The Nire 0-09 Kilrossanty 0-07
Twenty-five years after claiming their inaugural senior football title, the Nire secured their ninth Conway Cup after a sterling second-half resurgence in the Waterford SFC final, played under lights at Fraher Field.
The westerners were made to sweat into the fourth minute of additional time as Kilrossanty’s Pa Cunningham’s daisy-cutting shot flew through a litany of limbs, inching wide of Diarmuid Murphy’s left-hand post before referee Alan Kissane sounded the final whistle.
A cagey first half saw Kilrossanty head for the dressing rooms with a two-point advantage [0-05 to 0-03]. Before a 2,454-strong crowd, former inter-county star Shane Walsh opened the scoring for the Nire after six minutes.
SUNDAY'S COUNTY FINAL RESULTS AND REPORTS
A further six minutes elapsed before Moyle Rovers clubman Martin Dunne raced onto Stephen Prendergast’s through ball to strike the ball cleanly between the uprights to level matters.
On the quarter-hour, Kilrossanty full-back Paul Keating bravely put his body between Conor Gleeson just yards from his own goal and was forced to leave the action having sustained a shoulder injury.
A minute later, Paul Whyte turned over his first free of the evening to send Kilrossanty ahead for the first time.
While the Nire rose somewhat slowly from the blocks, they also found Kilrossanty’s defensive wall difficult to breach – and they fell further behind in the 21st minute when Tommy Prendergast’s lofted effort bounced off the crossbar and over.
Shane Ryan, later substituted due his own shoulder problem, immediately replied with a free, only for Whyte to strike the free of the night 90 seconds later from just under 50 metres.
A minute from the break, Martin Dunne assisted the lively Pa Cunningham to send Kilrossanty three points clear and good value for that advantage too.
But a Darren Guiry free in the third additional minute meant the Nire trailed by only two points despite never clicking into a gear they’ve grown accustomed to reaching on such occasions. They had no such concerns upon their re-emergence, as they dominated territory and possession to force the contenders on to the back foot.
Jamie Barron got the Nire off the mark within two minutes of the restart after Tholom Guiry intercepted a would-be through ball from Kilrossanty midfielder Tommy Prendergast.
By the 39th minute, the sides were level as Conor Gleeson turned over his only score of the evening.
Seven minutes later, Guiry found his range with another free after he’d been hauled down by Pa Whyte, and he was on hand to convert a free again in the 48th minute after Mark Prendergast appeared to be harshly penalised for over-carrying.
Kilrossanty’s long wait for a point was finally ended by Paul Whyte in the 56th minute, but Shane Walsh’s calmly struck effort a minute from the end of regulation time appeared to seal the deal for the Nire.
A minute into additional time, Paul Whyte turned over his fourth free after Pa Whyte was fouled just outside the penalty area by Tom Barron, to leave just two points between the sides.
Despite losing Tholom Guiry to a second yellow card moments later, the Nire survived Kilrossanty’s last gasp riposte to take their place back in the winner’s enclosure.
The newly crowned Waterford kingpins will now travel to the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday next to take on Limerick’s Adare in the Munster Club Championship quarter-final.
The Nire: D Murphy; D Meehan, T O’Gorman, M Moore; J McGrath, T Barron, Darren Guiry (0-03f); T Guiry, C Guiry; J Barron (0-01), Dylan Guiry, D Ryan; S Ryan (0-02f), C Gleeson (0-01), S Walsh (0-02).
Subs: C Walsh for D Ryan (52 mins) S O’Meara for S Ryan (53), C Mulcahy for C Guiry (59).
Kilrossanty: D Mulhearne; M Prendergast, P Keating, N Walsh; J Whyte, Patrick Whyte, B Prendergast; T Prendergast (0-01), M Dunne (0-01); P Cunningham (0-01), S Prendergast, C Hayes; D Fitzgerald, P Whyte (0-04f); J Veale.
Subs: J Whyte for P Keating (20 mins), M Walsh for D Fitzgerald (53) and A Quinn for J Whyte (61).
Referee: Alan Kissane
