The Big Match is with thanks to George Corbett Cupra

Waterford 1-18 (21)

Clare 0-10 (10)

Waterford are All-Ireland Minor Hurling champions for the fourth time in history.

The class of 2025 have added their names to the hurling history books alongside those of 1929, 1948 and 2013 by virtue of a commanding victory against Clare in front of 16,411 at Semple Stadium – the final whistle met with scenes of jubilation the likes of which haven’t been seen on Suirside for many a year.

The game couldn’t have possibly got off to a better start for Waterford as they found the net with their very first attack – a searching long free from James Comerford causing chaos and Dylan Murphy offloaded to Pierce Quann – the Dungarvan man belting low to the net to send the Deise faithful into delirium with barely a minute gone.

Waterford started like a house on fire – talisman Cormac Spain clipped over his first free of the evening, before Shane Power found the radar from the right flank to establish a five-point advantage with just three minutes played.

Paul Rodgers got Clare off the mark with a free as they struggled to live with the early intensity offered by the opposition – emphasised again by a superbly taken score from Eanna McHugh on 7 minutes.

Ben Talty and Liam Murphy were on hand to temporarily ease the Banner slump, before Tommy Kennedy walloped over to push Waterford four in front once more.

That was to be the first of four successive scores as Waterford began to flex their muscle – Quann finding a marauding Gearoid O’Shea to swivel and score on the left hand sideline, before Leon Talty made a crucial save to deny Spain his ninth goal of the championship.

A long effort from Shane Power dropped short but Spain was first on hand, unleashing a rasper that the Banner shotstopper superbly tipped over the crossbar. Spain then repeated O’Shea’s trick to move his county seven ahead, before a fantastic sideline from Rodgers provided temporary reprieve.

Waterford were then perhaps fortunate not to concede a goal on 21 minutes – as Liam Murphy pulled on a breaking ball but it sailed marginally over the bar to Deise relief.

How did Waterford respond to that setback? As they do best – with five successive points, establishing a ten-point advantage at the break, which they were very much value for. Spain provided three scores on the spin, a well-taken effort from an angle either side of two close-range frees, before the ever-impressive O’Shea sent over a rasper from the right flank.

A Spain free brought his first half tally to 0-7 – despite the Ballygunner limping around the field following an early knock – and it brought Waterford’s haul to 1-10 at the break. 1-10 to 0-5 at the interval – Waterford starting to dream, and rightfully so.

Clare substitute John Barry took over frees and found the first score of the second period – and the Clare crowd unleashed a roar to insist game on as Ian O’Brien knocked over another, before Barry split the posts again to reduce arrears to seven.

Dylan Murphy was then hauled down by Niall Doyle when racing towards goal, but trust Spain to tap over another for the Deise cause.

Nerves and conditions began to play their part as both teams struggled to gain any real foothold, with both defences remaining teak tough. No side scored for a full ten minutes – a Jamie Shanahan goal effort well blocked whilst both sides sent efforts wide.

When the score did come, it was a timely one – who better than Shane Power to provide it as he was found in space. A ten-point lead with 15 minutes left.

Spain then had a sniff of a goal chance but scuffed his effort at Talty – the tensions couldn’t have been any higher. Clare threw the kitchen sink – but Conor Lynch, Daragh Murphy and Darragh Keane weren’t for budging. A John Barry free made the gap eight heading down the home straight.

Cormac Spain’s ninth point of the evening was a welcome sight as cries of ‘Waterford!’ roared around Semple Stadium – the sight of his tenth soon after was even better received.

A combination of Keane and Murphy blocked a goalbound effort before another heroic piece of defending by O’Shea – the ball was worked upfield, and into the hand of Spain – and you know the rest. It felt like that was that, as the whistle crept closer.

Shane Power brought his tally to 0-3 as a sea of white and blue flags went flying through the air – Darragh Murrihy replying to muted applause for Clare.

Waterford weren’t to be denied. History at Semple Stadium.

Waterford: James Comerford; Conor Lynch, Daragh Murphy, Darragh Keane; Bradley Penkert, Hugo Quann, Tommy Kennedy (0-1); Eanna McHugh (0-1), Gearóid O’Shea (0-2); Pierce Quann (1-0), Jack Power, Shane Power (0-3); Dylan Murphy, Cormac Spain (0-11, 0-7f), Jamie Shanahan.

Clare: Leon Talty; Niall Doyle, Jack O’Halloran, Zak Phelan; Evan Crimmins, Dara Kennedy, Colm Daly; Graham Ball, Evan Cleary; Rory Ralph, James O’Donnell, Ben Talty (0-1); Ian O’Brien (0-1), Paul Rodgers (0-2; 0-1f; 0-1sdl), Liam Murphy (0-2).

Subs: John Barry (0-3; 0-3f) for Rory Ralph (28); Gavin Marshall for Ben Talty (45); Darragh Murrihy  (0-1) for Evan Cleary (51); Jake Gibbons for James O’Donnell (59); Donncha Mahon for Liam Murphy (60)

Referee: Colm McDonald (Antrim)

The Big Match is with thanks to George Corbett Cupra

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