Cats record comfortable victory at Waterford

Waterford 1-15 Kilkenny 2-21

Waterford’s challenge crumbled in the second half as Kilkenny ran out comfortable nine-point winners at Walsh Park.

The Cats made it two successive victories in Division 1A with young forward Matthew Ruth scoring a goal in each half.

Veteran defender Tony Browne pointed twice as Waterford kept pace, trailing by 1-10 to 1-9 at the break with Maurice Shanahan netting their goal.

However, accurate shooting from Richie Power, Richie Hogan and captain Eoin Larkin secured the spoils for the visitors.

Shanahan was brought into the Waterford side for the injured Shane Walsh, with Browne and Liam Lawlor marshalling a defence still missing the sidelined Noel Connors.

John Mullane's continued absence robbed the Déise of a key attacking threat, while Kilkenny started with league debutant Eoin Murphy from Glenmore in goal.

The early exchanges saw Kilkenny forage ahead on the scoreboard with Richie Power knocking over a free and Michael Fennelly scoring from play.

Tommy Walsh stood out in defence for the visitors, clearing a series of balls, but Shanahan did manage to get Waterford off the mark.

Larkin made it 0-3 to 0-1 and the big crowd roared their approval when 2011 minor Gavin O'Brien, making his first league start, sent over a tenth minute point for Waterford.

Pauric Mahony tagged on a free for Ryan's men as they started to get to grips with the Kilkenny forwards, pressing them hard and forcing errors as the hosts started to dictate.

A point from Colin Fennelly kept Kilkenny ahead but Waterford were back level in the 16th minute when Michael 'Brick' Walsh played in Shanahan for a stinging goal shot past Murphy.

A TJ Reid score was cancelled out by two brilliant long rang efforts from the returning Browne, who turns 39 in the summer. That edged Waterford ahead at 1-6 to 0-8.

Just when it looked like Kilkenny might be in trouble, Power created the opening for Ruth to slam home his first goal in the 27th minute.

Waterford's free-taker Mahony missed four scoreable frees during the first half, while Power was having no such difficulty at the other end as Kilkenny went in at half-time with a slender but deserved lead.

Brian Cody's charges went up through the gears in the second half and with Waterford missing some of their bigger names, they could not cope with the change in gear.

Credit to Mount Sion's Martin O'Neill, who showed some nice touches in front of goal as he tallied up five points in the closing 35 minutes.

Shanahan did manage to nab Waterford's tenth point early on, but by the 43rd minute the Cats were already 2-14 to 1-10 ahead.

Power and the returning Richie Hogan strung together a succession of points, before the latter's pinpoint hand pass allowed corner forward Ruth enough time and space to fire a low shot past goalkeeper Ian O'Regan for goal number two.

O'Neill grabbed a brace in response but Kilkenny were kicking for home at this stage and Larkin was unfortunate to see a shot come back off the crossbar.

Their ability to score from long and short range gave them a match-winning cushion at 2-17 to 1-12. A number of wides followed as the intensity dropped late on, yet a superb sideline cut from TJ Reid provided the final highlight as Kilkenny maintained their winning start to the league run.