Kilkenny advance to sixth All Ireland in a row - but will have to up game

Kilkenny 2-19 Waterford 1-16, Croke Park

Kilkenny advanced to their sixth All-Ireland SHC final in as many years, as this much-anticipated clash petered out in disappointing fashion.

The intensity dropped in the second half at Croke Park with the Cats able to maintain their advantage, despite failing to convert most of their 44 scoring chances throughout.

But Brian Cody knows a repeat performance will not be good enough come next month’s final, as they allowed Waterford to stay in the hunt.

In the end, it was Richie Hogan’s two first-half goals that proved the difference. John Mullane drove Waterford on with a 1-6 haul, but they could not threaten David Herity’s goal after the break.

Hogan’s brace helped the Leinster champions take a 2-10 to 1-7 lead over a hard-tackling and fiercely competitive Waterford side.

A total of 31,634 spectators watched the heavy pre-match favourites get an early run on their opponents, registering 1-2 before the Déise could get off the mark.

Corner forward Hogan turned sharply in the third minute and advanced through on Clinton Hennessy before firing a shot into the roof of the net.

Michael Fennelly and Henry Shefflin tagged on points before Eoin Kelly converted a close range free for Waterford’s first score in the eighth minute.

Michael Rice, who was moving well at wing forward, extended Kilkenny’s advantage to five points, but Waterford hit the next three through Mullane, teenage free-taker Pauric Mahony and Seamus Prendergast.

Davy Fitzgerald’s men were certainly for the fight and with Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh and Noel Connors tidying up at the back, the contest was most definitely on.

Kilkenny captain Brian Hogan broke forward, with Mullane snapping at his heels, to reopen the three-point gap, and Mahony and Shefflin then swapped frees.

Some good play from Shefflin, who broke the ball to himself, set up Michael Fennelly for his second point and Eoin Larkin split the posts in the 22nd minute for a 1-7 to 0-5 scoreline.

The Cats were beginning to motor when the excellent Paul Murphy took a catch on the right and found Larkin who fed TJ Reid for his first point after some earlier misses.

Six points adrift, Waterford turned to a familiar source for some inspiration in the 25th minute. Seamus Prendergast slipped a pass through for Mullane to shorten his grip and fire past Herity from the left edge of the square.

The goal whittled the deficit down to 1-8 to 1-5 and it was a two-point game after Mullane and Kelly replied to a Colin Fennelly point.

However, in one action-packed sequence of play the momentum swung back to Kilkenny. Herity managed to block a rising shot from Mullane as he went in search of his second major.

The black and amber shirts raided forward at pace and Colin Fennelly’s pinpoint pass was flicked up by Hogan and finished neatly past goalkeeper Hennessy, who caught him with a heavy challenge.

Shefflin followed up with a free - his third of the afternoon - to stretch the margin to six points by half-time.

The Ballyhale Shamrocks ace scored from play and from a free, as the second half got underway, to keep his side on track at 2-12 to 1-7.

It was economical hurling at best and Kilkenny were playing in spurts, doing just enough to keep their stranglehold on proceedings. The influence of defenders JJ Delaney and Tommy Walsh grew as they built from the back.

Mullane and Kelly (free) added to Waterford’s total, but further scores from Michael Fennelly, Shefflin, Larkin and Colin Fennelly almost put Kilkenny out of sight at 2-16 to 1-9.

Credit to Fitzgerald’s charges, they never stop working for each other and soon it was their turn to hit a purple patch. Substitute Maurice Shanahan added to their attacking efforts.

Stephen Molumphy and free-taking substitutes Shanahan and Richie Foley raised white flags along with Mullane, whose quick-fire brace around the hour mark, reduced the arrears to 2-17 to 1-14.

Shefflin, who had come further outfield, had nonchalantly lobbed over Kilkenny’s 17th point. Yet they fell off the pace briefly and allowed Waterford to dictate, with the Cats’ wides tally also spiralling.

Walsh and the 38-year-old Tony Browne, probably in his last game for Waterford, provided the grunt in defence and another point from Shanahan suddenly put five between them.

They needed a goal though and it never looked like coming, as Kilkenny tightened up their rearguard with more bodies filtering back. Points from substitutes Paddy Hogan and Eddie Brennan were enough to seal the deal.

Mullane offered Waterford’s sole response at the tail-end of their fourth semi-final appearance under Fitzgerald.

Kilkenny will be all the better for shaking off their rustiness. Their much-decorated manager Cody will be back at GAA headquarters next weekend to cast his critical eye over the other semi-finalists - Dublin and reigning champions Tipperary.

Stats:

Scorers: Kilkenny: Henry Shefflin 0-7 (0-4f), Richie Hogan 2-0, Michael Fennelly 0-3, Eoin Larkin, Colin Fennelly 0-2 each, Michael Rice, Brian Hogan, TJ Reid, Paddy Hogan, Eddie Brennan 0-1 each

Waterford: John Mullane 1-6, Eoin Kelly 0-3 (0-2f), Pauric Mahony (0-2f), Maurice Shanahan (0-1f) 0-2 each, Seamus Prendergast, Stephen Molumphy, Richie Foley (0-1f) 0-1 each

KILKENNY: David Herity; Paul Murphy, Noel Hickey, Jackie Tyrrell; Tommy Walsh, Brian Hogan (capt), JJ Delaney; Michael Fennelly, Michael Rice; TJ Reid, Richie Power, Eoin Larkin; Colin Fennelly, Henry Shefflin, Richie Hogan.

Subs used: Eddie Brennan for Hogan (35-37 mins, blood sub), Paddy Hogan for TJ Reid (half-time), Eddie Brennan for Rice (61).

WATERFORD: Clinton Hennessy; Darragh Fives, Liam Lawlor, Noel Connors; Tony Browne, Michael Walsh, Kevin Moran; Stephen Molumphy (capt), Declan Prendergast; Eoin Kelly, Shane O'Sullivan, Pauric Mahony; John Mullane, Shane Walsh, Seamus Prendergast.

Subs used: Jamie Nagle for D Prendergast (half-time), Maurice Shanahan for Mahony (45 mins), Thomas Ryan for Kelly (52), Richie Foley for S Walsh (53).

Referee: Barry Kelly (Westmeath)