Patrick Curran of Waterford in action against Jason Sampson of Offaly during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B match between Waterford and Offaly at Walsh Park in Waterford. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile.
Allianz Hurling League Division 1B
WATERFORD 0-22 Offaly 1-11
Tomás McCarthy at Walsh Park
Waterford and Offaly will face off in the Division 1B final next month.
In front of 2,294 supporters, twelve Stephen Bennett points and a Billy Nolan penalty save helped Peter Queally's men past the fourteen man Faithful on a wet and windy Saturday evening. The Déise sent over the last eight points of a stop start contest. Midfielder Killian Sampson and goalkeeper Mark Troy were Offaly's main men.
It took the home side just 12 seconds to raise a white flag via Stephen Bennett. All Star defender Tadhg De Burca, starting his first inter county game in ten months, landed a point from his own 65.
Brian Duignan missed a free for Offaly before Killan Sampson sent over their opener. In the ninth minute, Shane Bennett fetched a delivery from his brother Kieran and booted the sliotar over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Two Stephen Bennett frees and a Jack Prendergast point from play made it 6-1 after fourteen minutes.
Duignan replied at the other end before Déise netminder Billy Nolan deflected a close range shot from Charlie Mitchell away for a 65. Duignan missed the 65. He was guilty of three first half misses from placed balls. Sampson's second from play and one from Ter Guinan cut the gap to two. Offaly number one Mark Troy then pulled off a full length save from Shane Bennett.
On 24 minutes, the visitors were reduced to fourteen men when James Mahon got a straight red card from Johnny Murphy for a high tackle on Gavin Fives. Four Stephen Bennett frees left the home team six up approaching half time. Offaly grabbed the last two points of the half however as Sampson scored his third from play before Duignan nailed an injury time free (0-10 to 0-6).
The game continued in that vein on the resumption as Duignan and Mitchell picked off points. On 37 minutes, Mitchell supplied Duignan and the number fifteen held off Billy Nolan before flicking the ball to the cobwebs. Sampson's fourth point of the evening followed. 1-9 to 0-10 to the fourteen men from the Faithful. The home team regrouped as three Stephen Bennett points (two from play) sent them back in front. Troy also denied Patrick Curran a goal.
Nolan was then penalised for charging out with the ball and leaving Mitchell on the ground. Johnny Murphy awarded a penalty and flashed a yellow to Nolan. After Mitchell left the field, Nolan flicked Duignan's penalty over the bar. The loudest roar of the evening. Off the next play, a Paddy Leavey point edged Waterford ahead. Dan Bourke equalised for Offaly but the fifteen men got the upper hand in the last quarter. Stephen Bennett, Jamie Barron, Gavin Fives, Tom Barron, Charlie Treen, Padraig Fitzgerald and Dessie Hutchinson all split the posts to send the Déise back to the top flight. Troy saved brilliantly from Bennett two minutes into injury time.
Scorers for Waterford: Stephen Bennett 0-12 (8fs), Paddy Leavey, Tadhg De Burca, Jamie Barron, Jack Prendergast, Dessie Hutchinson, Shane Bennett, Gavin Fives, Tom Barron, Charlie Treen, Padraig Fitzgerald 0-1 each.
Scorers for Offaly: Brian Duignan 1-4 (2fs, 0-1 pen), Killian Sampson 0-4, Dan Bourke, Charlie Mitchell, Ter Guinan 0-1 each.
Waterford: Billy Nolan; Conor Ryan, Mark Fitzgerald, Gavin Fives; Paddy Leavey, Tadhg De Burca, Kieran Bennett; Conor Sheahan, Darragh Lyons; Stephen Bennett, Jamie Barron, Jack Prendergast; Patrick Curran, Dessie Hutchinson, Shane Bennett
Subs: Peter Hogan for Sheahan (40), Tom Barron for Lyons (51), Sean Walsh for Curran (57), Charlie Treen for Shane Bennett (62), Padraig Fitzgerald for Kieran Bennett (65).
Offaly: Mark Troy; Ben Conneely, Ciaran Burke, James Mahon; Ross Ravenhill, Donal Shirley, Jason Sampson; Colin Spain, Killian Sampson; David Nally, Dan Bourke, Oisin Kelly; Ter Guinan, Charlie Mitchell, Brian Duignan
Subs: DJ McLoughlin for Nally (HT), Luke Watkins for Mitchell (48), David King for Kelly (51), Eoghan Cahill for Guinan (62), Patrick Taaffe for Conneely (67), Eoin Burke for Spain (72).
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)
