TJ Reid top-scored with 1-9 as holders Kilkenny defeated neighbours Waterford by 1-21 to 0-18 at Croke Park to book a ninth final appearance in ten seasons.

Derek McGrath's charges did their best and were still in this contest at the break but, when push came to shove, Brian Cody's men had too much quality as they sealed a September decider date with either Tipperary or Galway.

At the end of an evenly-contested first half, the Leinster champions led by 1-9 to 0-10, with 1-7 of that tally coming from the hurl of Reid while Maurice Shanahan notched seven of the losers' first-half scores. Richie Hogan (0-2), Austin Gleeson (0-2) and Shane Bennett were the only other men to register before the break.

Shanahan and Reid exchanged the first two points of the game and the former swept over a sixth-minute free from 45 metres before Hogan gathered the puck-out to tie the scores up again.

An exquisite Gleeson sideline cut had the outsiders ahead for the third and last time; Reid replied from a free as the teams remained deadlocked on three apiece after 13 minutes.

In the 17th minute, Reid exploited a mix-up in the Waterford defence when he latched onto Michael Fennelly's long, high delivery (after two defenders misjudged the flight of the ball) and advanced in a one-on-one with Stephen O'Keeffe to drill a shot into the bottom left corner of the net for the only goal of the game.

Shanahan (free, '65') pointed either side of a Hogan reply and a soft Reid free once more left the goal between them - 1-5 to 0-5 after 23 minutes. Shanahan lofted over a monster free from the centre of the field for his fifth score and then outmuscled five Kilkenny defenders to fire one over from play - but each of those scores was punctuated by beautiful low-trajectory Reid frees.

Shanahan and Gleeson - with an inspirational score - closed the gap to the minimum but Reid pointed two more frees either side of a Shane Bennett score from a tight angle as the short whistle sounded with just two points in it.

Upon the restart, Ger Aylward pointed in between converted Reid and Shanahan frees. Kevin Moran closed the gap to two but a couple of points inside 30 seconds from Reid and wing back Cillian Buckley as the winners shook off the dust had the Cats four clear before Reid's goal effort at the Davin End flew inches to the left and wide. Aylward's second point had the holders 1-14 to 0-12 ahead after 44 minutes.

Colin Dunford and Eoin Larkin swapped points and the former then fired a brace to close the arrears to a manageable three. When the Cats pulled away again with scores from Hogan and Fennelly, gritty Waterford replied through Gleeson and Dunford. At the other end, Aylward couldn't apply the finishing touch to a presentable Kilkenny goal chance 14 minutes from the end.

Three points inside 90 seconds from Aylward and Hogan (2) gave the winners an insurmountable six-point cushion with an hour played as daylight finally appeared between the two sides. Aylward and Shanahan (free) traded late scores as the Noresiders won at their ease in the end.

Kilkenny - E Murphy; P Murphy, J Holden, S Prendergast; P Walsh, K Joyce, C Buckley (0-1); M Fennelly (0-1), C Fogarty; W Walsh, R Hogan (0-5), TJ Reid (1-9, 0-7f); G Aylward (0-4), C Fennelly, E Larkin (0-1). Sub: J Power for W Walsh.

Waterford - S O'Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, N Connors; T de Burca, A Gleeson (0-3, 1sl), Philip Mahony; J Barron, D Fives; K Moran (0-1), Shane Bennett (0-1), J Dillon; M Shanahan (0-9, 6f, 1'65), M Walsh, C Dunford (0-4). Subs: P Curran for J Dillon, Stephen Bennett for Shane Bennett.

Referee - B Gavin.

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