Waterford 4-20
Cork 1-23
STEPHEN BENNETT STRUCK 2-11 as Waterford were crowned National Hurling League champions for the fourth time in front of a crowd of 18,930 in Thurles.
A goal-hungry Déise have billowed the cobwebs 22 times in seven league outings. It was a first piece of silverware for Liam Cahill and a first major trophy since 2015, as captain Conor Prunty raised the cup in front of a sea of white and blue.
Man of the Match Bennett continued his spectacular scoring form with 2-11. The Ballysaggart man completed the campaign with 8-51 from five starts, including four double-digit hauls. Patrick Curran, who finished with 1-3, and Dessie Hutchinson also raised green flags this evening.
Carthach Daly had a coming-of-age performance at midfield. His defence-splitting runs caused Cork all sorts of problems. The Lismore man is still under 20. Club-mate Jack Prendergast also impressed with three points from play.
Patrick Horgan hit 10 points for Cork while Robbie O’Flynn got 1-3 from play.
Two goals in a minute from Patrick Curran and Stephen Bennett left Waterford 2-10 to 0-10 ahead at half time.
The Déise led 0-5 to 0-2 after 12 minutes with Carthach Daly, Jack Prendergast, Patrick Curran and Stephen Bennett all on target. Shane Barrett, Seamus Harnedy and Darragh Fitzgibbon got Cork back on level terms at seven points each.
The game burst into life on 26 minutes when Jack Prendergast located Michael Kiely on the edge of the square. The big Abbeyside man laid off to Patrick Curran who finished past Patrick Collins.
Less than 60 seconds later, Neil Montgomery burst past three Cork defenders and offloaded to Stephen Bennett who found the far corner of the net.
At the other end, Shaun O’Brien made a full-length save from Shane Barrett. Alan Connolly missed the rebound and Waterford won a relieving free out.
Cork were guilty of six first-half wides. Two Patrick Horgan dead balls and Robbie O’Flynn from play reduced the damage to three points for the Rebels (2-7 to 0-10).
Cork gave away 10 first half frees. Bennett converted five of them and missed two. Hard-working half-forwards Neil Montgomery and Jack Prendergast also pointed to give Liam Cahill’s men a two goal advantage at the interval.
Cork boss Kieran Kingston introduced his son Shane for the second period and he split the posts with his first touch. Two Bennett frees, won by midfielder Carthach Daly, increased Waterford’s lead to seven.
Patrick Curran had a goal disallowed after referee Liam Gordon whistled back the play for a foul on Neil Montgomery. Bennett sent over the free as the gap stayed at seven. Horgan and Lehane replied for the men in red.
On 48 minutes, Bennett plucked a long delivery, drove at the Cork defence and rattled the net (3-14 to 0-15). His eighth goal of 2022.
Robbie O’Flynn’s third point from play closed the margin to five. Bennett responded with a free from his own 65. Patrick Curran raised a white flag before Bennett blasted over another from his own half.
Mark Coleman prevented what looked a certain Waterford goal before Shane Barrett scored at the opposite end. Shane Kingston’s third point made it 3-17 to 0-22. Game on.
Six minutes from time, another driving run from the dynamic Carthach Daly set up Desssie Hutchinson who wrapped up the contest with an emphatic finish to the bottom corner.
O’Flynn netted a consolation goal for Cork in injury time.
Scorers for Waterford: Stephen Bennett 2-11 (9fs), Patrick Curran 1-3, Dessie Hutchinson 1-0, Jack Prendergast 0-3, Carthach Daly, Neil Montomgery, DJ Foran 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-10 (8fs, 1 65), Robbie O’Flynn 1-3, Shane Kingston 0-3, Shane Barrett, Conor Lehane 0-2 each, Tim O’Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Seamus Harnedy 0-1 each.
Waterford
1. Shaun O’Brien
2. Conor Gleeson, 3. Conor Prunty, 4. Shane McNulty
9. Calum Lyons, 6. Tadhg De Burca, 5. Jack Fagan
8. Darragh Lyons, 7. Carthach Daly
10. Neil Montgomery, 11. Jack Prendergast, 12. Patrick Curran
13. Dessie Hutchinson, 14. Stephen Bennett, 15. Michael Kiely
Subs
21. Kieran Bennett for Daly (temp 54-55)
19. Shane Bennett for Kiely (57)
21. Kieran Bennett for Montgomery (65)
20. Pauric Mahony for Daly (66)
18. Billy Power for Curran (69)
26. DJ Foran for Prendergast (72)
Cork
1. Patrick Collins
2. Sean O’Donoghue, 3. Damien Cahalane, 4. Ciaran Joyce
5. Tim O’Mahony, 6. Mark Coleman, 7. Robert Downey
8. Darragh Fitzgibbon, 9. Ger Millerick
10. Robbie O’Flynn, 11. Shane Barrett, 12. Seamus Harnedy
13. Conor Lehane, 14. Alan Connolly, 15. Patrick Horgan
Subs
23. Shane Kingston for Connolly (HT)
22. Conor Cahalane for Harnedy (43)
24. Jack O’Connor for Lehane (48)
19. Sam Quirke for Millerick (57)
25. Mark Keane for Barrett (65)
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway)