Caught in a cat trap - Waterford v Kilkenny championship ties

Kilkenny 4-10 Waterford 3-12 All Ireland final (1957)
After emerging from Munster for only the third time, Kilkenny stood in Waterford’s path on All Ireland final day. In their first championship meeting, it went to the wire before 70,594 fans. Captain Phil Grimes shot home from a 21 metre free to establish a 1-6 to 1-5 lead at the halfway stage. A pair of goals from Donal Whelan widened the gap to six in the second half. Kilkenny reeled them in during the final quarter however with Mickey Kelly and Billy Dwyer striking two goals each.

Waterford 1-17 Kilkenny 5-5 All Ireland final (1959)
A deflected shot from Seamus Power sent this All Ireland final to a replay. The unerring Frankie Walsh gave Waterford a five point cushion at the interval (0-9 to 1-1). The pendulum swung wildly one way and the other during the second half. Walsh and Tom Cheasty kept tagging on the points but four Kilkenny goals handed them the initiative and a three point lead. Power’s late intervention served up an encore.

Waterford 3-12 Kilkenny 1-10 All Ireland final replay (1959) 
On the first Sunday in October, 77,285 witnessed Waterford’s march to ultimate glory for the second time. It didn’t start so smoothly however. A Denis Heaslip goal put Kilkenny 1-4 to 0-1 in the clear early on. Waterford issued an emphatic response and the damage was repaired by half time. Mick Flannelly’s goal was timely and a Tom Cheasty strike followed swiftly. A second from Flannelly left them 3-5 to 1-8 ahead at the break. Kilkenny’s confidence took a hit and they didn’t register for the last fifteen minutes of the contest. Waterford kicked on and captain Frankie Walsh claimed eight points in all to close out a resounding victory.

Kilkenny 4-17 Waterford 6-8 All Ireland final (1963)
Six goals in an All Ireland final and no Liam McCarthy cup to show up for it. It never happened before or since. A Seamus Power hat trick, two from Mick Flannelly and one from Phil Grimes wasn’t enough for the Déise. They trailed by seven at the midway point (3-6 to 1-5) but five second half majors narrowed the arrears to two in the closing stages. Fourteen points off the stick of Eddie Keher along with two goals apiece by Tom Walsh and Tom Murphy got Kilkenny across the line

Kilkenny 1-11 Waterford 1-10 All Ireland semi final (1998)
Another one point defeat to the Cats and another bitter pill to swallow. “It was a huge missed opportunity,” reflected selector Shane Ahearne. “It’s only as the years go on that you realise, more so than at the time, how much of an opportunity it was to get Waterford on the road to All Ireland finals and maybe winning them even.” The name of Niall Moloney will remain forever engrained in Déise minds as his fortuitous goal tipped an uninspiring All Ireland semi final. On 40 minutes, DJ Carey mishit his free and it broke nicely for the substitute who pulled first time. The sliotar dribbled low into the corner beyond the dive of Brendan Landers. Tony Browne followed up Paul Flynn’s close in free to give Waterford a glimmer. They battered down the door but the Black and Amber advanced from a low scoring tussle in unconvincing fashion. A fiery performance from corner back Willie O’Connor was one of the few highlights.

Kilkenny 3-12 Waterford 0-18 All Ireland semi final (2004)
For this All Ireland semi final, Kilkenny were in action for the third week running while Waterford had stayed in cold storage for six weeks. “It was a massive display of guts and character,” commented Brian Cody after they withstood a late Waterford charge. Justin McCarthy shook things up after the Munster final as Ian O’Regan and Shane O’Sullivan were called into the championship cauldron. On a damp afternoon at GAA HQ, three first half goals sustained the Cats. Henry Shefflin nipped in for two and Eddie Brennan grabbed the other as the slippy conditions unsettled the Déise defence. In the absence of the suspended John Mullane and with four of the starting forwards held scoreless, Paul Flynn blasted a whopping thirteen point total. He confirmed his All Star status with four from play and punished any indiscretions over the dead ball. The Cats tired visibly towards the finish and Flynn drove Waterford forward. Jack Kennedy nabbed three points on his arrival but crucially, Kilkenny kept a clean sheet and survived.

Kilkenny 3-30 Waterford 1-13 All Ireland final (2008)
On September 7, a Kilkenny earthquake struck at Croke Park. “It was the complete display,” stated Cody. “They were totally focused and hurled at a very serious level from the first to the final whistle. I couldn’t ask for more from them.” After repairing their reputation and winning four bouts through the backdoor, Davy Fitzgerald's men were floored by the three in a row chasing Cats and cast seventeen adrift by the break. Eddie Brennan belted 2-4 and hurler of the year Eoin Larkin lashed in the third goal. It took Waterford 46 minutes to score from play through John Mullane. The Sunday Game bizarrely decided to mark Kilkenny’s achievement by awarding Brian Cody the man of the match award.

Kilkenny 2-23 Waterford 3-15 All Ireland semi final (2009)
Another heavy defeat loomed large beforehand but Waterford played their part in a high scoring semi final. Full forward Shane Walsh scored two goals on his Croke Park debut against JJ Delaney and Eoin Kelly netted one. Kilkenny absorbed those blows and kept a comfortable distance. The Waterford full back line leaked scores and Henry Shefflin mopped up with 1-14, including 1-6 from play. A spectacular stop from PJ Ryan near the end also helped them towards the decider. Davy Fitzgerald wasn’t best pleased with referee Barry Kelly in the aftermath. “I’m not going to criticise the ref but I’m not happy with him. He wasn’t the reason we lost. I’m not blaming him. But they have to ref the game. That’s important. I’ll probably get lacerated but I don’t give a s***. Can I make a point to the referee? If I tried, I’d probably get three months but you’d like to ask questions.”

Kilkenny 2-19 Waterford 1-16 All Ireland semi final (2011)
After 18 championship games at the helm, this was Davy Fitzgerald’s last stand as Waterford boss. The Déise regrouped after the Munster final debacle to reach the final four and they battled to the death, spearheaded by John Mullane, “A lot of people were expecting maybe another massacre today," Fitzgerald said. “It didn’t happen. We’re sorry to disappoint some people. I’m very proud of the guys. Where we were four weeks ago wasn’t easy when I had to face all ye guys and for the lads to pick themselves up the way they did, it showed unbelievable character.” Kilkenny threatened to steam ahead at different points but another annihilation never materialised. Richie Hogan’s goal three minutes in spelt trouble and, with a couple of tidy touches, he flicked home a second before the break. They led by six at half time and that stretched to ten during the second period. Alternating between centre forward and corner forward, Mullane went in hot pursuit. He chased it right to the finish and scored 1-6 from play in the process.

Kilkenny 1-22 Waterford 2-16 All Ireland qualifier (2013)
“It was like the Colosseum out there with the way Waterford came back into it. That’s what championship is all about.” The reaction of Tommy Walsh following this ninety minute marathon that finished up close to ten o'clock. Richie Power's goal split the sides at half time (1-6 to 0-6) before captain Kevin Moran rescued his team with two superhuman efforts from wing back. “It was an unbelievably hot evening,” Moran recalled. “A lot of lads just ran out of steam on the day. We really came on as a team in the last ten or fifteen minutes. It was just unfortunate that we didn’t get over the line.” The sides were deadlocked at 1-12 to 0-15 by the end of normal time. Richie Hogan carried the Cats through with four singles over the additional twenty minutes . Goals by Ray Barry (1-3) and Jake Dillon (1-2) levelled the tie with two minutes remaining but Colin Fennelly, Matthew Ruth and Aidan Fogarty delivered late, late points. Waterford ran out of bodies by the end and Michael Ryan made eight substitutions on the night.