Cork seal Munster progress with hard-fought win in Waterford

The winless Déise will need to dust themselves off to face Limerick next weekend. 

FACE OFF: Cork's William Buckley gets to grips with Waterford's Conor Keane. Pic: INPHO

Cork 1-26 Waterford 0-25 

No blowing open of the Munster Championship. Cork remain unbeaten. Waterford remain without a win. Cork have secured their route out of Munster and into deep summer. Waterford’s route to a first ever top three finish is as complicated and unlikely as ever.

Late in the first half, a large fire took behind the open stand side of Walsh Park. By half-time, the flames climbed so high as to be visible beyond the row of rooftops directly at the back of the open stand.

Fire crews arrived and water sprayed onto the flames for much of the second half. Subsequent plumes of black smoke indicated the fire had eventually been captured and taken under control.

There was no such safe outcome for the Waterford hurlers. Their own Munster emergency continues to blaze. They were utterly brave here but found no reward. If Clare better Tipp next Saturday in Thurles, they are eliminated and without anything to play for at the Gaelic Grounds the following day.

For Cork, a first ever three-in-a-row of Munster round-robin wins in the same summer. Only score difference can prevent Ben O'Connor's charges from reaching the Munster final.

They were vulnerable and rejigged but did not falter. The visitors to Walsh Park did not lead from the 21st to the 59th minute. Crush coffee work colleagues Robbie O’Flynn and Tommy O’Connell cooked a fine few to set up Alan Connolly for the overtaking score. 0-23 to 0-22.

A minute later Waterford were reeling from their second black card of a bruising encounter, Cork celebrating a first goal.

A Mark Fitzgerald fumble of possession created the danger. Jack Fagan’s fouling of Alan Connolly was deemed worthy by referee Seán Stack of 10 minutes on the sideline.

With Alan Connolly unable to beat Billy Nolan from the opening half black card penalty, Mark Coleman was handed responsibility on this occasion. His shot was superbly lasered into the left corner.

Waterford twice cut the deficit to three through Dessie Hutchinson. A third Hutchinson free nudged them within two entering second half-injury-time.

There was no equalising goal for the second home fixture in succession. How incredibly close Queally's crew came on 66 minutes, Patrick Collins denying Peter Hogan. It was Collins’ second telling input of the evening, having somehow kept out Dessie’s first-half drive.

Cork sub Seamus Harnedy and Pádraig Power were critical in contributing and crafting injury-time points to make certain of their latest two points.

There was a great deal of first-half body counting. Crutches, bandages, and medical escorts were in greater demand than match programmes. A real life walking wounded episode.

Waterford, for their part, had already used over half their substitute allocation when returning under the tunnel for the interval reset.

And yet the first casualty of the day had come on the Cork side. Already without Ciarán Joyce and Rob Downey, a third starter from the Limerick win, Barry Walsh, was ruled out before throw-in. The loss paved the way for Hugh O’Connor’s full championship debut. The Newmarket clubman marked the full debut with a pair of points.

On the half-hour, the Cork full-back line found itself without a second pillar. A cut to Seán O’Donoghue's forehead necessitated his temporary removal. The cut was of the sort of severity that instead of a quick sideline clean-up, the corner-back and accompanying medical personnel took an early road to the dressing-room.

Despite Damien Cahalane starting on the in-form Stephen Bennett, it was O’Donoghue who quickly went across and asked for a dance.

By half-time, neither member of the match-up was present inside the whitewash. Bennett collapsed in heap after shooting wide in first-half stoppages. Having to be helped from the field, he required a pair of crutches to get him back to the Waterford enclave.

His was the third Déise departure of the half. Defenders Ian Kenny and Iarlaith Daly hobbled out of battle on 20 and 22 minutes respectively.

Positional alterations were evident on the Cork side from throw-in. Tim O’Mahony went to centre-back, with No.6-wearing and heavily strapped Eoin Downey going back to his familiar right flank. Tommy O’Connell, named at wing-back, operated in his usual midfield slot.

Waterford won the toss and elected to play with the wind. A contest of little space was level on 11 occasions in the opening half.

Brian Hayes, when not manufacturing space, required little of it. He was on target with six of seven first-half shots. Four different Waterford defenders spent time in his company across the opening half. None of the four enjoyed their time there.

Aaron O’Neill started on him, Ian Kenny spent a fleeting few passages in his shadow, Mark Fitzgerald fouled him for the 33rd minute penalty which Connolly saw saved by Billy Nolan, while it was Paddy Leavey who dropped back a line to try and shackle him for the 10 minutes Fitzgerald was in the bin.

Hayes’ Barrs clubmate William Buckley was troublesome too, if not at Hayes’ terrorising level. He clipped three points in total. As space opened up upon the resumption, Darragh Fitzgibbon roared into the second half. So too did Barrett. They won frees and intelligently linked play.

Their scores came ever so slightly easier than Waterford’s in the final quarter. Their comfort is greater. They are once more assured of June involvement.

Scorers for Cork: A Connolly (0-9, 0-6 frees); B Hayes (0-7); D Fitzgibbon (0-1 free), W Buckley (0-3 each); M Coleman (1-0 pen); H O’Connor (0-2); S Barrett, S Harnedy (0-1 each).

Scorers for Waterford: D Hutchinson (0-8, 0-7 frees); K Mahony, J Barron, C Lyons (0-3 each); S Mackey, Stephen Bennett (0-2 frees), S Mackey, S Walsh (0-2 each).

CORK: P Collins; D Cahalane, S O’Donoghue, N O’Leary; E Downey, T O’Mahony, M Coleman; T O’Connell, H O’Connor; D Healy, S Barrett, D Fitzgibbon; A Connolly, B Hayes, W Buckley.

SUBS: G Millerick for O’Donoghue (30-HT); R O’Flynn for O’Connor (51); C O’Brien for Downey (55, inj); S Harnedy for Healy (60); P Power for Connolly (70) 

WATERFORD: B Nolan; I Kenny, A O’Neill, M Fitzgerald; I Daly, P Leavey, J Fagan; S Mackey, J Barron; S Walsh, J Prendergast, C Lyons; D Hutchinson, K Mahony, Stephen Bennett.

SUBS: C Keane for Kenny (20, inj); Shane Bennett for Daly (22, inj); P Hogan for Stephen Bennett (36, inj); M Kiely for K Mahony (65); D Lyons for Mackey (65).

REFEREE: S Stack (Dublin).