Waterford surrendered their league title on a damp and dreary Sunday afternoon at Nowlan Park. Ten points from Billy Drennan drove Kilkenny to a 0-18 to 0-16 victory as Derek Lyng's team advanced to the semi finals.
Captain for the day Tadhg De Burca was outstanding at centre back for the Déise. Padraig Fitzgerald put over six points from frees. Davy Fitzgerald's side rued twelve wides including eight in the opening half.
The visitors started without joint captain Stephen Bennett due to injury. Waterford hit three wides before Jack Prendergast split the posts in the sixth minute. Patrick Curran and Colin Dunford also raised white flags in the first quarter. Four Billy Drennan frees gave the hosts a 5-3 advantage after 17 minutes. Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald then received a yellow card from referee Liam Gordon.
Patrick Curran missed two frees as the Déise wide tally rose to seven. Drennan dispatched another free but Waterford replied with points from Neil Montgomery and Padraig Fitzgerald (free). John Donnelly and Darragh Corcoran restored Kilkenny's three point cushion by the half hour mark. Two Fitzgerald frees closed the gap to one at the break (0-8 to 0-7). The visitors were guilty of eight wides.
Captain for the day Tadhg De Burca levelled it up two minutes into the second period with a long rang free. Drennan and Fitzgerald then traded frees. Tom Barron blasted Waterford into a 10-9 lead after he was put through by Patrick Curran. It could have been a green flag rather than a white one. De Burca's influence grew as Fitzgerald and Neil Montgomery made it 12-9 to the visitors. Conor Fogarty, Drennan and Gearoid Dunne dragged the Cats back level.
A driving run from Carthach Daly earned Waterford another free which Fitzgerald fired over. Barron extended the lead with his second point (0-14 to 0-12). Kilkenny captain Eoin Cody got his first at the other end. Drennan equalised with a massive free from his own 65. Sub Shane Walsh then edged Derek Lyng's charges 15-14 ahead with nine minutes left. Drennan's accuracy from dead balls pointed Kilkenny towards the league semi finals. Patrick Fitzgerald and Colin Dunford got late points for Waterford but it wasn't enough to catch the Cats. Alan Murphy wrapped up victory for the hosts.
