Waterford Hold Out In Thriller
National League Quarter Final
Waterford 1-20
Tipperary 1-19
By Denis O'Brien
It took an injury time point from sub Shane O'Sullivan to nudge Waterford over the line after injury plagued and fourteen man Tipp battled back from a four point deficit and came so close to pulling off a dramatic late draw in the second league quarterfinal at a very well attended Nolan Park in Kilkenny.
Waterford meant business from the start and inside nine minutes had notched 1-01 to Tipp's 0-1. The goal was a well-worked movement that saw center forward Seamus Prendergast, who was excellent for the 70 minutes, burst through on goal before delivering a great hand-pass ahead to Eoin Kelly and he did well when beating Clinton Hennessey from an acute angle.
Jack Kennedy added a point for Waterford before Tipp's Paul Kelly fired over while his brother Eoin landed an excellent 65' to leave two points between the sides. Tipp's center back Conor O'Mahoney got injured midway through the half and was replaced by John Carroll with Benny Dunne moving in to mark Prendergast at center back.
Waterford were the livelier looking side for the remainder of the half with Prendergast, Dan Shanahan and John Mullane proving troublesome in attack with Eoin Kelly sharp from frees and 65's. On the other side Tipp's prolific marksman, Eoin Kelly, kept Tipp in touch with four pointed frees however they trailed by seven points at the break.
On the restart Kelly fired over another free before John Carroll in one of his trademark forward drives shot over a good point. Then a turning point arrived when an over-enthuastic Carroll found himself guilty of a straight red card offence after a frontal charge on Aidan Kearney had landed him in a heap over the sideline. But Tipp kept plugging away and had arrears back to four after an Eoin Kelly free. Just before that Kelly had a goal chance but he got bottled up and could not deliver a clear shot. Waterford's Kelly replied with a free before Lar Corbett sent over a fine point to leave four in it once more.
Waterford's heroes Prendergast and Shanahan dropped over two good points of their own and the standard of hurling with twenty left to play was excellent with the pace having quickened considerably from the first half.
Corbett who was using his excellent speed to good effect when making room for himself then put over two fantastic points. Then a blow to Tipp's hopes, arrived when Eoin Kelly got injured and was replaced by Willie Ryan. Behind by four, Tipp though came right back with a fighting chance after Paul Kelly broke on to a lose ball getting behind the Waterford defense and shot a low angled dribbler to beat Clinton Hennessy to the far right corner of the net. Then tragedy once more for Tipp as Kelly pulled up lame and then he had to cry off. But Waterford showing some resolve put over two quick points from John Mullane while Willie Ryan in-between got one back one for Tipp to leave two in it with just ten left on the clock.
Then the magnificent Corbett struck again from a near impossible angle way out on the sideline to leave just the one in it. Dan-the-man Shanahan replied in fine style after catching well, turning and over. More injury woe for Tipp ensued though when the impressive Pa Bourke had to go off with an injury. An Eamon Corcoran sideline cut brought it back to one once more and this league quarter final had the large crowd enthralled as this was definitely championship fare now and had turned into a thriller.
With a minute of normal time remaining, Tipp's Wille Ryan ran on to a ball and brilliantly shot over while on the run to level the sides. But Waterford had the last say when sub Shane O' Sullivan somehow got his shot away in the second minute of injury time when under serious pressure and put over the winning point in this dramatic encounter.
Waterford now face their old nemesis Cork in the second semi-final next week in what should be another titanic clash.
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