Allianz Hurling League Division 1B

Waterford 7-31 Laois 0-19

By Tomás McCarthy at Walsh Park

Waterford walloped Laois by 33 points to pick up their first win of the Division 1 campaign. 

2020 All Star Stephen Bennett shot 3-8, including two second half penalties, while Patrick Curran helped himself to 1-7 from play. Carthach Daly, Austin Gleeson and Ciaran Kirwan also found the net for the rampant hosts. Four goals in four minutes at the end of the first half ended the game as a contest.

Kirwan got 1-4 on his first start as he carried on his impressive Fitzgibbon Cup form with WIT. Curran (1-7) and Gleeson (1-3) also looked razor sharp up front. Lismore team mates Carthach Daly and Jack Prendergast combined well at midfield.

Tadhg De Burca was back at number six for the home side. His first start since the 2020 All Ireland final against Limerick when he suffered the second cruciate knee ligament injury of his career. The biggest cheer of the day was reserved for the Clashmore/Kinsalebeg man when he made way after 49 minutes.

With his first touch, he supplied a crossfield pass for a Ciaran Kirwan point. Austin Gleeson smashed the crossbar with a volley in the sixth minute. He doubled on a ball across the goal from Kirwan. Bennett converted two frees before De Burca assisted Kirwan for his second from play.

On nine minutes, Jack Prendergast won a turnover and passed inside to his Lismore club mate Carthach Daly and he found the net (1-4 to 0-1). His first senior goal for the Déise.

Stephen Bergin replied for the visitors. Kirwan got his third on 16 minutes. Wind assisted Laois were guilty of five wides in the first quarter. A 65 and a free from Stephen Maher cut the gap to six. Laois shot stopper Enda Rowland saved from Ciaran Kirwan and then nailed a free from his own half. A long range Ryan Mullaney point left just a goal between them. Maher then shot his third of the afternoon (1-7 to 0-8).

Jack Prendergast got Waterford's first for 13 minutes. Substitute Billy Power hit the side netting with Rowland out of his goal. Patrick Curran put over back to back points.

Four goals in four minutes from Liam Cahill's free shooters put the game beyond the O'Moore men.

On 32 minutes, Austin Gleeson rattled the top corner of the net much to the delight of the home fans. Jack Prendergast and Carthach Daly combined for Patrick Curran to unleash a shot that dribbled over the line. Stephen Bennett was next to beat Enda Rowland a minute into injury time. Off the next attack, Kirwan walked the ball into the net.

The hosts hit 4-5 in the last eight minutes of the opening half to lead 5-12 to 0-11 at the break.

Laois boss Seamus Cheddar Plunkett made a triple substitution but it quickly got worse for the away side as Ben Conroy got his marching orders a minute into the second period for a challenge on Tom Barron.

The contest had a challenge game feel to it as the home side raised white flag after white flag. Only Stephen Maher and Ross King put up any resistance to the tsunami of Waterford scores.

On 58 minutes, Laois full back Sean Downey was dismissed on a black card and Stephen Bennett blasted home the subsequent penalty. His third successful penalty in two weeks. Mark Fitzgerald and Ian Beecher got debut scores for the Déise as they notched their first win of the campaign in facile fashion. Bennett completed his hat trick with his second penalty on 65 minutes. 

Scorers for Waterford: Stephen Bennett 3-8 (2-0 pens, 6fs), P Curran 1-7, C Kirwan 1-4, A Gleeson 1-3, C Daly 1-1, T Barron 0-2, DJ Foran, M Fitzgerald, I Beecher, J Fagan, J Prendergast, B Power 0-1 each.

Scorers for Laois: S Maher 0-8 (5fs, 1 65), R King 0-4, E Rowland 0-2 (2fs), R Mullaney, F Fennell, S Bergin, W Dunphy, A Corby 0-1 each. 

W****aterford: B Nolan; C Gleeson, C Prunty, I Daly; J Fagan, T de Búrca, T Barron; C Daly, P Curran; J Prendergast, Stephen Bennett, DJ Foran; C Kirwan, M Kiely (Abbeyside), A Gleeson.

Subs: B Power for Kiely (22), D Lynch for De Burca (49), M Fitzgerald for A Gleeson (52), I Beecher for Prendergast (55), D Lyons for Prunty (61).

Laois: E Rowland; D Conway, S Downey, D Hartnett; P Delaney, L O'Connell, R Mullaney; F Fennell, J Kelly; S Bergin, J Lennon, R King; B Conroy, W Dunphy, S Maher

Subs: J Keyes for Lennon (HT), C Phelan for Bergin (HT), PJ Scully for Dunphy (HT), A Corby for Kelly (45), P Dunne for Delaney (61).

Referee: P O'Dwyer (Carlow)