Late points give Cats win over Waterford

Waterford 0-17 Kilkenny 2-16

A grandstand finish from 2003 league champions Kilkenny saw off Waterford 2-16 to 0-17 in their opening Allianz NHL Division 1A tussle at Walsh Park.

Despite first half yellow cards for both JJ Delaney and James Ryall, Brian Cody's Cats showed their crafty side as they reeled off a match-winning run of five points in the final twelve minutes.

Minus their scorer-in-chief Henry Shefflin due to injury, the visitors were left trailing in Waterford's wake by the mid-point of the first half.

The sides were locked on 0-03 apiece before points from Eoin Kelly - who bagged eight in all - Ken McGrath and Seamus Prendergast saw the Deise hit the front.

With Delaney and Ryall off the field, Justin McCarthy's men ran to a 0-11 to 0-07 break lead, and they maintained that gap until the 49th-minute.

A scrambled goal from John Hoyne got Kilkenny right back into it. Eoin Kelly and Willie O'Dwyer then traded points before a Jimmy Coogan incision allowed Derek Lyng the space to fire past Waterford net minder Clinton Hennessy - deputising for the first-choice Stephen Brenner.

Although points from Eoin Kelly and Michael Walsh got Waterford back level at 0-17 to 2-11, Cody's charges powered clear again courtesy of their late scoring spree - with Martin Comerford, Derek Lyng, Brian Barry and Jimmy Coogan all on song.

Scorers: Kilkenny: R Power (0-06), J Hoyne, D Lyng (1-01 each), M Comerford, W O'Dwyer, B Barry (0-02 each), J Coogan, E Brennan (0-01 each)

Waterford: E Kelly (0-08), K McGrath (0-04), M Walsh, D Shanahan, J Mullane, S Prendergast, P Flynn (0-01 each)