All Ireland SHC Quarter-Final

Waterford 0-21 Wexford 0-11

By Jackie Cahill at Semple Stadium

Waterford erased some of the bitter memories of their Munster final collapse against Tipperary by easing into the All-Ireland semi-finals this afternoon.

Derek McGrath’s Déise recorded an ultimately comfortable 10-point victory over South-East rivals Wexford in this afternoon’s quarter-final clash at Semple Stadium.  

The scene is now set for a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final in a fortnight’s time at Croke Park, when Waterford will face champions Kilkenny.

Waterford registered a massive tally of 17 wides, but still managed to fend off a spirited second half revival from Liam Dunne’s Wexford.

Waterford struck 17 wides over the course of the 70-plus minutes – seven from Austin Gleeson alone, but still had enough about them to cope with the Wexford challenge.  

Derek McGrath’s team were 10 points ahead in the second half – 0-15 to 0-5 – before Wexford rallied to within five with a run of five unanswered scores.

But Waterford hit back with six on the trot themselves to make this one safe and seal a safe passage to the last four.

There was a huge setback for Waterford in the first half, however, as Darragh Fives limped off with what appeared to be a recurrence of a quad injury.

Wexford also lost Eoin Moore in the second period as the Oulart-the-Ballagh defender was stretchered off in agony.

By half-time, Waterford had registered as many wides, 12, as points.

They led by 0-12 to 0-05 at the end of a disappointing first half pockmarked by poor shooting and the occasional long-range special.

With both sides operating sweeper systems, goal chances were at a premium.

Austin Gleeson registered five of their first half wides, but also contributed a point, as Jamie Barron, Shane Bennett and Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh hit two points each.

Waterford’s leading first half scorer was Pauric Mahony, with three of his four points from frees, as Lee Chin hit two points from play Wexford, with Conor McDonald adding two frees.

Waterford raced into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead by the 10th minute as Wexford found scores hard to come by.

McDonald went for goal from a 20m free that was blocked in the 13th minute and he was off-target from the resultant 65.

McDonald did nail an 18th minute free to end a 12-minute barren spell on the scoreboard for Wexford, but Waterford seemed to be cruising and operating well within themselves as they went on to lead by seven points at the break.

That massive wides tally in the first half will have been a concern to boss McGrath, however, but with the breeze at their backs in the opening half, and Wexford playing with a massed defence, the temptation was always there to have a pop from outside the 45m line.

**Scorers for Waterford: **Pauric Mahony 0-8 (6fs), A Gleeson, J Barron, S Bennett, M Walsh, M Shanahan and B O’Halloran 0-2 each, J Dillon 0-1.

**Scorers for Wexford: **C McDonald 0-5 (4fs), L Chin 0-2, É Martin, L Ryan, J O’Connor and D Dunne 0-1 each.

Waterford: S O’Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, N Connors; D Fives, T de Búrca, Philip Mahony; K Moran, J Barron; Pauric Mahony, A Gleeson, Shane Bennett; M Walsh, M Shanahan, P Curran.

Subs: C Gleeson for D Fives (inj., 12), J Dillon for Shanahan (50), B O’Halloran for Curran (55), Stephen Bennett for Shane Bennett (60), C Dunford for Gleeson (temp 64-69), C Dunford for Walsh (70+2).

Wexford: M Fanning; E Moore, M O’Hanlon, P Foley; É Martin, L Ryan, D O’Keeffe; Jack O’Connor, E Conroy; L Óg McGovern; L Chin, D Dunne; H Kehoe, C McDonald, P Morris.

Subs: A Kenny for Conroy (27), N Kirwan for Kehoe (45), S Donohue for Moore (inj., 51), A Nolan for Morris (65), Joe O’Connor for McGovern (68).

Referee: A Kelly (Galway).