Gaultier produced a remarkable second-half comeback to defeat Kilrossanty 1-16 to 0-9 in the opening round of the JJ Kavanagh & Sons Waterford Senior Football Championship at Azzurri Walsh Park.

The result looked highly unlikely at half-time, with Kilrossanty leading 0-8 to 0-3 after a dominant opening 30 minutes.

Gaultier opened the scoring after just a minute through Dessie Hutchison, but Kilrossanty responded strongly.

Alan Dunwoody was particularly influential in the opening half, scoring five points in total, including a free, two frees and two from play.

Darragh Walch added a two-pointer for Kilrossanty after 23 minutes, while Jack Power and Eoin Power also found the target as the Rossies established a five-point advantage at the break.

Gaultier’s other first-half scores came from Fergal O’Brien, who finished with two points, and Desi Hutchison, while J.J. Hutchison also got on the scoresheet from a free.

J.J. Hutchison had earlier received a black card following an off-the-ball incident in the 20th minute.

Gaultier needed a major improvement after the restart, and they delivered.

J.J. Hutchison opened the second-half scoring from a free before Kyle Flynn added a superb two-pointer.

Gary Cullinane, the Passage senior hurler, then registered a two-pointer from 36 minutes to further reduce the deficit.

Alan Dunwoody replied with a free for Kilrossanty, but the momentum was now firmly with Gaultier.

Sean White was introduced from the bench and made an immediate impact.

His first kick of the game produced a superb two-pointer from around 45 yards, before he struck again in the 46th minute, this time finding the back of the net.

Mark Fitzgerald’s effort came back off the post, and White reacted quickest to bury the rebound past Kilrossanty’s goalkeeper Rhian Hogan.

The turnaround was complete.

Gaultier continued to add to their tally, with Dessie Hutchison contributing two points, including an excellent score from his left boot.

White then added another two-pointer from a free in the 58th minute, before Hutchison completed the scoring with a point from play in the 62nd minute.

Kilrossanty could only manage one point in the second half as Gaultier completely turned the game around.

From trailing by five points at half-time, Gaultier finished the contest as ten-point winners.

JJ Kavanagh & Sons Waterford Senior Football Championship

Gaultier 1-16
Kilrossanty 0-9

It was a superb second-half response from Gaultier, who will take plenty of confidence from a comeback that looked well beyond them at the interval.