Three-in-a-row All-Ireland Senior titles for the Cats, and a quadruple across all grades, still on the cards after Brian Cody's men captured Liam McCarthy for the 31st time, thanks to an emphatic 23-point victory over Waterford at Croke Park. 82,186 watched on as a fired up Kilkenny team sealed the tag of the best hurling team this decade, and perhaps of all-time; with a well oiled performance from defence to attack. None of the tactics which were on the starting game-plan of Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald seemed to work as the Déise's hopes of curbing Kilkenny's influence, particularly around the half-back line failed to come to fruition. It was a day in which Kilkenny's mistakes were kept to the minimum - just a wide in either half were the blips from the Cats attack, who had five of their six starting forwards on target, with Martin Comerford the missing link. Comerford was substituted in the 43rd minute through injury and his direct replacement TJ Reid lit up the Cats attack, with four points - a tidy contribution for the Waterford IT student - in his 27 minute spell on the pitch. The 61st minute introduction of James McGarry in place of Kilkenny goalkeeper PJ Ryan raised the strongest cheer of the day at Croke Park - in a game which Kilkenny's sheer brilliance was never in question. Waterford tried their utmost to keep in touch in this game, but with just five points to show from their opening half efforts - and all of those from Eoin Kelly frees, it just wasn't the Déise's day. A brace of first half goals from right-corner forward Eddie Brennan set the tone for a Cats victory, with the 29-year old slicing through for two-goals in the 21st minute, to leave 12 points between the sides. Brian Cody's troops gave the display of their lives to reward their manager with his sixth All-Ireland title since taking over the Cats in 1999. Kelly may have converted two of the first five points in this game, but a one point deficit was as close as it got, after James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick showed great leadership to propel his side in front in the fifth minute. By the 15th minute all of the Kilkenny full-forward line had reached the target - Henry Shefflin already on target with four points while Aidan Fogarty had contributed a fine effort from play in the seventh minute. Eddie Brennan's first point opened up a five-point gap as the Cats ran rampant. Brennan was equally rampant - combining with Larkin for his sides first goal on 21 minutes, and then following a Clinton Hennessy save on a Fogarty goal shot, the rebound fell to Brennan who had no hesitation in planting the ball in the net for a second time. Waterford's chances were limited and they needed to take scores quickly, but when Eoin Kelly had his goal effort saved, and John Mullane hit the resulting rebound wide in the 25th minute, it epitomised a day of disappointment for the Déise. Kilkenny continued to ooze class before the interval with points from Richie Power (2), Brennan (2), Fitzpatrick and Larkin, interspersed by a lone Kelly free ensuring a 17-point gap at the interval on a 2-16 to 0-5 half-time score-line. With the first score of the second half coming Eoin Kelly's way - another free, after 37 seconds; it sparked a chance that Waterford might stage a revival in the second half. But this was certainly a false dawn, as Fitzgerald's troops found it a momentous task to cope with Kilkenny's sheer brilliance, with a 47th minute Eoin Larkin strike bringing his tally to 1-3, and giving his side an unassailable 22-point lead. Despite John Mullane trying hardest for the Déise, contributing three second half points from play, and Eoin Kelly breaking the Cats rear-guard for a 69th minute goal; it was but mere consolation for a Waterford side, that will be reflecting through the Winter just where it all went wrong. It was a day when Kilkenny's defence stood firm, their midfield and forwards almost displayed unerring accuracy - and James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick added the Liam MacCarthy Cup to the All-Ireland silverware he has already lifted in the Croke Cup and Cross of Cashel trophy. Not a bad haul to date for the 23-year old, who captured his third All-Ireland Senior medal, from four All-Ireland Senior final appearances, on a day when his county cemented their name on the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the 31st time. Kilkenny - PJ Ryan; M Kavanagh, N Hickey, J Tyrrell; T Walsh, B Hogan, JJ Delaney; J Fitzpatrick (0-2), D Lyng (0-3); M Comerford, R Power (0-2), E Larkin (1-4); E Brennan (2-4), H Shefflin (0-8, 5f, 0-1 '65'), A Fogarty (0-3). Subs - TJ Reid (0-4) for Comerford (43 inj); J McGarry for Ryan (61). Waterford - C Hennessy; E Murphy, K McGrath, D Prendergast; A Kearney, T Browne, K Moran; M Walsh, J Nagle; D Shanahan, S Prendergast, S Molumphy; E McGrath , E Kelly (1-9, 9f), J Mullane (0-3). Subs - J Kennedy for S Prendergast (HT); S O'Sullivan for Nagle (HT); P Flynn for E McGrath (52); T Feeney for D Prendergast (64); D Bennett (0-1) for Shanahan (64). Referee - Barry Kelly (Westmeath). Tweet

Most Read Stories