkenny have got to be patient with him again. He has got to do what he has got to do.
“Same as I’m saying. I’m in the job four months. I’m not going to change the world in four months. With Clare it took me two or three years to win an All-Ireland; with Wexford it took me three to win Leinster – it doesn’t happen overnight, much as people want it to.
“I think Derek will do fine but I can see changes he’s trying to make. It will break down a small bit. You can hear the crowd out there. That affects the players. Sometimes you’re better off playing away from home because it’s not nearly as bad.”
Looking ahead to getting some sun on the players’ backs and fine-tuning ahead of the Championship, Fitzgerald added: “We’ve certain things to work on. I’ll be totally honest with you, when I got this team at the start they weren’t in a good place and that’s being totally honest with you and we’re building and we’re getting out of it in a big way and I can tell you that.
“I know that the beating that was inflicted on them by Clare last year, it was tough to come back out of that place.
“They were doubting themselves and there were certain other issues that was bothering them and I think we’ve come a long way but I do think that there’s a road to go yet.
“I’m extremely proud of that today. If you told me before the game that we would be in with a chance to win the game missing eight fellas that played Championship last year, I’d be delighted and we had that chance to win it.”
KILKENNY: Darren BRENNAN 7; Padraig WALSH 7, Conor DELANEY 7, Tommy WALSH 7; Darragh CORCORAN (0-1) 7, Paddy DEEGAN 7, David BLANCHFIELD 6; Conor FOGARTY (0-1) 7, Cian KENNY 5; John DONNELLY (0-1) 6, Eoin CODY (0-1) 6, Billy RYAN 5; Gearoid DUNNE (0-1) 5, Martin KEOGHAN (0-1) 6, Billy DRENNAN (0-10, 0-9f) 8.
Subs: Alan Murphy (0-1) for Kenny (HT), Timmy Clifford for Ryan (43), Shane Walsh (0-1) for Dunne (59), Tom Phelan for Keoghan (68), Ronan Corcoran for Cody (70).
WATERFORD: Billy NOLAN 7; Conor RYAN 7, Mark FITZGERALD 6, Iarlaith Daly 7; Tadhg DE BURCA (0-1f) 8; Jack FAGAN 7, Calum LYONS 6, Carthach DALY 7; Tom BARRON (0-2) 7, Neil MONTGOMERY (0-2) 7; Paudie FITZGERALD (0-6f) 7, Patrick CURRAN (0-1) 6, Jack PRENDERGAST (0-1) 6; Dessie HUTCHINSON 5, Colin DUNFORD (0-2) 7.
Subs: Patrick Fitzgerald (0-1) for Curran (49), Paddy Leavey for Daly (59), Kevin Mahony for Paudie Fitzgerald (69), DJ Foran for Dunford (70+1).
REFEREE: Liam Gordon (Galway).
QUOTE ME ON THAT
“With Clare it took me two or three years to win an All-Ireland; with Wexford it took me three to win Leinster – it doesn’t happen overnight, much as people want it to.”
Waterford boss Davy Fitzgerald managing expectations.
STAR MAN - Billy Drennan (Kilkenny)
Drennan’s impressive breakthrough season continues and he put on a fine display of striking, nailing all of his eight frees from a range of distances and tagging on another from play.
AN OTHER - Tadhg de Burca (Waterford)
Davy Fitzgerald labelled Waterford’s set up as “plus one counter-attacking”, taking exception to De Burca being called a sweeper. Either way, there are few, if any, that perform such a role better.
UP NEXT
KILKENNY: Cork, League semi-final (TBC), March 25/26
WATERFORD: Limerick, Munster SHC (n), April 23
