Stern test for clinical Kilkenny
Already without the vastly experienced John Mullane and Eoin Kelly from the forward division, Waterford lost All Star corner-back Noel Connors and star full-forward Shane Walsh before a ball was struck, but after a very solid first half were within a point of the All-Ireland champions at the break (1-10 to 1-9).
Doing most of the damage for the Déise in that opening period was a precocious full-forward line with an average age of 20 but Martin O’Neill, Gavin O’Brien and Maurice Shanahan were all to the fore. Waterford came back from two points down to take a two-point lead by the 26th minute (1-7 to 0-8), the towering Shanahan with a superb goal set up by Pauric Mahony, O’Neill and captain Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh.
