The Waterford hurlers have been relegated to Division 1B for 2027.

Tipperary stormed back from ten points down on a bright and blustery Sunday afternoon at Azzurri Walsh Park to emerge 2-24 to 1-23 winners. 2025 Hurler of the Year John McGrath and substitute Gearoid O'Connor goaled in either half for Liam Cahill's side. Despite the best efforts of Dessie Hutchinson (0-5), Sean Walsh (1-1) and Shane Bennett (0-4), the Déise drop to the second tier next season.

A minute's silence was observed before the game in memory of Benny Kiely (Abbeyside/Ballinacourty) and Peter Torpey (Kill). An emotional afternoon as Benny's son Michael togged out for Waterford. All the players and mentors lined up along the sideline arm in arm to pay their respects. Benny was a devoted Déise supporter. As a proud parent, he followed Michael all over the country.

Waterford made one late change as Peter Hogan replaced Jack Fagan up front. Austin Gleeson wasn't togged out for the home side but sat in the stand as part of the extended Déise panel. 6,800 tickets were pre-sold for this crunch encounter.

Waterford played with a strong wind at their backs in the first half. Billy Nolan's puckouts nearly went the length of the field! Jack Prendergast judged the elements to perfection as the hosts struck first. Reuben Halloran and Dessie Hutchinson then combined to supply another white flag for Peter Hogan. A long ball into Sean Walsh bore fruit as he assisted a Dessie Hutchinson point. Hutchinson added another as the rain arrived in Walsh Park. Shane Bennett also split the uprights from long range to make it five nil to the Déise inside nine minutes.

Jason Forde got Tipperary up and running off the next attack. The rain turned torrential as Hutchinson fired his third from play. Jake Morris punished a loose pass out of the Waterford defence but two Reuben Halloran points (one from a free and one from play) and a well worked Shane Bennett score left the home team 9-3 ahead. Hutchinson's fourth white flag kept them six clear.

On 22 minutes, Ian Kenny dropped a Billy Nolan short puckout and John McGrath pounced for a Tipp goal. A Jason Forde free reduced the gap to just two. On 24 minutes, Nolan went long off a restart and Sean Walsh made a mighty catch over the head of Ronan Maher and belted the ball past Rhys Shelly. Hutchinson finished the half with five from play and Bennett increased his tally to four as wind assisted Waterford went in 1-17 to 1-9 ahead at the break. Tipp got the last two points of the half via substitute Andrew Ormond and Stefan Tobin.

The Premier got the gap down to four within five minutes of the restart. Stefan Tobin, Conor Stakelum, and Eoghan Connolly were all on target for Liam Cahill's men. Halloran hit Waterford's first point of the second half from a free. Billy Nolan was on his toes to prevent a Tipp goal in the 44 minute before John McGrath pointed from the stand sideline. Another booming Connolly free and a Morris point from play left just two between them. After Hutchinson received treatment, Walsh made it 1-19 to 1-16 to the hosts.

Michael Kiely came off the bench for Waterford in the 56th minute. He received a huge ovation from the home supporters. A Halloran free kept the Déise two up but with twelve minutes left Morris set up substitute Gearoid O'Connor for a Tipperary goal. Chants of 'Tipp, Tipp, Tipp' rang out for the first time all afternoon. Halloran equalised from another free. Jason Forde put Tipp back in front.

Bryan O'Mara made a goal saving tackle on Walsh before Halloran levelled again. Late points from Oisin O'Donoghue, Ormond and McGrath clinched victory for the visitors. Hutchinson created an injury time goal chance that was dealt with by the Tipp defence either side of two Darragh McCarthy frees.

Waterford manager Peter Queally declined to speak with any media after the game.