Brian Barry
GAA Editor @BrianGBarry
Waterford 4-20 Cork 1-23: Deise blast by Rebels to claim National Hurling League title and lay down championship marker
Goals from Patrick Curran, Dessie Hutchinson and two from Stephen Bennett helped Waterford overcome Cork, 4-20 to 1-23 as the Déise won their fourth ever Allianz Hurling League Division 1 title at Semple Stadium, Thurles.
Last Updated: 02/04/22 9:14pm
Stephen Bennett scored 2-11 as Waterford defeated Cork in an entertaining Division 1 final at Semple Stadium.
There is something stirring in Waterford hurling. After Ballygunner's stunning All-Ireland Club Championship triumph, the county's hurlers have backed it up with a stunning National League success.
It wasn't only the fact that the Suir-siders claimed their fourth springtime title. But the manner in which they achieved it.
When goals were needed in Saturday night's Division 1 final against Cork, they found them with ease. Indeed, they scored 22 majors across the seven games in their league campaign.
Liam Cahill has assembled a squad capable of competing for top honours.
John Kiely was in Thurles, and after the evening's showing, the Limerick manager will be in no doubt about the Treaty's biggest challengers for Munster and All-Ireland titles this summer.
Waterford made the faster start, with their movement troubling the Cork defence and they worked their way into a 0-6 to 0-3 lead.
The Rebels eventually settled, and they were in the ascendancy all over the park when Darragh Fitzgibbon pointed to make it 0-7 apiece.
However, the Déise then made their move.
In the 26th minute, Patrick Curran found their net, after being played in on goal by Mikey Kiely.
Cork were still reeling from the concession of that green flag when Waterford came again. This time, it was a Stephen Bennett bullet that found the bottom corner, and the Déise led 2-7 to 0-7.
The sides traded a trio of points for the remainder of the half, as the two goals separated the counties at the break.
Cork were unable to significantly eat into the Waterford lead after the restart.
In the 48th minute, Bennett rose high to field the sliotar over Ciaran Joyce, and took off. He left a host of Cork defenders for dead, and rattled the net, making it 3-14 to 0-15.
Undeterred, the Rebels came storming back. Shane Kingston scored three points following his introduction, and the Douglas man made it a four-point game, 3-17 to 0-22.
But when Waterford needed a response, they found a perfect one. Dessie Hutchinson, who had been quiet throughout the contest, produced a brilliant goal, and it buried the Cork challenge.
Robbie O'Flynn did get a consolation goal for the Lee-siders, but the evening was all about Waterford.
The Déise are warming up nicely for the championship.
Cork's wait for a first league title since 1998 goes on, as they look to regroup for the visit of Limerick to Páirc Uí Chaoimh in two weeks' time.
Waterford: Shaun O'Brien; Conor Gleeson, Conor Prunty, Shane McNulty; Jack Fagan, Tadhg de Burca, Cárthach Daly (0-1); Darragh Lyons, Calum Lyons; Neil Montgomery (0-1), Jack Prendergast (0-3), Patrick Curran (1-3); Dessie Hutchinson (1-0), Stephen Bennett (2-11, 0-9f), Mikey Kiely.
Subs: Shane Bennett for Mikey Kiely (57), Kieran Bennett for Neil Montgomery (65), Pauric Mahony for Cárthach Daly (66), Billy Power for Patrick Curran (70), DJ Foran (0-1) for Jack Prendergast (72).
Cork: Patrick Collins; Sean O'Donoghue, Damien Cahalane, Ciaran Joyce; Tim O'Mahony (0-1), Mark Coleman, Robert Downey; Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-1), Ger Millerick, Robbie O'Flynn (1-3), Shane Barrett (0-2), Seamus Harnedy (0-1); Conor Lehane (0-2), Alan Connolly, Patrick Horgan (0-10, 0-9f).
Subs: Shane Kingston (0-3) for Alan Connolly (ht), Conor Cahalane for Seamus Harnedy (43), Jack O'Connor for Conor Lehane (48), Sam Quirke for Ger Millerick (57), Mark Keane for Shane Barrett (65).
