Goal-hungry Fitzgibbon Cup star on course for a major role in Waterford resurgence

02/05/2024

Mikey Kiely rampaging through the Cork defence.

THE MUNSTER ROUND robin opener between Waterford and Cork was in the 40th minute when Déise forward Mikey Kiely gathered a pass from Calum Lyons out on the wing.

With his side leading by a point, he sprinted through a clearing in the Cork defence looking for a score. His pace propelled him past Tommy O’Connell, and into space where he could release a shot. Credit to O’Connell though, he gave chase and timed his hook to stifle Kiely’s effort.

Players swarmed on the loose possession, including Kiely who retrieved the ball and released a backwards handpass to Jack Prendergast. The move, rooted in Kiely’s endeavor, ended with a Jamie Barron score to extend their side’s advantage.

After Alan Connolly cracked home a 68th-minute goal to leave Cork just two points behind, Kiely produced a vital intervention to muscle possession out of the hands of Seán O’Donoghue who had just fielded a long ball in and was about to launch a Cork counter attack. So, what could have ended in another score to cause panic in Waterford, was cancelled out by Kiely’s turnover to allow Patrick Curran bring calm with a point.

Kiely had 14 on his back, but was deployed on the 40 in what was just his 10th championship game for Waterford.

The Abbeyside/Ballinacourty player finished the day with one point from play, and could have had two goals in the bank had his efforts in the first half and second half not been blocked away. He created the second opportunity after plucking a Waterford puckout, and turning Rob Downey with a quick burst. Kiely out-muscled Downey to catch another puckout cleanly in injury-time when the Waterford win was imminent.

Among his other highlights are a turnover on Conor Lehane in the first half, and a free he won off Rob Downey in the 23rd minute which allowed Dessie Hutchinson to put Waterford six points up.

That win over Cork was only their third green tick in 17 Munster round-robin games since the new system was introduced in 2018. A poor league campaign, coupled with rumours of unrest in the campaign, amplified the pressure on Davy Fitzgerald’s team. But now a valve has been released.

And as Waterford continue their march towards finally killing the ghosts of Munster round-robins past, Kiely is putting forward a strong case to be one of the main players who can complete that mission.

The Fitzgibbon Cup is the competition where Kiely emerged as a forward for the future. He won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 with University of Limerick while also earning the Higher Education Rising Star Hurling Player of the Year in the second campaign. The numbers he punched during that period offer a glimpse into what he can deliver for Davy Fitzgerald’s team.

In 2022, he finished with sum total of 4-16. His lowest tally in a single game was five points and he only failed to score a goal in one outing — their opening group game against TUS Midwest. He was second only to his UL teammate, Mark Rodgers in the goal-scoring stakes as the Clare man netted five times in that championship. It was Kiely’s goal which sealed the win for UL, the decisive score completing a late 1-5 rally to ensure a dramatic finish.

He also played a vital role in clinching their place in the final. Facing defeat against Carlow IT in extra-time, Kiely produced a moment of genius to score a goal from a long-range free.

Kiely’s emergence continued in 2023, signing off his college career with 8-2 including a four-goal fest in the final against University of Galway to retain UL’s crown. His hat-trick was wrapped up before half-time, and his fourth arrived three minutes after the restart.

His performance against Cork was characterised more by his industry and workrate, but his skill and accuracy can be an important weapon for Waterford. Unleashing them is the next step in his evolution.

Tipperary are still smarting from the beating they got from Limerick last weekend, while Fitzgerald’s side were on rest week. All evidence from the championship so far suggests Waterford to go two wins from two.

Questions were posed as to how they would recover from the loss of players like Austin Gleeson, Shane McNulty and Conor Gleeson this year. Jamie Barron, Dessie Hutchinson and Tadhg de Búrca are the obvious answers that come to mind, but in Kiely, Waterford have another bullet in the chamber.

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