Cian O'Sullivan, Dublin, and Michael Kiely and Conor Prunty, Waterford, in Allianz Hurling League action. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Allianz Hurling League Division 1B
Waterford 1-23 Dublin 2-18
By Tomás McCarthy at Walsh Park
Injury time points from Jamie Barron, Stephen Bennett and Patrick Curran gave Waterford's promotion hopes a massive boost in front of 5,481 fans this afternoon.
Peter Queally's men fought back from five down to deny Dublin in a rip roaring climax. 2020 All Star Bennett finished with 0-11, while Curran scored 1-2 in a brilliant cameo off the bench.
2-2 from full forward Cian O'Sullivan fired the Dubs five up with ten minutes left. The game turned on its head however when O'Sullivan received a straight red on 66 minutes for a high tackle on Mark Fitzgerald. A Patrick Curran goal, from a Stephen Bennett cross, levelled the contest. Donal Burke recovered the lead for the Dubs but late, late efforts from Jamie Barron, Bennett and Curran sent the Déise fans home happy.
An injury time strike from O'Sullivan snuck the wind assisted Dubs 1-11 to 0-12 ahead at the break. Late inclusion in the away attack Brendan Kenny got the scoreboard moving after just 25 seconds.
Conor Donohue intercepted the Waterford puckout and banged the ball back over the bar. A Stephen Bennett catch set up a Padraig Fitzgerald point at the other end. Bennett then fetched a free from Dublin goalkeeper Eddie Gibbons and smashed it over from 70 metres.
The visitors hit back with the next three points. Donal Burke converted two frees while Donohue landed his second from play. Kieran Bennett interrupted that sequence before Donohue delivered point number three from his own 65 (0-6 to 0-3).
Stephen Bennett slotted two frees and then found Dessie Hutchinson inside on 16 minutes. A close range bullet from the new Waterford skipper was saved by Eddie Gibbons. Burke and Fergal Whitely restored the Dubs' three point advantage (0-8 to 0-5).
The Déise lost defender Michael Kiely to injury after 25 minutes. Peter Queally's men got back on level terms via Kieran Bennett, Stephen Bennett (free) and a fabulous Mark Fitzgerald effort.
A Dessie Hutchinson double edged the hosts ahead for the very first time approaching the half hour mark. Hutchinson won another ball out in front and Kevin Mahony was fouled for a free which Bennett tapped over for 11-9. Whitely and Burke tied it up for the fourth time. Peter Hogan nudged the home side back in front.
Burke then landed a free around the goalmouth which Ronan Hayes collected. He flicked the ball dangerously across and Cian O'Sullivan scrambled the sliotar home to send the Sky Blues two up at the break.
Two Stephen Bennett frees at the start of the second period made it all square once again. Mark Fitzgerald was then yellow carded and Donal Burke nailed the subsequent free. Fergal Whitely's third from play made it 1-13 to 0-14. Stephen Bennett hit back with a screamer in front of the uncovered stand.
On 50 minutes, Bennett worked a quick free to Kevin Mahony. The shot beat Gibbons but substitute Kevin Burke stopped it on the line. His first involvement in the game. A Cian O'Sullivan point kept the Dubs two clear entering the last quarter (1-15 to 0-16). With thirteen minutes remaining, Brian Hayes burned the Waterford defence and offloaded to O'Sullivan who blasted to the top corner.
The number 14 saw red four minutes from the end for a challenge on Mark Fitzgerald. On 69 minutes, a superb Stephen Bennett pass picked out Patrick Curran who buried the equalising goal to delight of the home support. Donal Burke caught the puckout and won a free. He sent it through the posts and let out a roar.
Jamie Barron levelled as four minutes were flashed up on the board. In a rip roaring finale, both managers Peter Queally and Niall Ó Ceallacháin were given yellow cards. Bennett slammed over a free from his own 65 before Curran got the insurance score.
Scorers for Waterford: Stephen Bennett 0-11 (8fs, 1 65), Patrick Curran 1-2, Dessie Hutchinson 0-3, Kieran Bennett 0-2, Jamie Barron, Gavin Fives, Peter Hogan, Mark Fitzgerald, Padraig Fitzgerald 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dublin: Cian O'Sullivan 2-2, Donal Burke 0-8 (8fs), Fergal Whitely, Conor Donohue 0-3 each, Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing, Brendan Kenny 0-1 each.
Waterford: Shaun O'Brien; Conor Ryan, Conor Prunty, Ian Kenny; Paddy Leavey, Mark Fitzgerald, Michael Kiely; Conor Sheahan, Kieran Bennett; Stephen Bennett, Jamie Barron, Peter Hogan; Dessie Hutchinson, Padraig Fitzgerald, Kevin Mahony
Subs: Gavin Fives for Kiely (25), Jack Prendergast for Padraig Fitzgerald (HT), Darragh Lyons for Sheahan (52), Patrick Curran for Mahony (55).
Dublin: Eddie Gibbons; John Bellew, David Lucey, Paddy Smyth; Daire Gray, Chris Crummey, Paddy Doyle; Conor Donohue, Brian Hayes; Conal O Riain, Donal Burke, Fergal Whitely; Ronan Hayes, Brendan Kenny, Cian O'Sullivan
Subs: Sean Currie for O Riain (43), Colin Currie for Kenny (47), Kevin Burke for Doyle (49), Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing for Ronan Hayes (55), John Hetherton for Brian Hayes (74).
Referee: Shane Hynes (Galway).
