Waterford’s youth comes to the fore at Walsh Park

Waterford 0-22
Galway 1-13

A commanding display from Pauric Mahony and the sparkling support efforts produced by young forwards Ray Barry and Ryan Donnelly saw Waterford emerged as deserved victors over Galway at Walsh Park.

Despite the strong breeze blowing in Galway’s favour during the first half, Waterford went 0-9 to 0-8 ahead at the break after a compelling 35 minutes of action.

Conor Cooney sent the visitors a point up just seven seconds after the throw-in, with Pádraig Brehony doubling their advantage in the third minute.
Ray Barry got Waterford off the mark 60 seconds later, before Cathal Mannion intercepted an Ian O'Regan puck out moments later to register a third Galway point.

A brace of Pauric Mahony points drew Waterford level by the 12th minute, and the industrious Kevin Moran put Derek McGrath's charges ahead for the first time come the 17th minute of an intriguing contest.

Restored advantaged
A scuffed sideline ball from Jamie Nagle was punished by Cooney to level matters once more, before Mahony's first free restored the Deise's advantage in the 21st minute.

Cooney was Galway’s primary offensive threat throughout this match and a beautiful catch and strike restored parity just seconds later.

Mahony’s second free edged the hosts back in front in the 24th minute, but Niall Healy and David Burke both bisected the uprights in the 27th and 28th minutes to edge Galway back ahead by the slenderest of margins.

Barry was upended by Iarla Tannian on the half-hour, with Mahony on hand with another successful point to level matters once more.

Mahony and Stephen Molumphy added to Waterford's total in the closing minutes of the half, but Cathal Mannion's injury-time score ensured just a point separated the sides at the break.

Pendulum swing
Upon the resumption, Mannion scored again but the hosts struck the next three points through Séamus Prendergast, Barry and Mahony.

The pendulum swung maroon between the 42nd and 48th minutes, when points from Healy and Cooney were added to by Jason Flynn’s smartly taken goal.

If anything that goal served to strengthen Waterford’s resolve, and they outscored Galway by 0-8 to 0-2 in the remaining 22 minutes.

Superb points from both Mahony and Barry, a stunning strike from an acute angle by Ryan Donnelly, along with welcome contributions from substitutes Jake Dillon and Stephen Roche, ensured Waterford remain firmly in the Division 1A mix-up.

WATERFORD: I O'Regan; T de Burca, S Fives, N Connors; J Nagle, M Walsh, P Mahony; K Moran (0-1), S O'Sullivan; R Barry (0-4), P Mahony (0-11, six frees), S Molumphy (0-1); R Donnelly (0-1), S Prendergast (0-2), B O'Sullivan. Subs: J Dillon (0-1) for B O'Sullivan (45 mins), J Barron for Molumphy (51 mins), E Barrett for S O'Sullivan (59 mins), S Roche (0-1) for Prendergast (63 mins), G O'Brien for Barry (66 mins).
GALWAY: C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, J Coen; D Collins, I Tannian, A Harte; D Burke, P Brehony (0-2); C Mannion (0-3), K Hynes, D Glennon; N Healy (0-1), C Cooney (0-6, 0-2 frees), J Flynn (1-0). Subs: P Landers for Hynes (28 mins), D Burke (0-1) for Glennon (43 mins), D Dolan for Landers (62 mins), R Cummins for Mannion (65 mins).
Referee: John Sexton (Cork).