Hogan and McMaugh help Waterford roar back to upset champions Kerry

EAGLE EYE: Kellyann Hogan was on fire for Waterford in their win over Kerry. Photo: Eddie Dee

TG4 Ladies Munster SFC: 2-9 Waterford 0-17

Champions Kerry and Waterford faced off in a repeat of last year’s Munster Final at the Austin Stack Park on Sunday afternoon.

This opening-round fixture carried even more importance due to Tipperary’s shock win over Cork on Saturday evening. But it was Waterford who emerged victorious by two points and could even afford to miss a penalty late on.

Kerry are going for three-in-a-row in the Munster Championship and started as if they meant business with Niamh Ni Chonchúir and Mary O’Connell bringing the fight to Waterford with real intensity.

Ni Chonchúir and Kellyann Hogan swapped early points before Kerry struck for an early goal after a defense-splitting run by Caoimhe Evans set up Rachel Dwyer who blasted the ball to the Waterford net.

Hogan replied with a free but Kerry were attacking in waves and in the ninth minute a long ball over the top from Anna Galvin was collected by the inrushing Leah McMahon who saw her goalbound shot come back off the crossbar. She was fouled in the process and that saw referee Conor McCarthy point to the spot, Siofra O’Shea sending the penalty low past Katelyn Gardner.

Kerry were now on a roll and a two-point free for O’Shea saw the hosts lead 2-5 to 0-3 after 22 minutes. But Waterford began to run at Kerry and outscored the home side 0-4 to 0-1 in the final 10 minutes with points from Hogan (2) and one each from Brid McMaugh and Emma Murphy with Siofra O’Shea getting the Kingdom’s sole reply as Kerry retired 2-6 to 0-7 in front at the interval.

But Waterford dominated the second period as Kerry faded and without Danielle O’Leary, O’Shea had little assistance up front, despite the workrate from Caoimhe Evans and Niamh Ni Chonchúir.

Evans and Aoife Dillane had early points for the Kingdom, but Waterford’s bench added scoring options while Kerry got nothing from theirs and so three-second half frees from Fennell and three points from McMaugh saw Waterford slowly east into the Kingdom’s lead and it was no surprise when McMaugh leveled the contest in the 48th minute (2-9 to 0-15).

Waterford then took the lead with a Claire Walsh point and it appeared game over when Ciara Butler conceded a penalty and was yellow carded. But Hogan struck the post and Kerry had nothing left in the tank as Siofra O’Shea limped off, with Eve Power kicking the insurance score for Waterford.

The visitors with be buoyed by this narrow win while it's back to the drawing board for disappointing Kerry who play Tipperary next, away from home with a win now a necessity.

Scorers for Waterford: K Hogan (0-5, 3fs), B McMaugh (0-4), C Fennell (0-3 fs), E Power (0-2), E Murray, L McGregor and C Walsh (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kerry: S O’Shea (1-4, 1-0 pen, tpf), R Dwyer (1-0), A Dillane, A Galvin, N Ni Chonchúir, C Evans and L McMahon (0-1 each) 

KERRY: C Butler; R Rahilly, D Kearney, E Lynch; A O’Connell, E Costello, A Dillane; A Galvin, M O’Connell; K Enright, N Ní Chonchúir, C Evans; L McMahon, S O’Shea , R O’Dwyer.

Subs: N Carmody for K Enright (40), J Lucey for R Dwyer (48), N Quinn for L McMahon (55), M Ellen Bolger for C Evans (57), E Ni Laighin for S O’Shea (inj) 

WATERFORD: K Gardner; C Murray, L Mulcahy, A McGrath; R Browne, R Casey, K McGrath; E Murray (capt.), E Power; Á O’Neill, K Hogan, K Murray; M Daly, B McMaugh, L McGregor.

Subs: C Fennell for A McGrath (h/t), C Walsh for M Daly (53), L Ni hArta for R Browne (60), L Cusack for A O’Neill (62) 

Referee: C McCarthy (Cork)