Waterford book semi-final clash with the Cats

Waterford 1-16 Galway 0-18

There could not have been a more dramatic finish as Waterford grabbed a late win against Galway to set up a meeting with Kilkenny in the All-Ireland Hurling semi-final.

Galway looked to be cruising when they led by six points after 57 minutes but Davy Fitzgerald brought in three substitutions, Maurice Shanahan, Dan Shanahan and Stephen Walsh.

And all three played major roles in the win.

Dan Shanahan missed a goal chance but minutes later and two from the end, he set up Walsh to hit a cracking goal which levelled the tie.

And seconds from the end John Mullane scored his only point to earn a famous win against a Galway side for whom Joe Canning scored nine points - one kicked, a ‘65’ and the rest from frees.

But crucially Canning fluffed a last-second chance to force extra time when he shot wide.

At the end of a disappointing first half Galway were four points in front after dominating the exchanges.

Highlight of the half was a kicked point by Joe Canning who also scored three points from frees and one from a sideline cut.

Callanan scored two points from play and Damian Hayes and Ger Farragher had the other two points.

Waterford never got going in that half and five of their points came from frees by Eoin Kelly with Kevin Moran and Seamus Prendergast getting their only scores from play.

Both sides were displeased with decisions by the umpires with the most controversial being the last-second ruling wide of an effort by Eoin Kelly.

Backed by the breeze in the second half Waterford began at pace and Kinvara’s Colm Callanan made a superb save to deny John Mullane. But points by Kevin Moran and another Kelly free cut the deficit to two points.

But a pointed free by Canning settled Galway and a well-taken point by Damian Hayes restored their four-point advantage.

Canning (free) and Ger Farragher had Galway six in front.

Eoin Kelly and Canning swapped points before Kelly had four in a row, three from frees, to set up the dramatic finish.

Galway went two points in front again before Big Dan set up Walsh for the goal which was followed by a pointed free by Kelly before Mullane finally pounced for the winning point after he had missed chances previously.

Scorers: Waterford, E Kelly, 0-12, (0-11f), S Walsh, 1-0, K Moran, 0-2, S Prendergast and J Mullane, 0-1 each.

Galway: J Canning, 0-9 (0-5f, 1 ‘65’), D Hayes, 0-3, G Farragher and A Callinan, 0-2 each, J Gantley, and A Smith, 0-1, each

Waterford: C Hennessy; E Murphy, D Prendergast, N Connors; T Browne, M Walsh, A Kearney; K Moran, S O’Sullivan; J Nagle, S Prendergast, S Molumphy (capt); J Mullane, E Kelly, S Casey.

Subs used: M Shanahan for Nagle, 44, S walsh for Casey, 54, D Shanahan for Moran, 63.

Galway: C Callanan; D Joyce, E McEntee, O Canning (capt); F Moore, J Lee, E Lynch; G Farragher, K Hynes; A Callanan, C Donnellan, A Smith; D Hayes, J Canning, N Healy.

Subs used: J gantley for Healy, 55, K Hayes for Donnellan, 60 mins

Referee, Diarmuid Kirwan, (Cork)