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Cat-Trick: All-Ireland Hurling Final

Kilkenny 3-30, Waterford 1-13 By Larry Cooney - 09/09/08

It was easily the greatest performance of Brian Cody's ten-year reign, as the Kilkenny manager admitted after watching his players systematically dismantle Waterford’s All-Ireland dreams with such a ruthless performance that brought hurling to a new level. The story of the ‘match’ is really in the statistics.

In the course of 70 minutes, Kilkenny created 35 scoring opportunities and converting 33 of them. The men in black and amber registered just two wides – one late in each half. No county team in GAA history can surely claim to have ever achieved that level of efficiency and economy in possession in a Croke Park final. Quite what Waterford’s ‘game-plan’ for their rare All-Ireland final appearance was appeared quite baffling. Kilkenny certainly had no doubt about their approach with Henry Shefflin playing deep and the luckless Martin Comerford operating on the fringe of the square. Waterford’s most mobile player – John Mullane, who scored three-points from play, began at full forward!

Kilkenny had the measure of the Waterford half-back line within five minutes of the throw-in, while the Cat’s half-back line trio were operating in over-drive in rapid fire time also. It was just no contest after that with Waterford’s only hope of keeping it tight in the opening quarter now just a myth. The contest was already over even before Eddie Brennan’s double-goal strike in a minute after 22 minutes. Thereafter it was a matter by just how much Waterford were going to be blitzed by the peerless black and amber hurling machine.

John Mullane got Waterford’s first point from play after 46 minutes, a statistic that was put into context when Kilkenny substitute TJ Reid, on for the injured Martin Comerford, had a point from play a minute later. Reid, who finished with four-points, now looks set to help Kilkenny clinch the quadruple in this Sunday’s U21 decider against Tipperary. Kilkenny’s dominance was also perfectly demonstrated by midfielder Derek Lyng’s point after 16 minutes. Shefflin fielded a high ball with a sublime piece of ‘wristy’ stickwork. Although surrounded by Waterford players, Shefflin chose to find the Urlingford man who was in a better position, rather than waste the opportunity.

It is common practise to try and pinpoint a turning point in the game, a seminal moment that swings the game in one team’s favour. There was none, just Kilkenny’s unbending will and relentless drive to the finish line. They hit with ferocity and hunted in packs, nullifying Waterford’s decision to play their half-back line close to the full-back line. As with so many Kilkenny attacks, Brennan’s ‘double-goal strike began by their half-back line winning primary possession from a Waterford puck out. The diminutive Tommy Walsh, who was embarrassing Seamus Prendergast in every duel, won a high ball before eventually offloading to Eoin Larkin, who snaked his way through a wafer-thin Deise defence until stopped by by Declan Prendergast on the edge of the square.

But Larkin still managed to find the unmarked Brennan lurking in front of goal before shortening his grip and placing the sliotar under goalkeeper Clinton Hennessy. Within a minute the Graig Ballycallan clubman was on hand to finish off a rebound from a Hennessy save from Aidan Fogarty to open up an unassailable 2-10 to 0-4 lead. Referee Barry Kelly waved away a marginal Waterford penalty claim soon afterwards. As Eoin McGrath won the ball 30 metres from goal and flicking inside to Dan Shanahan. But the burly Lismore man faced an black and amber brick wall in the shape of Michael Kavanagh and Noel Hickey when the chance of a goal presented itself.

The Kilkenny full-back line like every line on the team was awesome throughout, denying Shanahan, Mullane and Eoin Kelly any scoring opportunities as their attack kept picking off points at ease to lead by 2-16 to 0-5 at half-time. Shell-shocked Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald introduced Jack Kennedy and Shane O’Sullivan on the resumption, while Ken McGrath was moved into centre-forward as Eoin Kelly and Eoin McGrath moved to the midfield to support their over run captain Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh. Eoin Kelly opened the second half scoring with a free, but Shefflin, Lyng and substitute Reid soon resumed ‘normal’ service for the voracious Cats.

Eoin Larkin’s inevitable third goal for Kilkenny, after his stunning run followed by a comprehensive finish to the back of the net in the 49th minute, already had the statisticians working on the possibility of Waterford facing the heaviest All-Ireland defeat since 1943 not to mention the book-makers already offering short odds on a possible four/five or even six-in-a-row of Kilkenny All-Ireland titles. There was really nothing left for Waterford by now other than to reward their long serving players like Paul Flynn and Dave Bennett with a ‘cameo’ All-Ireland final appearance.

But as Kilkenny led by 22-points manager Brian Cody also decided it was time to make a magnanimous gesture by introducing sub goalkeeper James McGarry, the man who tragically lost his wife in a car accident last year, to massive applause all around the stadium. Waterford hit three consolation points in the closing minutes before Eoin Kelly found the back of the net after McGarry had misjudged the flight of a seemingly innocuous effort. But to reassert their complete dominance, there was still time for Kilkenny to reach the magic 30-point total when Larkin, Brennan and Aidan Fogarty all added late points to wrap up a hugely impressive 23-point Kilkenny victory that will be talked about in many hurling circles, including Waterford for many a year to come.

Howver, while Kilkenny’s hugely impressive display has not only raised the bar to almost ‘Everest’ proportions the only remaining question being left unanswered is what will last Sunday’s avalanche victory do for the future of the game. Surely it is time for the Hurling Development Committee to realise that it is not just Leinster hurling that has the kind of problems that will not be solved by including Galway and Antrim participating in a ‘pseudo’ Rest of Ireland ‘province’.