Sport

Waterford back on track with quarter-final win over Wexford

Waterford's Noel Connors gets away from Wexford's Harry Kehoe during Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final at Semple Stadium. Picture by Seamus Loughran 
Waterford's Noel Connors gets away from Wexford's Harry Kehoe during Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final at Semple Stadium. Picture by Seamus Loughran  Waterford's Noel Connors gets away from Wexford's Harry Kehoe during Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final at Semple Stadium. Picture by Seamus Loughran 

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final:


Waterford 0-21 Wexford 0-11

DEREK McGRATH’S Waterford shrugged off their Munster final hangover to book their place in the All-Ireland SHC semi-finals.

The Decies will face champions Kilkenny in a repeat of last year’s semi-final after scoring a 10-point victory over Wexford at Semple Stadium. Waterford were viewed as vulnerable after suffering a 21-point whipping against Tipperary in the Munster final, but their response was impressive.

A massive tally of 17 wides - seven from Austin Gleeson alone - is a huge concern for Waterford as they head to Croke Park, but McGrath will be pleased that at least chances were created. This was a sweet victory for Waterford, nonetheless, as they showed some fight to atone for the provincial final mauling, while also gaining revenge for a Qualifier loss to Wexford at Nowlan Park two-years-ago. And when questions were asked of them in the second-half, Waterford had the answers as they reeled off six points without reply to end any hopes of a Wexford revival.

The Slaneysiders, in buoyant mood following their victory over Cork, were seen as dark horses ahead of throw-in, but they found themselves 10 points down in the second-half, 0-5 to 0-15. Wexford hit five unanswered points to make a game of it but, if Waterford nerves were jangling, they didn’t show it as McGrath’s men reeled off six points in-a-row to move out of danger.

Before substitute Brian O’Halloran pointed in the 59th minute, Waterford hadn’t raised a white flag since the 41st minute. But O’Halloran’s score was followed up by a brace of Pauric Mahony frees, points from Jake Dillon and O’Halloran again, and another Mahony free. Jack O’Connor completed the scoring for Wexford, but their 2016 race is run and doubt now hangs over the future of boss Liam Dunne, who has been in charge for five seasons.

The big concern for Waterford is over the fitness of Darragh Fives, who limped off with a recurrence of a quad injury in the 12th minute. But Conor Gleeson stepped into defence and performed heroically for the remainder of the game. Wexford were also struck by an injury setback of their own in the second-half, with Eoin Moore carried off and Dunne’s already depleted squad was stretched to breaking point again.

Waterford had the breeze at their backs for the second-half and survived a sticky spell to come through with plenty to spare. They led 0-12 to 0-5 at the break - hitting as many wides as points in the opening half.

Waterford raced into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead by the 10th minute as Wexford found scores hard to come by. A subdued Conor McDonald went for goal from a 20-metre free that was blocked in the 13th minute and he was off-target from the resultant 65.

McDonald did nail an 18th minute free to end a 12-minute barren spell on the scoreboard for Wexford, but Waterford seemed to be cruising and operating well within themselves as they went on to lead by seven points at the break.

They won easing up, but McGrath accepted Sunday’s level of performance will be nowhere near good enough to trouble Kilkenny: “No, it wouldn’t, but we know that and we’re aware of that," he said. 

“We’ll have to improve all over the field to beat Kilkenny but, I tell you, it’s a very, very interesting challenge and one that we’re really relishing and looking forward to because it’s a great place to be, in the last-four in Ireland from where we’ve come two years in-a-row. We’re just so happy. We’re not satisfied with it or downplaying the significance of the Kilkenny game, but we’re very satisfied with today’s work.”

Meanwhile, Wexford boss Dunne revealed his desire to remain in charge for a sixth season: “These boys have kept me going, I said that to them in the dressing room, I’ve five years at this, three years with Oulart-the-Ballagh before that, two years with the Wexford minors before that, two years with the Wexford juveniles and that’s only coming out of retiring after 16 years as a player," he said. 

“So if anyone ever deserved a good long break it’s myself but, look, obviously I’d love to continue for another year.” 

MATCH STATS


Waterford: S O’Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, N Connors; D Fives, T de Burca, Philip Mahony; K Moran, J Barron (0-2); Pauric Mahony (0-8, 0-6 frees), A Gleeson (0-2), Shane Bennett (0-2); M Walsh (0-2), M Shanahan (0-2), P Curran; Subs: C Gleeson for D Fives (12), J Dillon (0-1) for Shanahan (50), B O’Halloran (0-02) for Curran (55), Stephen Bennett for Shane Bennett (60), C Dunford for Walsh (70); Blood sub: C Dunford for Gleeson (64-69) 


Wexford: M Fanning; E Moore, M O’Hanlon, P Foley; E Martin (0-1), L Ryan (0-1), D O’Keeffe; Jack O’Connor (0-1), E Conroy; L Og McGovern; L Chin (0-2), D Dunne (0-1); H Kehoe, C McDonald (0-5, 0-4 frees), P Morris; Subs: A Kenny for Conroy (27), N Kirwan for Kehoe (45), S Donohue for Moore (51), A Nolan for Morris (65), Joe O’Connor for McGovern (68) 


Referee: A Kelly (Galway)