Munster SHC: Waterford 2-23 Clare 0-21
Stephen Bennett marked his 100th senior intercounty appearance with a performance for the ages as Waterford blew the roof off the Munster senior series at a raucous Walsh Park.
The Ballysaggart man’s brace of second-half goals proved vital as the hosts managed the conditions with surprising comfort, registering 2-10 despite playing into a strong wind.
The All-Ireland holders Clare, who started without either Tony Kelly or Shane O’Donnell for the first time in a decade of championship hurling, once again laboured in the free-taking department. This glaring weakness could prove critical should scoring difference come into play once this minefield of a round robin phase concludes.
With the wind to their backs, Waterford led by 0-13 to 0-10 at the interval. The visitors opened the scoring through Cathal Malone after 50 seconds with Stephen Bennett levelling matters up barely a minute later.
Inside Gaelic Games: The weekly GAA newsletter from The Irish Times
Ciarán Murphy: Provincial finals exist as their own entity and are deemed worth winning in their own right
Skorts: Why camogie delegates voted to keep them in 2024, and what is different this time around
Tipperary top of Munster under-20 hurling roll of honour with victory over Clare
A fifth-minute free from Bennett sent the hosts ahead for the first time, before Darragh Lyons extended Waterford’s advantage from their next attack.
The Déisemen’s fine start was maintained by marauding wing back Mark Fitzgerald, who bisected the city end uprights following a bounding upfield gallop.
Having lost three successive rucks, Cathal Malone’s second point steadied the visitors’ ship after eight minutes, much to the delight of the substantial travelling support.
Patrick Curran and Mark Rodgers traded impressive points in the ninth and 10th minutes respectively before the all-action Lyons, enjoying his best half in senior championship action, expertly pointed from halfway.
Having unsuccessfully appealed for a penalty, Stephen Bennett converted a 13th minute free to send Waterford four points clear as the hosts began to assert some authority.
The outstanding Jamie Barron, fed by Patrick Curran, smartly dispatched a 15th minute point from inside the 13-metre line as Waterford sought to make good on the advantage provided by the wind.
By the 18th minute, Peter Queally’s men led by six following Stephen Bennett’s third free of the afternoon. Darragh Lyons’ third point left Waterford seven clear and good value for their advantage after 20 minutes.
Despite Clare’s ongoing struggles with the dead ball, having used four different free takers against Cork, they finished the half strongly, outscoring Waterford by 0-7 to 0-3 in the closing dozen minutes of action.
The towering Peter Duggan was prominent in the Banner’s recovery, asserting his aerial dominance as Brian Lohan’s side ended the half with menace. Duggan pointed and assisted Ryan Taylor before Jamie Barron and Shane Meehan traded white flaggers.
Before a 12,078-strong gate, Clare’s strong first-half finish, coupled with the wind advantage, suggested they more than possessed the wherewithal to turn things in their favour come the restart.
However, it was Waterford who opened the second half scoring through captain Dessie Hutchinson, breaking free of Adam Hogan’s attention for the first time all afternoon.
Shane Meehan, who deputised impressively following for Tony Kelly in the wake of the Clare talisman’s late withdrawal, broke free of Iarlaith Daly’s attention to land his third point in the 40th minute.
Peter Duggan’s 41st minute shot landed into the grateful palm of Billy Nolan, as Waterford successfully cleared their lines and swept forward, with Michael Kiely’s progress halted by Adam Hogan, followed by a disputed penalty award.
Stephen Bennett, despite undercooking his penalty stroke, landed the sliotar into the middle of the “Country End” net beyond Eibhear Quilligan’s outstretched limbs to send Waterford six points clear.
Ryan Taylor, David Reidy and Peter Duggan (with a great goal chance) all pointed to reduce Clare’s arrears to just a goal by the 53rd minute.
But just moments after another impressive Jamie Barron point, Bennett goaled again, capitalising on some hesitancy between Quilligan and John Conlon to leave Waterford six clear with 12 minutes remaining.
Clare, unable to develop a meaningful second-half rhythm such was Waterford’s dominance, were denied an injury-time goal by Billy Nolan, who dived to his left to deny Peter Duggan.
Bennett and Kiely pointed brilliantly as normal time elapsed, with the reappearance from the bench of Austin Gleeson further buoying up the home support as the match ticked into additional time.
“I’d a feeling Waterford would be top of the table by a quarter to four,” former Déise manager Michael Walsh had earlier opined on local radio. How right he was.
WATERFORD: B Nolan (0-1) I Kenny, C Prunty, I Daly; M Fitzgerald (0-1), T De Búrca, P Leavey; D Lyons (0-3), K Bennett; Stephen Bennett (2-8, 0-4f, 1-0 pen, 0-1sl), J Barron (0-4), J Prendergast; K Mahony, D Hutchinson (0-2), P Curran (0-2).
Subs: M Kiely (0-1) for K Bennett (HT), P Fitzgerald (0-1) for P Curran (52 mins), Shane Bennett for K Mahony (57 mins), S Walsh for D Lyons (71 mins), A Gleeson for J Prendergast (72 mins).
CLARE: E Quilligan; A Hogan, D Lohan, C Leen; C Galvin, J Conlon, D McInerney; D Fitzgerald, C Malone (0-2); S Meehan (0-4), M Rodgers (0-1), P Duggan (0-4, 0-1 Sl); R Taylor (0-4), A McCarthy, D Reidy (0-6, 0-2f).
Subs: A Shanagher for D Fitzgerald and I Galvin for A McCarthy (both 47 mins), R Hayes for C Leen (65 mins).
Referee: C Mooney (Dublin).
