Allianz Hurling League Division 1B final
WATERFORD 1-27 OFFALY 2-20
By Stephen Barry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh (from gaa.ie website)
For 55 minutes of this Allianz Hurling League Division 1B final, Waterford were cantering to victory.
They had nine different scorers in the first half alone to lead by 11 and stretched that advantage out to 15 with Patrick Curran’s goal.
But a remarkable reversal saw Offaly rifle 1-8 without reply across 12 minutes, including Oisín Kelly’s second goal, to get within four before the Déise reawoke.
Both sides made three changes from Waterford’s victory over Offaly a fortnight ago. Jack Prendergast was a late injury-enforced withdrawal with Curran called in to continue from the last day.
Peter Queally also gave starts to Ian Kenny, Iarlaith Daly, and Seán Walsh, while Michael Kiely was fit enough to take a place on the bench.
With James Mahon suspended for Offaly, Pádraig Cantwell came in while Cathal King and Dan Ravenhill resumed their starting positions.
They were under the pump from the start as Waterford savaged Offaly’s puck-outs. After two early wides, they dialled in their radar.
Shane Bennett, Curran, Dessie Hutchinson, and Mark Fitzgerald opened up a four-point lead. After Brian Duignan’s response, they reeled off another three through Jamie Barron, Stephen Bennett’s 65, and Hutchinson’s second.
Walsh crafted their first goal chance from a long ball but Jason Sampson got his body in the way.
Duignan’s audacious flick over his marker’s head created an opportunity at the other end but Billy Nolan produced a fine save. The blow was doubled when Duignan steered the 65 wide, although he finished the half with four points.
Just as Offaly looked to have stabilised, Waterford kicked on with five in a row via three Stephen Bennett placed balls, Curran, and a turnover point for the industrious Darragh Lyons.
Walsh threatened the goal again only for Mark Troy to produce a wonderful save. Colin Spain’s point left it 0-17 to 0-6 at half-time.
Fitzgerald’s third and two more from Stephen Bennett brought up 0-20 by the 40th minute. The Ballysaggart sharp-shooter then drove just wide of goal after disrupting a short puck-out.
He had another go from a 21-yard free but Troy got down well to turn it around the post. Bennett slotted the 65.
On 51 minutes, Offaly were the ones to find the net. Billy Nolan assumed Duignan’s shot was good as he went behind the posts to retrieve a sliotar. Instead, it struck the upright and dropped for the poaching Kelly to tap in.
The Déise responded within two minutes when Fitzgerald fed Curran to unleash a low finish to the net.
But Kelly had his second green flag in the 56th minute with a deceptive strike from Dan Bourke’s pass. It was 1-25 to 2-10 and Duignan could’ve added another when grabbing Sampson’s long ball but he was bottled up.
They did tag on the next eight points, though, as the Déise began to look nervy. Duignan landed four of those, including three in a row from play. Dan Bourke, Kelly, Eoin Burke, and Killian Sampson arrowed over the rest.
Curran and Hutchinson settled them, and captain Hutchinson was denied a clinching goal by Troy, but they had done enough to hang on.
Scorers for Waterford: Stephen Bennett 0-12 (6f, 3 65); Patrick Curran 1-3; Mark Fitzgerald, Dessie Hutchinson 0-3 each; Jamie Barron 0-2; Gavin Fives, Darragh Lyons, Seán Walsh, Shane Bennett 0-1 each.
Scorers for Offaly: Brian Duignan 0-12 (6f, 1 65); Oisín Kelly 2-1; Colin Spain, Cathal King, Dan Bourke, Killian Sampson, Charlie Mitchell, Eoghan Cahill, Eoin Burke 0-1 each.
WATERFORD: Billy Nolan; Ian Kenny, Iarlaith Daly, Gavin Fives; Mark Fitzgerald, Tadhg de Búrca, Paddy Leavey; Conor Sheahan, Darragh Lyons; Patrick Curran, Jamie Barron, Stephen Bennett; Shane Bennett, Dessie Hutchinson, Seán Walsh. Subs: Peter Hogan for Shane Bennett (27-31, temp), Hogan for Walsh (49), Kieran Bennett for Sheahan (55), Pádraig Fitzgerald for Shane Bennett (58), Charlie Treen for Lyons (61), Tom Barron for Hogan (67, inj).
OFFALY: Mark Troy; Ben Conneely, Ciarán Burke, Pádraig Cantwell; Ross Ravenhill, Donal Shirley, Jason Sampson; Colin Spain, Cathal King; Killian Sampson, Dan Ravenhill, Oisín Kelly; Dan Bourke, Charlie Mitchell, Brian Duignan. Subs: David King for Cantwell (42), Eoghan Cahill for D Ravenhill (42), Jack Clancy for Spain (49), Jack Fogarty for Shirley (53), Eoin Burke for Mitchell (59).
Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).
