Midfield tussle between Kilkenny's Ronan Houlihan and Waterford's Michael Merrigan. | Photos: Jim O'Sullivan
Waterford League 1; Kilkenny League 1
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The Waterford League have collected a total of seven points from their opening two games following this draw at a bitterly cold Graun Park, Tramore on Sunday evening.
This was Kilkenny’s first game in the competition and they will be pleased enough with their share of the spoils. Waterford defeated Tipperary in their opening game and their last game will be at home to the West Waterford-East Cork League. Kilkenny play Tipperary and West Waterford in their remaining games so it is possible that both Waterford and Kilkenny will finish on a total of seven points so it could all come down to goal difference to decide who will top the qualifying group.
This result was a fair outcome because the home league looked the part during the opening 45 minutes but it was the visitors who were the more impressive team in the second period.
Good movement
Kilkenny were the first side to get a shot on target when Craig Wall tested the Waterford goalkeeper Mark O’Reilly with a low shot from 25 yards in the 4th minute.
Shane Nolan then went close for the home league with an angled strike from the left three minutes later but the Kilkenny goalkeeper John Finnegan got down low to smother Nolan’s effort.
Craig Wall was back in the thick of the action once again on 29 minutes, again making Mark O’Reilly earn his corn and moments later. Ben Ryan saw was narrowly wide with an angled drive from the right. Despite those efforts it was Waterford who looked the more likely side to score and the opening goal did fall to the home league.
Seamus Byrnes and Michael Merrigan combined superbly down the left and the latter passed to Shane Nolan who squared the ball to Zach Shanahan who dummied the ball and allowed it run into the path of James Starmer and the Johnville player drilled the ball low to the net from the edge of the penalty area.
In the dying seconds of the first half Zach Shanahan almost made it 2-0 but he dragged his shot across the goal after controlling an excellent left wing cross from Cormac O’Driscoll.
See The Munster Express newspaper for full story.
