Injuries take the gloss off the Cork U20 footballers' emphatic victory

Cork 5-23 Waterford 0-7

INJURIES to key forward Cathal O'Mahony and midfielder Eanna O'Hanlon took some of the gloss from Cork's emphatic victory over Waterford in the Munster U20 football semi-final in Clonakilty last evening.

Coach Keith Ricken will keep his fingers crossed that the pair will recover in time for the final with Kerry next Thursday.

Cork captain Peter O'Driscoll won the toss and decided to play with the benefit of a substantial wind from the start and it proved a wise call.

The game as a meaningful contest was over at the break with the home side 3-12 to 0-2 and well on their way to the decider.

Waterford, who had pipped Clare in the quarter-final, competed well enough in the opening quarter despite falling 0-6 to 0-2 behind with both scores coming from Darragh Corcoran.

Cork's long-range shooting was very impressive with the inside line of Mark Cronin, O'Mahony and Damien Gore showing up well and both wing-backs, O'Driscoll and Gearoid O'Donovan also catching the eye.

Whatever slim chance the visitors may have had of keeping the scoreline to respectable levels by the break were dashed by the concession of three goals in as many minutes.

The first after 18 minutes was a disaster for keeper Jack Coffey, who dropped a speculative right-footed effort from Cronin into his own net, the near umpire reacting swiftly for the flag to signal Cork's 1-7 to 0-2 advantage.

O'Mahony's prowess was well signposted before following his John Kerins Cup exploits and he duly added a second goal after a terrific run and finish.

And to compound Waterford's misery another flowing Cork move led to a third goal from the sharp Gore with four more points stretching their advantage to a whopping 19 points at half-time.

It was one-way traffic on the resumption, too, with substitutes Jack McCarthy and Colm O'Callaghan adding two more goals in the closing quarter before the inevitable conclusion to the relief of the crowd of just under 1,000.

Scorers for Cork: M Cronin 1-4, C O’Mahony 1-4 (0-1 f), D Gore 1-3, J McCarthy, C O’Callaghan 1-0 each, G O’Donovan and P O’Driscoll 0-2 each, M Hodnett 0-2, 1f, M O’Mahony, B Hartnett, C Barrett, B Murphy, F Herlihy, J Murphy 0-1 each.

Waterford: D Corcoran 0-4 (0-1 f), S Whelan-Barrett, S Curry and B Power 0-1 each.

CORK U20s: J O’Keeffe (Newmarket); M O’Mahony (Knocknagree), M Shanley (Clonakilty), P Ring (Aghabullogue); G O’Donovan (Newcestown), J Hickey (Millstreet), P O’Driscoll (Ilen Rovers), captain; B Hartnett (Douglas), E O’Hanlon (Kilshannig); C Barrett (St Finbarr’s), B Murphy (St Vincent’s), M Hodnett (Carbery Rangers); M Cronin (Nemo Rangers), C O’Mahony (Mitchelstown), D Gore (Kilmacabea).

Subs: J McCarthy (Carrigaline) for O’Donovan, half-time, J Murphy (Eire Og) for B Murphy 38, C O’Callaghan (Eire Og) for Barrett 43, D Buckley (Newcestown) for O’Mahony injured 47, D O’Connell (Kanturk) for O’Hanlon injured 50, F Herlihy for Hartnett 55.

WATERFORD: J Coffey; R Power, R Stringer, L Fennell; M Twomey, T Barron, S Fitzgerald; D Booth, B Lynch; S Whelan-Barrett, S Curry, B Power; D O’Keeffe, L Walsh, D Corcoran.

Subs: B Hynes for Power 21, J Walsh for L Walsh 39, J Fitzgerald for Booth 47, D Beresford for O’Keeffe 48, D Cullinane for Stringer 51.

Referee: S Joy (Kerry).