Kilkenny are through to the All-Ireland minor hurling final after this 1-23 to 1-14 defeat of Waterford after extra time at Croke Park.

The result means that Pat Hoban's charges - who were thumped by Dublin by 2-8 to 0-3 in their Leinster championship opener at Nowlan Park on April 26th before reversing that result in the decider and claiming their 54th provincial crown - now await the winners of next weekend's second semi-final (between Limerick and Galway) in the 2014 All-Ireland MHC final on Sunday, September 7th.

Having been seconds away from elimination this afternoon, the winners totally bossed extra time, outscoring the beaten Munster finalists by 1-7 to 0-1 during the additional 20 minutes.

Glenmore clubman Alan Murphy (who finished the game with 0-11) converted a pressure '65' on the hour to force extra time after Waterford seemed to have sealed victory with a run of three successive points between the 55th and 57th minutes. However, corner forward Murphy's composure meant that it finished Kilkenny 0-16, Waterford 1-13 after 60 minutes.

Shane Bennett plundered the Waterford goal at the end of a brilliant run two minutes into the second half; sub John Walsh recorded the victors' three-pointer five minutes from the end of extra time. Earlier, the Noresiders had the better of the opening period and deservedly led by 0-10 to 0-6 at the break.

The Cats controlled the opening 15 minutes as they tore into a 0-6 to 0-2 lead. Andy Molumby got Na Deise up and running but the Leinster champions came back with points from Alan Murphy, Liam Blanchfield and Sean Morrissey.

Waterford's second score came off the hurl of Cormac Curran before Murphy, Ronan Corcoran and Morrissey retorted.

A Patrick Curran free was cancelled out by Murphy; Molumby closed the gap to three after 21 minutes, only for Conor Browne and Billy Ryan to respond with quickfire scores for the Black & Amber, who now led by 0-9 to 0-4.

The defending All-Ireland champions desperately needed some inspiration and it came from captain Shane Ryan, who drilled over an exceptional point with half time approaching; Bennett reduced the arrears to three points on 28 minutes but Murphy's third pointed free arrived on the stroke of the short whistle.

Derek Lyons' lads were level within three minutes of the restart. A Patrick Curran free opened the second-half scoring before Murphy pointed a '65' at the other end following a wonderful Billy Nolan save. In the 32nd minute, Bennett buried the ball past Darren Brennan to the back of the Kilkenny net and Patrick Curran's first point from play tied the scores up for the first time since the sixth minute.

Substitute John Walsh restored the Cats' advantage within seconds of entering the fray but Molumby replied after a Patrick Curran '65' had rebounded dangerously off the woodwork. Points from Corcoran and Murphy (free) restored the Black & Amber's two-point cushion at the three-quarters stage.

Bennettsbridge's Blanchfield cancelled out a point from Waterford substitute Eddie Meaney and Patrick Curran's next free had the margin down to the minimum with five minutes left to play. It was right back in the melting pot when Curran clipped over another free to equalise in the 56th minute.

Dramatically, three minutes from the end, Cormac Curran supplied Waterford's third point in as many minutes as they stole in front for the first time since the third minute. Right at the death, Murphy's '65' sailed between the posts after John Walsh's brave attempt for a winning goal was forced behind.

An additional 20 minutes would be played…

Four points were scored in the first additional period and the Cats got three of them: Blanchfield struck first before Patrick Curran (bringing his tally to 0-6) and Murphy traded frees. Murphy's ninth point of the match came from a '65' to make it 0-19 to 1-14 with ten minutes left.

The machine-like Murphy (free) notched his tenth point within two minutes of the third restart to leave a goal between them. And goal duly arrived in the 75th minute ... but it went to Kilkenny via the boot of John Walsh - 1-20 to 1-14!

Murphy and Blanchfield (2) completed the unlikely rout.

Kilkenny - D Brennan; C Doheny, C Delaney, C McGrath; P Lyng, J Cleere, D Joyce; C Browne (0-1), L Scanlon; R Butler, S Morrissey (0-2), B Ryan (0-1); R Corcoran (0-2), L Blanchfield (0-5), A Murphy (0-11, 7f, 3'65). Subs: J Walsh (1-1) for B Ryan, E Kenny for R Butler, A Gaffney for C Browne, L Hennessy for S Morrissey, B Ryan for A Gaffney, C Browne for R Corcoran.

Waterford - B Nolan; D Prendergast, E Hayden, M Cronin; C Prunty, C Gleeson, J Mullaney; D Lyons, C Curran (0-2); S Bennett (1-0), C Roche (0-1), P Hogan; S Ryan (0-1), P Curran (0-6, 5f), A Molumby (0-3). Subs: E Meaney (0-1) for S Ryan, S Murray for J Mullaney, J Allen for A Molumby, S Ryan for C Roche, A O'Sullivan for P Hogan.

Referee - J Keenan. Tweet

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