After following a narrative based on blinding scores and creativity for almost an hour, the 25th women's All-Ireland final was ultimately settled after a finishing period characterised by gritty defence and crucial misses.
This replay was less open than the original encounter three weeks ago, but no less fascinating. Both sides - Waterford in particular - had carried out ample patchwork on defences which had been torn asunder, with the result that both teams retreated at the break to mull over the comparatively conservative score-line of 1-8 to 0-5, in Waterford's favour.
The southerners were certainly worthy of their lead. They were enterprising in attack and fired seven wides, at least three of which were sinful, but their goal carried an element of the freakish about it.
Half-back Mary O'Donnell, breaking free along the Hogan stand touchline, lofted an optimistic lob towards Hill 16, which, caught between glaring sunlight and a sly breeze, curled behind a stranded Brenda McAnespie.
That left the Ulster side trailing by 1-7 to 0-3 with just six minutes left in the half and, against a stiff wind, they were labouring under their own short-passing game, unable to penetrate the Waterford defence as they had so tellingly three weeks ago.
But their response to that O'Donnell score was significant; Margaret Kierans, pre-occupied with flying half-back Julianne Torpey all afternoon, chipped a point and although Catriona Casey fired a response from a 15 yard free from the kick-out, Monaghan finished stronger.
Kierans won another free which Angela Larkin converted and then Niamh Kindlon threaded a through ball for Edel Byrne, who tidily curled another score, leaving Monaghan a manageable six points adrift.
But throughout that first half, there had been worrisome signs for Monaghan. Waterford, rejuvenated by the return of Annalisa Crotty, were commanding in defence, suffocating the supply line to Larkin, Keirins and Kindlon. Moreover, Waterford's transition game was breathtakingly direct, as was illustrated by their sixth point after nine minutes. Claire Ryan, trekking back on defence, took possession deep in her own half and angled a fine crossfield ball to Mary O'Donnell, who spun free to kick a point after brilliantly trading handpasses with Rebecca Hallahan.
Fears that Monaghan would have difficulty supressing this sweeping and colourful expressionism were realised shortly after the break. Monaghan did hit the first score, a free from Byrne, but for the next seven minutes their opponents shredded them, with Casey and Hallahan hitting points before Torpey and Crotty combined to free Aine Wall, who hit yet another.
Byrne responded for Monaghan with a free but their hopes of a threein-a-row looked to have disintegrated with the next sequence of play, as Julianne Torpey stormed down the wing before lobbing a ball which again eluded Monaghan goalkeeper McAnespie.
This mirrored O'Donnell's firsthalf effort and left Waterford 2-11 to 0-7 to the good with 20 minutes remaining. Astonishingly, that goal only motivated Monaghan to summon up a purple patch.
They rushed Waterford's defence in torrents for the next 10 minutes with a comeback which had its origins in the kick-out from Torpey's goal; Jennifer Treanor punted forward, Larkin whipped a pass to Jenny Greenan, who transferred the ball for Linda Farrelly to hammer home from close range.
Suddenly this match was alive with unlikely possibilities. Keirins sprinted forward to chip another point and then Larkin grabbed a ball on the edge of the square to free Diane Dempsey, who nailed another score.
With their lead slashed to three points, Waterford steadied with a Geraldine O'Ryan point but they were on the rack again two minutes later as Niamh Kindlon scrambled the ball across the line, following through on Diane Dempsey's shot. It was 3-8 to 2-12 with 10 minutes on the clock.
Nervous moments, but Waterford responded through another Casey free. Then Torpey again raced into dangerous territory before nonchalantly flicking home what transpired to be the concluding score.
For the last five minutes, Waterford buckled down as Monaghan laid siege. Angela Larkin turned a couple of hittable frees wide in between slamming a shot off the post and a hanging cross also grazed the cross bar before spinning across the face of the goal.
Nothing doing for the champions, though, Waterford clearing with less than a minute to go and weathering the storm as the clock ticked down.
Tough breaks for an Ulster team who have kept Waterford's burgeoning under-age talent under wraps for two years. But the southern side deserve this championship and may be about to embark on a legacy as illustrious as their predecessors'.
Waterford: S Hickey; T White, S O'Ryan, N Walsh; A Crotty, D O'Rourke, J Torpey (1-2); C Casey (0-5, 4 frees), O Condon; M O'Donnell (1- 1), M O'Ryan (0-1), R Hallahan (0-2); C Ryan (0- 1), G O'Ryan (0-1), A Wall (0-1). Subs: D Nagle for O Condon (46 mins), F Crotty, P Walsh, R Byrne, H Fitpatrick, A Walsh, B Hannigan, M Troy.
Monaghan: B McAnespie; C Brady, M Kelly, A O'Reilly; A O'Reilly (0-1), E McElvaney, J Treanor; J Greenan, L Farrelly (1-0); M Keirans (0-2), A Larkin (0-2, 2 frees), N Kindlon (1-0); E Byrne (0-3, 2 frees), B Swift, D Dempsey (1-0). Subs: C McGuinness for B Swift (39 mins), M Gray, O O'Reilly, M Murphy, I Kierans, M Croarkin, U Rooney, D McCaffery, C Mulligan, B McGinn, D Mulligan.
Referee: C Haughney (Carlow).
