New faces on show as Kilkenny kick off season with win over Waterford

Kilkenny got the 2025 inter-county season off to a winning start with a narrow victory over a very experimental Waterford team in Pilltown.

A 1-3 tally from Mossy Keoghan including a vital second half goal proved the catalyst to help Derek Lyng's men claim a come from behind success that saw six players make their first start for the senior team (Darragh Vereker, Peter Connellan, Eoghan Lyng, Luke Connellan, Fionan Mackessey and Marty Murphy).

The likes of Colman O'Sullivan, Billy Reid, Shane Staunton and Jeff Neary also got an opportunity off the bench but to begin with, it was the visitors who looked the better side as they went 1-1 to 0-0 ahead inside the opening four minutes with Tom O'Connell shooting past Lisdowney's Aidan Tallis.

Kilkenny did manage the next four scores through Eoghan Lyng, Mossy Keoghan, Marty Murphy and Fionan Mackessey to level up matters but Waterford again took control and by the half hour mark, they had opened up a double scores advantage (1-7 to 0-5).

Tallis then produced a point blank save to deny Shane Bennett minutes later and it seemed to spur the Cats unto life with Lyng, Peter McDonald, Luke Hogan and Darragh Vereker finding the target to leave the deficit at just two points by the break.

Within three minutes of the resumption, the home team had turned the deficit into an advantage with Keoghan scoring twice either side of an excellent Billy Drennan effort.

The Deise did retaliate briefly but once Mossy Keoghan goaled in the 45th minute after being set free by Billy Ryan, Derek Lyng's team began to flex their muscles.

Billy Drennan came into the game a bit more as he knocked over four further frees before being replaced and with Luke Connellan and subs Eoin Cody and Colman O'Sullivan also finding the target, the Cats finished strongly to claim a 1-19 to 1-17 success.

The Noresiders will have their final challenge game away to Offaly in the Faithful Fields next Saturday before attention switches to the opening league encounter against Clare.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny: Martin Keoghan (1-3); Billy Drennan (0-6, 0-5 frees); Eoghan Lyng (0-2);  Eoin Cody (0-1, 0-1 free); Luke Hogan, Marty Murphy, Luke Connellan, Peter McDonald, Darragh Vereker, Colman O'Sullivan, Fionan Mackessey (0-1 each).

Waterford: Shane Bennett (0-7, 0-6 frees); Reuben Halloran (0-4, 0-2 frees); Tom O'Connell (1-1); Sam Fitzgerald, Seamus Fitzgerald, Mark Fitzgerald, Conor Sheahan, Charlie Treen (0-1 each).

Kilkenny: Aidan Tallis (Lisdowney); Darragh Vereker (Glenmore), Padraic Moylan (Dicksboro); Peter Connellan (Thomastown); Eoghan Lyng (Rower-Inistioge), David Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge), Shane Murphy (Glenmore); Adrian Mullen (Shamrocks), Peter McDonald (Thomastown); Luke Connellan (Thomastown), Fionan Mackessey (O'Loughlin Gaels), Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan); Billy Drennan (Galmoy), Marty Murphy (Tullogher Rosbercon), Luke Hogan (O'Loughlin Gaels).

Subs: Dean Mason (Shamrocks), Jeff Neary (Graigue Ballycallan), Killian Doyle (Emeralds), Eoin Cody (Shamrocks), Jordan Molloy (O'Loughlin Gaels), Shane Staunton (Clara), Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan), Owen Wall (O'Loughlin Gaels), Gearoid Dunne (Tullaroan), Billy Ryan (Graigue Ballycallan), Huw Lawlor (O'Loughlin Gaels), Billy Reid (Glenmore), Colman O'Sullivan (Tullogher Rosbercon).

Waterford: Billy Nolan; Conor Keane, Mark Fitzgerald, Seamus Fitzgerald; Sam Fitzgerald, Tom Barron, Martin Power; Reuben Halloran, Willie Beresford; Tom O'Connell, Jack Prendergast, Sean Walsh; Thomas Douglas, Shane Bennett, Jamie Barron.

Subs: Kevin Mahony, Michael Mullaney, Patrick Curran, Conor Sheahan and Charlie Treen.

Referee; Eoin Maher (Mullinavat)

Listen to the latest episode of the Kilkenny People Sport Podcast below: