It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t polished. It wasn’t a quality contest, either.
But Waterford had six points to spare by the end and now have four points from three games in Allianz Hurling League Division 1A. Their back-to-back wins at Walsh Park set up an increasingly significant trip to Kilkenny in two weeks’ time.
Scoreline aside though, Peter Queally will have plenty to chew over, even without the Ballygunner crew.
Just 1-7 from play across 70 minutes was concerning. So too were the 12 wides and three short. For long stretches, Waterford were sluggish and sloppy, and with 44 minutes gone they led by only two, 0-12 to 0-10.
There was even a moment in the second half when Offaly threatened to swing it. Brian Duignan’s saved effort and Adam Screeney’s failure to pull on the rebound will leave Johnny Kelly’s side with regrets.
Offaly would leave Walsh Park with regrets. Johnny Kelly certainly did, particularly with what he felt was inconsistent officiating, and another issue already raised elsewhere this spring.
“It’s still a defeat here today, and it’s something that we’re trying to rectify,” Kelly said. “We’re working extremely hard there.
“The guys themselves are putting in some effort, and everyone is doing their best. Obviously, a little bit disappointed now after the third quarter that we probably didn’t do enough damage on the scoreboard.
“I don’t know what it is – I don’t want to sound like a moaner. Maybe it’s because I’m looking at it through Offaly glasses, I don’t think we’re getting the decisions that we deserve at times,” Kelly stated.
“I don’t know how often Adam Sweeney was fouled. Yes, he got numerous frees, but there was persistent fouling as well there, and it was every time he went to the ball.
“I don’t know what I would say about that. They [referees] have a difficult job too. I think the throwing of the ball; we were pulled one or two down there.
“There were obviously other ones in it that we were saying, if you’re going to go that way, be consistent with it.
“The biggest thing I have at the moment is being able to get a message on to the field. This idea that we’re trying to get a message on to a field in the fastest game in the world, we’re not allowed. Why is that?
“What’s wrong with getting a simple message to players to reshape their forward line?”
That third quarter was exactly when Kelly would have liked to intervene.
Only from the 50th minute did Waterford finally begin to pull clear, and Reuben Halloran’s goal ensured they did.
It was a fine finish, but credit belonged as much to Jamie Barron and Calum Lyons, who carried possession through a stream of tackles before Lyons released Halloran to rifle low across goal.
At 1-15 to 0-10, Waterford finally had daylight.
From there, Offaly quickly drifted out of contention. By the time they’d stirred up again, they already needed at least two goals to try and turn it around.
Offaly would not find a second score for the latter half until the 63rd minute when Dan Bourke converted, and they would hit five of the last eight points, but Waterford had done enough damage at that stage.
Twice in the first half Offaly had flirted with the net. Both Screeney and Brian Duignan had seen chances go over instead of under, the latter’s effort in the 35th minute had drawn them level for the third time at 0-9 each.
The Déise, meanwhile, were lethargic in the first half, slow on the short restarts and loose in possession.
Iarlaith Daly was the spare Waterford defender, and he was excellent. Offaly opted for two inside and kept Brecon Kavanagh sweeping, and they were competitive for long spells of the game.
Screeney picked off a couple of tidy scores, Ter Guinan was lively.
But once Waterford got over the initial slump and Conor Keane tightened his grip on Screeney, there was only going to be one winner. Halloran excelled and finished with 1-12 as Waterford got the result.
The performance, though, remains a work in progress.
R Halloran (1-12, 9f, 3 ‘65), B Nolan, B Lynch, C Lyons, M Kiely, P Curran, Stephen Bennett, S Walsh (0-1 each).
A Screeney (0-10, 8f), D Ravenhill (1f), L Watkins, D Bourke, O Kelly, B Duignan, D Nally (0-1 each).
B Nolan; C Keane, I Daly, A O’Neill; Shane Bennett, D Lalor, B Lynch; C Daly, D Lyons; C Lyons, J Barron, T O’Connell; R Halloran, M Kiely, P Curran.
Stephen Bennett for O’Connell, M Fitzgerald for C Daly (both HT), C Treen for Curran (57), S Mackey for Lalor (60), S Walsh for Kiely (63), M Power for Keane (68 inj).
M Troy; B Miller, B Conneely, S Bourke; B Kavanagh; D Ravenhill, C King, R Ravenhill; L Watkins, D Bourke; T Guinan, E Cahill, O Kelly; B Duignan, A Screeney.
J Clancy for R Ravenhill (35+3 inj), P Taaffe for S Bourke, C Spain for Guinan (both 55), C Cleary for Watkins (57), D Nally for Cahill (61), L Nolan for Screeney (70+4).
C Mooney (Dublin).
