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'Maybe down the road, he'll suffer a bit over it. But he loves playing for Waterford'

'Maybe down the road, he'll suffer a bit over it. But he loves playing for Waterford'

The 4203-05-2025
'FOR TODAY, IT'S worth it. For the next 10 minutes, I'd do as much as I can. You'd be questioning for months and then you get a day like today and that's why I do it.'
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WATERFORD'S STEPHEN BENNETT was trying to breathlessly sum it all up on The Sunday Game after a crucial win over Clare last weekend.
He had just scored 2-8 in a man of the match performance to mark his 100th Déise appearance. The result against the reigning All-Ireland champions gives Peter Queally's side the best possible start in their attempt to qualify out of the Munster championship.
An eternal quest for progress given that this was just their fourth win in 21 round-robin games, but despite the doubt that follows them every year, Waterford's players stood tall in Walsh Park.
Bennett was a giant.
That he has hit the century mark is scarcely believable given his injury history. Two hip surgeries before turning 17, and four by the age of 20 puts his situation in stark terms. He has no cartilage left in either joint, and arthritis is already setting in. The right hip is out of its socket. Playing through pain is a constant burden and a double hip replacement awaits him whenever he does retire.
Bennett doesn't have a timeline on that but he told the Smaller Fish podcast recently that time is not his friend.
Man of the match Stephen Bennett admits victories like today over Clare make the sacrifices worthwhile
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📱 Updates https://t.co/uTa5IQSmUP pic.twitter.com/u4VnD2p1la — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 27, 2025
'I was told I had €10,000 left in the bank and every time I run that money is being spent. When that is gone, I'm getting hip replacements. I don't know how much money I've left but I'll keep going.'
Prolonging his Waterford career requires limiting his time on the training pitch. They take a similar approach in his club Ballysaggart.
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'When he comes back to us, he does whatever he can,' says manager Adrian Meagher.
'He'd do the running with us but wouldn't do anything physical. We leave it to him. If he thinks he can do a training session, we let him off and if he says he's not able, that's fine.
'We know what we're going to get off him come the day of championship anyway. All you want is honesty and that's what he would be with us.'
Meagher has been in charge since 2012, overseeing a period of considerable growth in the last 13 years. He guided Ballysaggart to junior county and Munster glory in 2013 before reaching an All-Ireland final against Creggan Kickhams of Antrim that went to a replay. The second game ended in a four-point defeat for the Waterford side. Bennett scored a combined 3-8 across those two games and finished as the competition's top-scorer with 7-39.
Ballysaggart tasted intermediate success in 2019 and went on to contest the Munster decider where their journey ended with a four-point defeat to Fr O'Neill's of Cork. They moved up to senior in 2020 but were relegated back to the intermediate grade by De La Salle.
In 2023, they were in another relegation battle against Ballyduff Lower. But Bennett's heroics helped ensured their survival with a six-point win.
'We were under pressure but he gave a performance in the second half that was unbelievable,' Meagher recalls.
Bennett's breakthrough was preceded by a successful underage career. Along with his brother Shane, he was part of a crew who helped Waterford end a 65-year wait for an All-Ireland minor title in 2013.
'We had six on that minor panel,' Meagher continues. 'We knew we had potential and knew we were going to win the junior county with them. But to go on and win Munster and go to Croke Park and to extra-time and a replay, we probably didn't see that coming.'
By that stage, Bennett's ability was already well known locally. He was into his third year of hurling for the Waterford minors having made his bow at just 15 in 2011. He guided his county to a Munster final after hitting 3-2 in an extra-time epic against a Limerick side that included Dan Morrissey, David Reidy and Shane Dowling. Jamie Barron also featured that day, starting at corner-back for Waterford.
Waterford lost that Munster final to Clare but reached the All-Ireland semi-final where they played out a thrilling 6-19 to 5-13 battle with Dublin. Bennett finished with 1-1 while the victorious Dublin team included some household football names including Cormac Costello and Ciarán Kilkenny.
Stephen Bennett in action against Creggan Kickhams in the 2014 All-Ireland final. Presseye / John McIlwaine/INPHO Presseye / John McIlwaine/INPHO / John McIlwaine/INPHO
To know more about the rise of Stephen Bennett means understanding where he came from. Ballysaggart is a small village community with a population of about 250 people. A church, pub and tyre centre comprise the local landmarks along with the hurling field which is located in front of the Knockmealdown Mountains. Lismore is to the side, who Ballysaggart amalgamate with at underage level under the name St Carthage's.
'It (the GAA pitch) was on mountain ground and it was reclaimed back in the 1970s,' Meagher continues.
'The older GAA men went in with their tractors and drained it. They did massive work that time to make it into a field.
'It was always wet down the years but the committee have done unbelievable work the last five years. They've a massive clubhouse put up and I think they've spent well over €1 million. They've levelled the field and drained and it's like an all weather pitch now, as good as any in the country.'
In a small area like Ballysaggart, everyone knows everyone, but Meagher knows the Bennetts particularly well. The mothers of both families are close friends and the Bennett boys — Kieran, Stephen, Shane and Ryan — have been regulars at the house since they were children. Their father Pat, who also hurled for Waterford and served under Davy Fitzgerald during his time with the Déise, is a frequent caller too.
Meagher's son Darren grew up hurling with the three brothers, giving him a front row seat to the first flashes of Bennett brilliance. It started in the back garden and carried through to their underage hurling. All three were quality players but even then, Stephen was a distinguished talent.
'He's the one fella you'd say that he had it all.
'When they were in primary school, the three of them were excellent. They used to be winning games by themselves at that level. They just had it. They were very committed and they work hard.'
The pair were chatting this week in the wake of Bennett's star performance against Clare. His second goal came up in conversation and Bennett explained his movement and thought process that led to the score.
'He told me he was going in there to take a chance but then he looked up and knew it wasn't going wide. The wind held it up and the goalie [Eibhear Quilligan] and John Conlon thought it was going wide.
Stephen Bennett in the 2011 Munster minor final against Clare. James Crombie James Crombie
'There's not too many fellas who would have gone into the corner but that instinct is in him.
'But that's Stephen. When he got into his hand, you knew it was going into the back of the net. It's just in him and you probably can't train that.'
Waterford will take another huge step towards finally ending their Munster round-robin curse later this evening if they can get the better of Limerick. Bennett is clearly on form at the moment given his 1-49 in the league and his contribution to last week's result.
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But his scoring record against Limerick also bodes well for him.
Of their last three meetings in this competition, Bennett has scored 1-25 with 0-21 from placed balls. In 2020, the year of Bennett's All-Star award, he scored a combined 0-22 in the Munster final and All-Ireland final against Limerick. He was also the top scorer in that championship with 1-54.
Meagher can remember when Bennett first started experiencing hip problems as a young player, and continues to help him manage the situation delicately as his mentor. He still marvels at how Bennett can defy the medical limitations of his injury with his powerful displays.
'It's unbelievable for the family, and it's massive for us in Ballysaggart. [We're] a small club that have three boys on the Waterford panel. Stephen is just pure talent. His workrate is immense this year.
'For a fella with his hip issues, he needn't run the way he's running. He could stand inside in the corner and wait for the ball to come to him. But he's running up and down the field. He's leaving everything out there.
'Maybe down the road, he'll suffer a bit over it. But he loves playing for Waterford and the one thing we'd all love to see him do is win an All-Ireland. If they can get out of Munster, it's a wide open field for them then.'
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Ireland break scoring records as they pass the 100-point mark against Portugal
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Summer Tour: Portugal 7 Ireland 106 A rout, plain and simple that doesn't serve any greater purpose from an Ireland perspective than ticking off milestones in terms of debuts, points and try-scoring feats. The only consolation was the majority of the Portuguese supporters had streamed away before a penalty try at the death took the visitors over the 100-point mark. The Irish records tumbled: most tries, 16 and most conversions in a match, Jack Crowley landed 12, breaking Ronan O'Gara's 10 against Japan in 2000. It was the most points scored by an Ireland team and they also eclipsed the previous biggest winning margin, an 83-3 victory over the USA in New Hampshire in 2000. All three debutants, Hugh Gavin (two), Shayne Bolton (two) and Alex Kendellen scored tries. Gavin and Bolton were excellent, particularly the young 21-year-old centre in terms of his carrying game. Ireland did as they pleased for the most part. The back three were sharp, the halfbacks put pace and width on the game and the pack, with Ryan Baird again in the van, gave their backs a perfect platform. This all must be said in the context of a game in which Portugal contributed massively to their downfall. Tommy O'Brien (two), Bolton (two), Gavin (two), Cian Prendergast (two), Stuart McCloskey, Thomas Clarkson, Craig Casey, Calvin Nash, Ciarán Frawley, Kendellen and a penalty try contributed 16 tries, Crowley 12 conversions and one that accompanies a penalty try. READ MORE The atmosphere from the get-go was one of gentle distraction, the decibel levels didn't rise one iota when the teams emerged on to the pitch, or when tries were scored. The chattering continued in the stands, Irish supporters understood that anything more than polite applause would seem a little crass in the context of the game. Portugal would have spoken about the need to be accurate and composed in the opening throes of the contest, to try and thwart Ireland for as long as possible. They gave up a try after 45-seconds to McCloskey and three more before some of the crowd had a chance to get their bearings and take their seats in a sun-drenched stadium. Portugal's Hugo Camacho takes a box kick during the game against Ireland. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho McCloskey's try was the product of good work by Bolton and Crowley's neatly judged grubber kick. Gavin's try was down to running a good line and a nice flat pass from his outhalf. Jimmy O'Brien was the architect of the third, a lovely break and perfect timing of the pass allowed Tommy O'Brien to outpace the cover. The fourth went to Bolton after he caught a high ball, fobbed off a couple of limp tackles and accelerated over under the posts. 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Gavin was again prominent with a build-up in the seventh try after Tom Ahern turned over ball. Casey's decision to kick didn't look the right one but Bolton's pace turned it into one as the ball stopped rolling kindly in the in-goal area. Crowley missed for a first time from the touchline but had an altogether easier time when Gavin grabbed a second try, after a maul and powerful surge from hooker Gus McCarthy. Ireland's Shayne Bolton scores his side's seventh try. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho When the dust settled, Ireland led 54-0 at half-time, eight tries, seven conversions. It was brutal for the home side who also lost two players to injury. They'd have to take some culpability for the scoreline, kicking ball away, which was especially clueless given that their back three Nuno Sousa Guedes, Simao Bento and Manuel Pinto were dangerous, even off scraps. The second half started in similar fashion, Bolton's break finished off by Casey and Crowley converted. The points tally like the temperature was soon going to be in the 80s, and the potential for records to tumble. They did before the 60th minute as Ireland eclipsed the 83 points they scored against the USA in 2000. To reach that mark, Nash, Frawley and Prendergast's second, added to Ireland's try tally, Crowley tagging on two conversions. Portugal did break their duck in the midst of the avalanche of green points, with a try from their best player Nicolas Martins, converted by Hugo Aubry. When Kendellen scored, it ensured a record points tally. Ben Murphy and a penalty try brought Ireland's tally to 106 points. SCORING SEQUENCE – 1 min: McCloskey try, Crowley conn, 0-7; 8: Gavin try, Crowley con, 0-14; 9: T O'Brien try, Crowley con, 0-21; 11: Bolton try, Crowley con, 0-28; 22: T O'Brien try, Cowley con, 0-35; 29: Clarkson try, Crowley con, 0-42; 33: Bolton try, 0-47; 38: Gavin try, Crowley con, 0-54. Half-time: 0-54 . 41: Casey try, Crowley con; 0-61; 51: Prendergast try, 0-66; 52: Martins try, Aubry con, 7-66; 55: Nash try, 7-71; 56: Frawley try, Crowley con, 7-78; 58: Prendergast try, Crowley con, 7-85; 70: Kendellen try, Crowley con, 7-92; 76: Murphy try, Crowley con, 7-99; 80 (+1): penalty try 7-106. PORTUGAL: N Sousa Guedes; S Bento; V Pinto, T Appleton, M C Pinto; H Aubry, H Camacho; D Costa, L Begic, D H Ferreira; A R Andrade, P Ferreira; D Wallis, N Martins, D Pinheiro. Replacements: G Aviragnet for Appleton (20 mins); F Almeida for Aviragnet (32); F Almeida for Andrade, A Cunha for Begic, P S Lopes for Costa (all 50 mins); A Campos for Camacho (54); M Souto for Costa (55); G Costa for DH Ferreira (56); Andrade for P Ferreira (59); V Baptista for Pinheiro (62). 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