Jamie Barron and Maurice Shanahan struck extra-time goals at Semple Stadium as Waterford finally beat Kilkenny in senior championship hurling for the first time since 1959.
A 58-year famine was ended in sensational style during a gripping All-Ireland round 2 qualifier that required extra-time before the sides were separated.
With 11 minutes of normal time left, Kilkenny were eight points down but, amazingly, they rallied to level.
Leading scorer TJ Reid bundled home a goal to spark the fightback and it was complete in stoppage time when Colin Fennelly pointed to level at 2-15 each.
Shanahan dragged a free wide when a point would have won it but Waterford lifted their heads again to book a spot in the last six.
A potential touchline ban could be coming Brian Cody’s way too – after the Kilkenny boss appeared to push a sideline official.
But the real story of the night was Waterford, as Barron, Hurler of the Year Austin Gleeson and Tadhg de Búrca shone.
At the end of a rip-roaring first half, and in front of 33,181 spectators, Waterford had a 1-10 to 1-05 lead.
Kilkenny managed just two points from play in the opening half, a pointed free from goalkeeper Eoin Murphy and 1-02 from the stick of Reid on placed balls.
The hungry Déise were 0-06 to 0-02 clear by the 18th minute, with Pauric Mahony doing well on placed balls.
Reid’s 25th-minute free kept Kilkenny ticking over but Waterford were having the better of it, and Gleeson put over a monster score from the Old Stand touchline in the 27th minute.
Approaching half-time, Waterford had a five-point advantage but the Cats were back in it when Reid battered a 33rd-minute penalty to the net – after Richie Hogan was fouled.
Waterford now led by 0-9 to 1-4 but Gleeson tore down the touchline before landing another special score to stretch the advantage out to three points.
Kevin Kelly lofted over a fine Kilkenny point in first half stoppage time but there was still time for Michael Walsh to strike, taking a pass from Shane Bennett before nail a Waterford goal before the break.
But Kilkenny are renowned for hard periods of pressure after half-time – and so it proved again.
Impressive sub Lester Ryan and Reid, with a score verified by HawkEye, landed points before Conor Fogarty forced a fine save from Stephen O’Keeffe.
Reid added a ’65 and Kilkenny were within two points – and smelling blood.
Waterford appeared to have weathered the storm and came roaring back with a point from Jamie Barron and two more from Gleeson.
And when Bennett nearly took the netting out of the Killinan End goal with 16 minutes left, Waterford were in dreamland.
But there was still time for Kilkenny to force extra-time, as they launched that amazing revival.
Barron netted in the first period of extra-time as Waterford turned at 3-19 to 2-18 clear, a fabulous individual effort after Gleeson had picked him out with a defence-splitting pass.
And Shanahan settled it in the 83rd minute – racing clear before batting to the Killinan End net.
Kilkenny: E Murphy (0-01f); P Murphy, C Buckley, P Walsh; J Lyng, R Lennon, C Fogarty; P Deegan, M Fennelly; K Kelly (0-01), TJ Reid (2-12, 1-00 pen, 0-10f, 0-01 65), W Walsh; R Hogan (0-01), C Fennelly (0-01), J.J. Farrell.
Subs: G Aylward (0-01) for Farrell (h.t.), L Ryan (0-03) for Deegan (h.t.), C Bolger for Kelly (49), R Leahy (0-02) for Hogan (63), L Blanchfield for M Fennelly (74), M Bergin for Bolger (80), R Hogan for Aylward (85).
Waterford: S O’Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, N Connors; D Fives, T de Búrca, Philip Mahony; C Gleeson, J Barron (1-03); K Moran (0-02), A Gleeson (0-05), J Dillon (0-01); Shane Bennett (1-00), M Walsh (1-00), Pauric Mahony (0-06, 5f, 1 65).
Subs: P Curran (0-01) for Dillon (48), Stephen Bennett for Shane Bennett (61), M Shanahan (1-03, 0-03f) for Walsh (69), B O’Halloran for Pauric Mahony (70+4), T Ryan (0-02) for Stephen Bennett (79), C Dunford for Curran (85), S McNulty for Connors (86).
Ref: J Owens (Wexford).
