Cork minors make it a treble of All-Ireland finals with Munster victory over Waterford

Backing up their 40- and 10-point quarter- and semi-final wins, the Cork minors took this evening’s Munster title with 11 to spare

Eoin O'Leary celebrates scoring Cork's goal as Waterford players Conor Keane and Rory Dobbyn look on. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Cork 1-26 Waterford 1-15 

A remarkable six days for Cork hurling was rounded off with an 11-point Munster minor final win and the progression of a third Cork team to an All-Ireland final.

Backing up their 40-point quarter-final annihilation of Clare and 10-point semi-final dismissal of Limerick, Noel Furlong’s hugely-talented minor outfit took this evening’s Munster title with yet another double-digit win.

This latest hammering means Cork’s aggregate winning total across their three Munster Championship outings — during which they hit an astonishing 8-78 — clocks in at a staggering 61 points.

Cork’s 34th Munster MHC crown progresses this year’s class to the All-Ireland decider on the weekend of August 21/22, with consideration likely to be given to staging the game as a curtain-raiser to the Cork-Limerick senior decider on Sunday, August 22.

Much like the date and venue, the county’s All-Ireland final opponents are not yet known, with Leinster champions Kilkenny and reigning All-Ireland champions Galway meeting in the All-Ireland semi-final this Friday.

Such was Cork’s dominance during a fluid and clinical first-half showing that the winners didn’t need to reach any great heights during a second-half that ambled along to its inevitable conclusion.

The result, in all honesty, had been sewn up come the interval whistle, Cork ahead by 1-17 to 1-6.

Their first-half stats made for hugely impressive reading, even at the back where a defence led by Kevin Lyons, Darragh O’Sullivan, and Ben O’Connor limited Waterford to just four first-half scores from play.

One of those was Jack Twomey’s superb individual goal on 22 minutes.

Cutting in from the Kinane Stand sideline, the Waterford full-forward showed both strength and skill to stave off the attention of the many red shirts in close proximity before finding the net from a tight angle.

This Waterford green flag cut the gap to six, 1-10 to 1-4, but no closer did the Déise come for the remainder of the decider. Indeed, between Twomey’s goal and the call for half-time, Cork outscored their opponents by 0-7 to 0-3 to cancel out the green flag and stretch their lead out to 11.

The damage was done early doors, Cork racing into a 1-9 to 0-4 lead by the first water break. This utterly dominant first quarter was bookended by bursts of 1-3 and 0-5 without reply, the goal arriving as early as the 13th second when Eoin O’Leary drilled past Waterford ‘keeper Cian Troy.

O’Leary, who added two points from play later in the half, was part of an inside line that contributed 1-11 across the first-half. Corner-forward William Buckley raised three white flags, while Jack Leahy landed four frees, one ‘65, and one from play.

In total, seven of Cork’s front eight found the target in the opening half. This included the midfield pair of Mikey Finn and Cillian Tobin, the former cutting over a sideline at the end of Cork’s five-in-a-row first-quarter sequence.

Of the half-forward trio, Diarmuid Healy was most definitely the standout performer. As well as throwing over a pair from play, he provided the assist for many of Cork’s first-half scores.

As mentioned above, Cork were nowhere near as impressive in the second-half. Then again, they didn’t need to be.

Half-back Timmy Wilk stroked over a pair of points shortly after the restart, but thereafter, Noel Furlong’s charges, playing into the wind, noticeably eased off the throttle. The sharpness that defined their first-half play was marked largely absent as Waterford, chasing an unassailable lead, enjoyed the greater number of scoring chances.

Although Patrick Fitzgerald and Twomey kept the Waterford account ticking over, the goals they required were not forthcoming. Eight points was the nearest they came to the winners during the second-half.

Cork’s Jack Leahy and William Buckley both swelled their personal tallies late on, with sub Adam Walsh also getting among the scorers.

To date, this Cork minor team has proven a class apart. There is just one last hurdle left to clear.

Scorers for Cork: J Leahy (0-11, 0-7 frees, 0-1 ‘65); E O’Leary (1-2); W Buckley (0-4); T Wilk, M Finn (0-1 sc), D Healy (0-2 each); C Tobin, B Nyhan, A Walsh (0-1 each).

Scorers for Waterford: P Fitzgerald (0-8, 0-7 frees, 0-1 ‘65), J Twomey (1-4); P Cummins (0-2); B O’Connell (0-1).

CORK: P O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neill’s); D O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), K Lyons (Ballygarvan), J Byrne (Ballinora); J Dwyer (Ballincollig), B O’Connor (St Finbarr’s), T Wilk (Cobh); M Finn (Midleton), C Tobin (Bride Rovers); D Healy (Lisgoold), B Nyhan (Clyda Rovers), T O’Connell (Ballincollig); E O’Leary (Glen Rovers), J Leahy (Dungourney), W Buckley (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: A Walsh (Bride Rovers) for Nyhan (temporary, 5-7); D Cremin (Midleton) for O’Connell (22, inj); A Walsh (Bride Rovers) for Nyhan (HT); R Sheahan (Kanturk) for Dwyer (50); R O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) for Buckley (56); O O’Regan (Erin’s Own) for Leahy (58).

WATERFORD: C Troy (Ballygunner); C Keane (De La Salle), C O’Keeffe (Ballygunner), R Dobbyn (Ballyduff Lower); B O’Connell (Abbeyside), C Treen (Abbeyside), A O’Neill (Ballygunner); S Callaghan (Abbeyside), F Hallinan (Fourmilewater); L Ó Siothcháin (An Rinn), J O’Donnell (Ballyduff Lower), M Ó Mathúna (An Sean Phobal); P Fitzgerald (Ballygunner), J Twomey (De La Salle), P Cummins (Brickey Rangers).

Subs: S Pender (Roanmore) for Ó Mathúna (39); M O’Brien (Stradbally) for Callaghan (42-47); D Walsh (Abbeyside) for O’Connell (53); H Flanagan (Mount Sion) for O’Keeffe (60).

Referee: J O’Halloran (Limerick).