McGrath Cup: Cork hammer Waterford to set up final meeting with Kerry

Cork: 1-20 

Waterford: 0-6 

THE Rebels made it two wins from two games in the 2024 McGrath Cup following an easy win in the end over Waterford at Mallow on Sunday afternoon.

There was much to admire in the display from the Leesiders in the second-half after a low key opening 35 minutes. Cork had a job to do and it was a professional one and most importantly getting more minutes into players. 

Chris Óg Jones, introduced for the second-half, made a big impression as he ended up with 1-4, while Eoghan McSweeney kicked 0-5, all from play. The only downside was the nasty ankle injury suffered to Paul Walsh just before the break.

John Cleary’s side will face the old enemy Kerry in the final next Friday evening in Páirc Uí Rinn, as the Rebels look to win the pre-season competition for the second season on the trot. 

In front of a crowd of approximately 250 people, Fionn Herlihy kicked a point after just 22 seconds, but Waterford who were very defensive, as was expected, drew level after four minutes after Niall McSweeney converted a free. Mark Cronin landed a free before Waterford drew level once more when William Beresford bisected the posts. The away team most certainly were giving it as good as they got. 

Good work from Blake Murphy resulted in Cathal Maguire pointing from long-range, 0-3 to 0-2 after seven minutes. The Rebels were flat, as the sides traded white flags, in what was a keenly contested opening.  

After Waterford registered two wides, they deservedly drew level after 17 minutes when Stephen Curry curled over an effort. The next score didn’t arrive for seven minutes, but it was worth the wait, another beauty from Maguire.

Waterford would have been the happier, but were then reduced to 14 players for ten minutes after Conor McCarthy received a black-card after 27 minutes of action. The Rebels didn’t make the most of it, as they only scored one point in the remainder of the half, which was a Mark Cronin free seven minutes to the break. The only goal opportunity for Cork in the first-half was a Seán Meehan effort after 29 minutes, which went out for a ’45, but wasn’t converted, 0-6 to 0-4 at half-time. 

The new half brought much more urgency from Cork and they goaled after just 13 seconds when Colm O’Callaghan gave a pinpoint pass to Óg Jones and the Iveleary forward finished beautifully from a tight angle. The sides exchanged white flags until Cork tacked on three unanswered points, 1-10 to 0-5 after 45 minutes, David Buckley’s effort the pick of those scores.

There was an air of inevitability about the game, and three McSweeney points gave Cork a comfortable advantage. With ten minutes remaining, the Rebels led 1-15 to 0-6. Cork kicked three points on the trot, Óg Jones with two and a Cronin free, 1-18 to 0-6 with four minutes remaining.

The Rebels clipped over the last two points to win by 17 points.

A routine win in the end for Cleary’s charges, with the Kingdom next up on Friday evening, the last competitive encounter before the Rebels open their Allianz football league Division 2 campaign away to Donegal on Sunday, January 28 in Ballybofey at 1.45pm. 

Scorers for Cork: C Óg Jones 1-4, E McSweeney 0-5, M Cronin 0-4 f, C Maguire 0-2, D Buckley, B Murphy (m), F Herlihy, D Gore, B O’Driscoll 0-1 each.

Waterford: M O’Brien (m), S Curry 0-2 each, N McSweeney (f), W Beresford 0-1 each.

CORK: C Kelly (Éire Óg); N Lordan (Ballinora), K Flahive (Douglas), J McCarthy (Carrigaline); L Fahy (Ballincollig), S Meehan (Kiskeam), B O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh); I Maguire (St Finbarr’s, capt), P Walsh (Kanturk); J O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers), F Herlihy (Dohenys), C Maguire (Castlehaven); M Cronin (Nemo Rangers), B Murphy (St Vincent’s), E McSweeney (Knocknagree).

Subs: C O’Callaghan (Éire Óg) for P Walsh (33, inj), D Buckley (Newcestown) for F Herlihy, C Óg Jones (Iveleary) for C Maguire, D Cashman (Millstreet) for J McCarthy (all h-t), A Walsh-Murphy (Valley Rovers) for B O’Driscoll (45), D Gore (Kilmacabea) for I Maguire (47), A Hassett (St Jude’s, Dublin) for K Flahive, C Dungan (Carrigaline) for C Kelly (both 57), G O’Sullivan (Boherbue) for J O’Rourke, D Desmond (Ballymartle) for E McSweeney (both 62), M Taylor (Mallow) for L Fahy (64).

WATERFORD: A Beresford; R McGrath, C Walsh, C McCarthy; R Browne, M Curry, C Ó Cuirrín; J Keane, J Curry; D Ryan, W Beresford, S Whelan-Barrett; S Curry, N McSweeney, M O’Brien.

Subs: B Hynes for M O’Brien, J O’Connell for C McCarthy (both 54), C Maguire for S Whelan-Barrett (58), J Sheridan for A Beresford (59), D Fitzgerald for N McSweeney (60).

Referee: Pádraig O'Sullivan (Kerry).