Method and madness - Kilkenny 2-15 Waterford 0-16

Is it overly simplistic to suggest that Kilkenny coped with the conditions better? While Waterford’s short game established a tidy lead, once the rain started to fall, the visitors never changed tack and stuck rigidly to the plan. The short puckouts in particular put the defenders under unnecessary pressure to clear the ball as the game progressed. The Cats wised up, squeezed up and pinned Waterford back.

An innovative approach was laudable however and few could quibble with it by the end of the third quarter. Michael Ryan explained the rationale behind the short ball tactics. “There’s no point in dropping high puckouts on top of the Kilkenny half back line because they have been gobbling them up for years. We decided that we would diversify a little bit from that and unfortunately the wet and greasy conditions didn’t help us.”

The game was mistake ridden and untidy at times. The conditions contributed to that but it never caught the imagination of the 6,887 in attendance. The timing of Kilkenny’s first goal always kept them in the wing mirrors of the pace setters. By the tail end of the first period, the hosts were without a score in 16 minutes and struggling to locate the posts. With each passing minute, the Waterford youngsters grew a bit taller and belief began to build. Instead of a Kilkenny blitzkrieg, the Déise snipers were picking off their points from distance. After Richie Hogan landed a few early blows, the half back line settled down and stifled any threats. Shane O’Sullivan lorded the midfield proceedings and aside from his two points, he always seemed to pick out the right pass. Cody nullified his influence at half time by bringing Padraig Walsh out around the centre.

Then came the moment when Stephen O’Keeffe’s quick delivery didn’t reach its intended target. He tried it four times in the first half and although O’Sullivan scored a point from one of them, the risky puck out policy came back to bite. Ger Aylward still had work to do and Kevin Moran did his upmost to take him to the ground. The finish was emphatic and Kilkenny had something to cling to. And still, Waterford responded. They sent over two points within a minute of the goal and while they departed with a few regrets, they were in good shape and at the head of affairs. In truth, it could and should have been more. Apart from the giveaway goal, five balls fell short into Eoin Murphy’s grateful arms and the wide count also stood at four.

The Kilkenny reshuffle still didn’t spark a response. A brief flurry from Aidan Fogarty put them ahead but their play remained patchy. They continued to shoot wildly and a tally of 13 wides reflects that lack of composure. Meanwhile, Pauric Mahony was striking sweetly and four in a row from the Ballygunner put a healthy look on the scoreboard after 51 minutes.

Then Kilkenny got their act together. They started launching direct ball into the full forward line and cracks started to appear in the Déise defence. Ger Aylward and Colin Fennelly spurned sitters but the pressure kept building. Waterford continued to make life difficult by trying to pinpoint their deliveries. As conditions deteriorated, they needed to refine the plan. Their forwards were suffocated as JJ Delaney, Tommy Walsh and company made up for the absence of Paul Murphy and Jackie Tyrell. Waterford could only muster five second half points and went 16 minutes without a score down the stretch. The Cats didn’t exactly eat into the lead but took small nibbles before another free meal arrived. Matthew Ruth’s scruffy finish summed up an unconvincing Kilkenny performance overall.

Kilkenny were vulnerable but remained streetwise when Waterford tried to capitalise on a nervy performance. They scored 1-6 in the final quarter with only a point in reply.The Cats stayed cool and accomplished their mission but this was another step in the right direction for the gallant losers. They stood toe to toe with the All Ireland champions and players like Paudie Prendergast, Brian O’Halloran, Jake Dillon and Pauric Mahony will all derive confidence from productive periods during Sunday’s encounter. That half back line again kept the team driving forward. Michael Walsh in particular showed off all the fine arts of defending in an absorbing battle with Richie Hogan. He made a sharp block on the Danesfort forward in the first half and neatly hooked Matthew Ruth when a goal looked like a certainty. Jamie Nagle is also benefitting from a consistent run of games. Another blank in the goals column and the lack of natural ball winners remain outstanding issues for this team but they have shown so far that they don’t look out of place in this company. Putting the result and the performance together will be challenge when Tipperary and Galway show up in Walsh Park.