Waterford claim Crystal

MUNSTER HURLING Waterford 1-9 UCC 0-11: WATERFORD WON their first official trophy under David Fitzgerald's managerial reign at Dungarvan as they edged out UCC in a keen and sometimes feisty Waterford Crystal hurling final before an attendance of 1,500.

It was a decider that could so easily have gone the way of the students and they will certainly bemoan their wayward first-half shooting in particular when they registered a dozen wides to Waterford’s four. Their 0-7 to 0-4 half-time lead certainly didn’t flatter them. But it would all change on the turnover when Waterford upped the tempo of their performance and in the end Martin O’Neill’s 36th-minute goal proved to be the most important score of the game.

That O’Neill goal, finished clinically after a fine move involving Gary Hurney and Tomás Ryan, edged the home side in front for the first time, but they were down to 14 players just minutes later when Eoin Kelly was dismissed on a straight red card after a wild pull on Eoin Murphy.

For the remainder of the game the students enjoyed a definite territorial advantage. But while they looked to have set up extra time with Stephen Moylan’s 58th-minute equaliser, the spoils were Waterford’s when the outstanding Kevin Moran rifled over what would be the match-winning point two minutes later.

Substitute John Halbert did have a chance of an equaliser deep into added time but failed to find the range and, with Michael Walsh imperious at the heart of their defence, Waterford held out for victory and that very first trophy in colourful Clare man Fitzgerald’s managerial reign.

WATERFORD: C Hennessy; J Meagher, L Lawlor, M O'Brien; D Prendergast, M Walsh, J Nagle; E Kelly, J Murray; M O'Neill (1-0). K Moran (0-3), M Shanahan (0-6); S Walsh. G Hurney, T Ryan. Subs: O Whelan for Ryan, B Phelan for Murray, A Kearney for Prendergast, M. Doherty for O'Brien.

UCC: Nash (Cork); D Kearney (Cork), R Foley (Waterford), W Kearney (Cork); J Jordan (Cork), K Hartnett (Cork), S Corry (Cork); E Martin (Wexford) (0-1), B O'Sullivan (Limerick); S Burke (Tipperary) (0-1), R White (Cork) (0-1), T Óg Murphy (Cork) (0-1); D Honan (Clare), E Murphy (Cork) (0-5), S Moylan (Cork) (0-1); Subs: L O'Farrell (Cork) (0-1)for E Murphy, J Halbert (Cork) for Burke, M Grace (Kilkenny) for T Óg Murphy, S O'Farrell (Cork) for Martin, S O'Sullivan (Cork) for D Kearney.

Referee: Denis Richardson( Limerick).