A hard-fought game in Parnell Park to open the Deise's Allianz Hurling League campaign saw Waterford and Dublin share the spoils.
Not a perfect performance by any stretch of the imagination, but far better than the league opener this time last year. Played in windy conditions, with a poor sod underfoot, Waterford battled with the Dubs to end up tied 0.21 to 2.15.
Dublin were leading 0.3 to no score after four minutes, with Donal Burke, Rian McBride and Conor Burke opening their ledger.
Waterford’s touch was not looking up to pace in the early going – with Tom Barron missing out on an unexpected pass from Stephen Bennett after he opted not to strike at the posts with his first free of the afternoon. The Deise’s first score would come in the fifth minute when Bennett resumed regular service over the placed ball.
Colin Dunford was taken out by Cian O' Callaghan eight minutes in with the referee awarding a penalty – a black card also proffered to O Callaghan. Bennett put the ball straight to the back of the net, striking low and hard past Sean Brennan's right side.
While Dublin had come out of the traps well, they were careless in their shooting after the fifth minute, and with O' Callaghan in the bin Waterford were able to start finding inroads.
Donal Burkes free in the 13th minute was the first score since Bennett goaled in the eighth – leaving the teams level for the first time since the opening whistle. DJ Foran’s first involvement in the game saw him pointing regain the lead by a point 0.4 – 1.2 with a quarter of an hour gone.
Austin Gleeson earned his first score of the day when pounced on a loose clearance from the Dublin defence, to point from distance to make it a two-point game.
Matt Kenny's side regained the lead with 19 minutes played with Donal Burke converting a free and Fergal Whitely pointing. Cian O Callaghan returned to the fray after twenty minutes and shortly after his side took back the lead after three back-to-back scores, with Burke solid over the placed ball. That trend wouldn’t change with Danny Sutcliffe making it four unanswered scores.
The yellow cards started to come thick and fast, with Gleeson, Jack Prendergast and Stephen Bennett all finding their way into the ref’s book in the opening half. With the ensuing free from Prendergast's high shot – Burke stood over the placed ball to make it a three-point lead, and five unanswered points.
DJ Foran had a peach of a chance on the half-hour mark. Straight in on goal, but dropping the ball as he attempted to hand pass to Shane Bennett with Dublin pressure coming on his shoulder. By the 31st minute, Waterford had been without a score since Gleeson’s point in the 16th. Dublin full-back Eoghan O Donnell was busy charging forward to knock over a fine point to make it seven points unanswered and a five-point lead for Kenny’s team (0.11 -1.3)
Stephen Bennett’s free in the 33rd minute broke that deadlock to get the scoreboard ticking once again, but the halftime whistle sent them to the changing rooms shortly after.
Bennet opened the second half scoring with a hard and low free drilled right over the black spot to reduce the gap to three. DJ Foran brought that deficit to two with a beautiful point moments later.
Then with Rian McBride bearing down on goal – three Waterford players were chasing, but the free coughed up saw Burke pointing to return the home side to a three-point advantage. Another careless free followed that, with Burke adding the extras again.
With two quick free’s since the resumption, Burke would make it three in a row unanswered – a five-point advantage restored 0.14–1.6.
With Austin Gleeson fouled near the Dublin goalmouth, a free was awarded to Waterford. Stephen Bennett went quickly striking for goal, while he was denied by Brennan, the referee called it back to take it again. On the second attempt, Bennett went high and put it over the bar.
Michael Kiely – having played Fitzgibbon Cup for UL midweek, as well as lining out for Ballinacourty on Friday night in the U20 A football final where he earned a man of the match award, entered the field with Shane Bennett leaving the field. 48 minute
Tempers ran high midway through the second with the referee kept busy as the game was stopped for several minutes.
Once play resumed, Colin Dunford got back to scoring for Waterford, pointing in the 50th, DJ Foran followed up to make it two unanswered points for Cahill's side.
Tom Barron backed himself down the right-wing, and seeing a space he struck for goal but Sean Brennan pulled off a wonder save to deny the Fourmilewater man. The ensuing 65, was sent over by Bennett to make it a one-point game once again. Ronan Hayes pointed in the 53rd minute for the Dub’s first score in 11 minutes.
Jack Prendergast was fed a ball by Austin Gleeson in the goalmouth, Brennan charged out and hit Prendergast hard, the referee reaching to his pocket for a black card sending the shot-stopper to the stands. Stephen Bennett who was stood over his second penalty of the day drilled it past his second keeper of the day the game now finely balanced at 0.15 - 2.10.
A free which could have been mistaken for a sideline cut was comfortably sent over the bar by Bennett to once again eek ahead of the home side.
Chris Crummey was able to pounce on some confusion in the Waterford ranks after the hour mark. The defence was at sixes and sevens, with Conor Prunty pulling on the ball attempting to clear it, but Crummey was able to take control and add a point to the scoreboard to level the score.
Cian O Callaghan saw yellow in the 65th minute, which combined with his earlier black card earned him a red, reducing Dublin to 13 men with Sean Brennan already in the bin on a black card himself. Bennett pointed the free, and then miles into his own half sent another free over the bar to regain the lead
With the clock nearing the end of regular time, a 65 for Dublin offered Donal Burke a chance to level the game – he ably sent it over.
Eamonn Dillon was able to give Dublin a lifeline in the dying minutes, pointing with ease, but Carthach Daly who had taken a heavy knock – found Stephen Bennett who was short on space to operate, but swung for the posts and leveled the score yet again.
In a game that had so many referee involvements, the Waterford captain couldn’t avoid the adjudicator/ Prunty being shown his second yellow and an early shower.
A Donal Burke free in the 73rd minute gave the home team the lead once again, but Stephen Bennett wasn’t going to allow that stand. His free in the 74th minute drew the sides level for the seventh time and final time.
Full-Time Score Dublin 0.21 - 2.15 Waterford
