A vintage TJ Reid performance was instrumental in helping Kilkenny to a three-point win over their near neighbours Waterford in Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League.
Reid landed eight points in all in a game where the conditions at times were barely playable in front of just 2,907 paying customers in Walsh Park.
Right from the off the conditions were testing with incessant rain making an already soft surface even more so.
Kilkenny had three early points from Luke Hogan (2) and TJ Reid before a Shane Bennett free opened the scoring for the home side.
There were just seven minutes on the clock when a mishit 65 from Paddy Leavey was flicked to the net by Patrick Curran. Jamie Barron did very well to point soon after putting Davy Fitzgerald's men 1-02 to 0-03 to the good.
It would get better for the Deise when Shane Bennett managed to out-muscle Huw Lawlor before releasing Dessie Hutchinson to shoot low past Eoin Murphy for a second home green flag, 2-02 to 0-04 with 13 minutes on the clock.
Waterford persisted with their short passing game despite the conditions and were worthy of their 2-05 to 0-06 advantage approaching the break.
Darragh Lyons, Calum Lyons and the aforementioned Leavey all showing up well in possession for the home side.
However late points from John Donnelly and substitute Kevin Blanchfield reduced the margin to two points at the interval, 2-05 to 0-09 in favour of the hosts.
Eoin Cody pointed upon the resumption and on 38 minutes TJ Reid had the ball in the net. However referee Johnny Murphy adjudged the Ballyhale man to have played the hurl of his marker and awarded a free out instead.
Conditions continued to worsen with water beginning to lodge on the sodden turf. It was truly a game of attrition at this stage with the ball frequently and literally stuck in the mud.
Jack Prendergast pointed on the run for Waterford before Reid and Shane Bennett exchanged points with the margin now at the minimum 2-07 to 0-12 on 48 minutes.
Eoin Cody’s third of the day brought the teams level soon after. Substitute Neil Montgomery then flashed a ball across the face of Eoin Murphy’s goal when well-placed, before Shane split the posts from a free on 54 minutes to nudge the Deise back into the lead, 2-08 to 0-13.
With the game there to be won it was Kilkenny and Reid in particular who were surer of foot. Paddy Deegan, Cian Kenny and Adrian Mullen also began to dominate.
Five points on the bounce, four from Reid and another from Ryan was enough to win the tie, with Waterford managing just a single injury-time Patrick Fitzgerald point in reply.
Kilkenny move into the league semi-finals, while the already relegated Waterford can look forward to better weather at their training camp in Portugal next week.
Waterford: Shaun O’Brien, Mairtin Power, Mark Fitzgerald (0-1), Kieran Bennett, Jack Fagan, Billy Nolan, Darragh Lyons, Paddy Leavey, Jamie Barron (0-1), Peter Hogan, Jack Prendergast (0-1), Calum Lyons, Shane Bennett (0-4, 0-3f), Patrick Curran (1-0), Dessie Hutchinson (1-1).
Subs: Neil Montgomery for Patrick Curran (50m), Padraig Fitzgerald for Peter Hogan (60m), Patrick Fitzgerald (0-1) for Shane Bennett (66m), Iarlaith Daly for Paddy Leavey (69m), Kevin Mahony for Dessie Hutchinson (70+1m).
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy, Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh, David Blanchfield, Paddy Deegan, Mikey Carey, Cian Kenny, Shane Murphy, Adrian Mullen, Eoin Cody (0-3), John Donnelly (0-2), TJ Reid (0-8f), Martin Keoghan (0-1), Luke Hogan (0-2).
Subs: Kevin Blanchfield (0-1) for Mikey Butler (11m), Padraic Moylan for Mikey Carey (44m), Billy Drennan for Luke Hogan (48m), Timmy Clifford for John Donnelly (58m), Billy Ryan (0-1) for Martin Keoghan (64m).
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).
