Sharpshooter Stephen Bennett fires sensational 1-16 to help Waterford see off Tipperary
Allianz Division 1B: Waterford 1-28 Tipperary 0-21
Stephen Bennett of Waterford signs autographs for young supporters after the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group B win over Tipperary at Walsh Park in Waterford. Photo: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
Liam Cahill got one over on his native Tipperary as a Stephen Bennett-inspired Waterford powered away in the final quarter at Walsh Park today to continue their unbeaten start to this year's Allianz HL.
In an appetiser for their opening Munster SHC round-robin fixture at the same ground in six weeks, Bennett fired a sensational 1-16 as the Déise coasted home by 10 points despite a slow start.
With a decent wind at their backs, Tipp raced into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead early on as Michael Breen and Mark Kehoe looked lively up front with 0-3 apiece in the opening half.
That lead was stretched to six points after 20 minutes, 0-9 to 0-3, before Waterford finally found their feet and Stephen Bennett was the man to make them tick.
The 2020 All-Star forward fired over a point before rattling the net soon after – following great work by Abbeyside’s Michael Kiely – and they were quickly level when Patrick Curran fired over after a Bennett free.
Jake Morris was unlucky to see his goal chance blaze wide in the middle of Waterford’s purple patch and they had amazingly turned a six-point deficit into a three-point advantage when Bennett (two frees) and the lively Jack Prendergast added to their tally, 1-9 to 0-9.
Tipp stopped the rot in style by firing the next four points to edge ahead once again, but it was Waterford who finished the stronger before the break with scores from Bennett, Tadgh de Búrca and Kiely leaving them two points to the good, 1-13 to 0-14.
It was nip and tuck in the third quarter, but Tipp rued a host of missed chances despite hanging onto Waterford's coat tails and trailing by just two points after 51 minutes.
They wouldn't raise another white flag until injury time as the home side , powered by the scintillating Bennett, side hit nine points without reply to put one foot into the League semi-finals with three wins and a draw from their four games.
Scorers – Waterford: Stephen Bennett 1-16 (11f, 0-1 '65), K Bennett 0-1, I Daly 0-2, P Curran 0-3, J Prendergast 0-3, M Kiely 0-1, T de Búrca 0-1, M Mahony 0-1. Tipperary: J Forde 0-6 (4f), M Breen 0-4, M Kehoe 0-4, B Heffernan 0-1, J Morris 0-1, B McGrath 0-1, C Bowe 0-2, R Maher 0-2 (1f).
Waterford: S O’Brien; S McNulty, C Prunty, C Gleeson; I Daly, T de Búrca, J Fagan; C Wadding, D Lyons; N Montgomery, P Curran, K Bennett; M Kiely (Abbeyside), Stephen Bennett, J Prendergast. Subs: Shane Bennett for Kiely (14-16), Shane Bennett for K Bennett and M Mahony for Kiely (both 55), P Mahony for Prunty (63), C Dalton for Fagan and B Power for Prendergast (both 70).
Tipperary: Barry Hogan; C Barrett, J Quigley, B McGrath; D Quirke, R Maher, R Byrne; P Cadell, B Heffernan; M Breen, J Forde, C Bowe; M Kehoe, J McGrath, J Morris. Subs: P Flynn for Morris (13-15 temp), A Flynn for Cadell (half-time), D Maher for McGrath (54), N McGrath for Bowe (63), C Stakelum for Morris (65-66 temp), C Darcy for Quirke (70 +1).
Referee: C Lyons (Cork).
