Waterford win at Nolan Park against Kilkenny

Kilkenny 0-17

Waterford 1-15

Michael Moynihan, Nowlan Park

Waterford took the honours against Kilkenny in a nippy Nolan Park, the 8,793 in attendance seeing a fine competitive fixture in Division 1A of the NHl.

Kilkenny defended the scoreboard end in the first half and faced the wind, the highlight of the early proceedings a superb Eoin Murphy save from a Shane Bennett flick.

Free-takers TJ Reid for the home side and the visitors’ Pauric Mahony swapped scores until the twelfth minute, when Tom Devine slipped his marker and found Patrick Curran, who goaled from close range: 1-3 to 0-2.

Reid and Mahony continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over but Waterford maintained that goal difference between the sides as the half wore on, both sides leaking frees - 1-11 to 0-10 at the break.

The second half ramped up in intensity, with the physical challenges coming thick and fast, but Waterford were six up on 44 minutes but sub Walter Walsh and three Reid placed balls made it 0-14 to 1-13 going into the final quarter.

Mahony (free) and Barron gave Waterford some breathing space with five minutes left but Reid nailed a 65: one goal in it. Kilkenny cut it to the minimum as time ran out, but Waterford held their nerve.

Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid (0-10, frees, 0-2 65s); L. Blanchfield, P. Lyng, O. Walsh, R. Hogan, W. Walsh, E. Murphy (free), K. Joyce (0-1 each).

Scorers for Waterford: P. Mahony (0-10, 0-9 frees, 0-1 65); P. Curran (1-1); J. Barron (0-3); C. Gleeson (0-1).

KILKENNY: E. Murphy, J. Holden, P. Walsh, C. O’Shea, P. Murphy, K. Joyce, C. Buckley, O. Walsh, C. Fogarty, P. Lyng, TJ Reid, S. Morrissey, JJ Farrell, L. Blanchfield, R. Hogan (c); S. Prendergast for Buckley (61).

Subs: W. Walsh for Morrissey (HT); P. Deegan for O. Walsh (51); R. Leahy for Lyng (inj, 55); C. Martin for Blanchfield (73)

WATERFORD: I. O’Regan, S. Fives, B. Coughlan, N. Connors, T. de Burca, S. Daniels, M. Kearney, J. Barron, C. Gleeson, K. Moran (c), P. Mahony, M. Walsh, P. Curran, T. Devine, S. Bennett.

Subs: A. Gleeson for Kearney (53); B. O’Halloran for Bennett (55); J. Dillon for Devine (63); G. O’Brien for Curran (68); S. McNulty for Daniels (70).

Referee: F. Horgan (Tipperary).