Munster MHC: Early goals put Cork in command against Waterford

Waterford 0-12

Cork 3-18

Cork secured a second straight win in the Electric Ireland Munster MHC as a strong first half put them in control against Waterford at Fraher Field on Thursday night.

Goals from Adam Lee and Jack Hegarty helped John Meyler’s side to open up a ten-point advantage in the opening period and, though Waterford responded coming up to half-time, the Rebels were able to ease clear in the second half.

The result leaves Cork with four points after three games ahead of their last round-robin tie, at home to Clare in a fortnight. The Banner County face Tipperary next week with both after recording two wins from two and Cork will go into the game at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh with the likelihood that another victory will give them a Munster final place. While this Waterford’s third loss, they can still advance to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals if they beat Limerick next week in what is effectively a fourth-place play-off.

While the first two points were shared, Mark O’Brien’s free answered by a Shane Power score, Cork settled with good points from Adam Lee and the impressive Luke Murphy before the first goal. Michael Tadhg Brosnan – named at corner-forward but drifting deep – was the creator with a powerful run and his pass allowed Lee to finish smartly to the net.

O’Brien’s second point opened up a six-point advantage and they might have had a second goal, Brosnan doubling wide from a tight angle after good work by Leo Hennessy.

After Caoilinn Reville scored his first point for Waterford on 15 minutes, it was 1-6 to 0-3 but Cork continued to make the running and they had a second goal when Brosnan’s lovely pass found Jack Hegarty, who fired home.

O’Brien made it 2-7 to 0-3 and he might have added another goal after a good interception and run but Billy Murphy denied him. At the other end, Waterford full-forward did well to fashion a chance but an important hook from Conor Noonan meant he couldn’t test Josh Goulding.

Waterford, for whom Fiachra Cooney did well in the face of Cork pressure, did finish the first half well, scoring four of the last five points – two from Reville – to leave seven in it, but Cork responded well on the resumption.

While Murphy’s third of the night was answered by Gearóid O’Shea for Waterford, four points on the trot – two from Mark O’Brien with one each by Jack Hegarty – put them in a commanding position, ahead by 2-13 to 0-8. An 11-point lead was then stretched to 14 when Jack O’Brien set up his Douglas namesake Mark for the third goal.

Cork didn’t score much after that – though defenders Cian Denis O’Connor and John Murphy did get on the scoresheet for the second game in a row – but equally the good defensive effort ensured that Waterford didn’t threaten a goal.

Mark Hartley added a couple of late frees for Waterford and Shane Power landed a big effort but Cork were still comfortable by the end.

Scorers for Waterford: M Hartley 0-4 (0-3f), C Reville 0-3, S Power 0-2, T Kennedy, G O’Shea, B Cummins 0-1 each.

Cork: M O’Brien 1-9 (0-7f), J Hegarty, A Lee 1-1 each, L Murphy 0-3, CD O’Connor, J Murphy, J Twohig, MT Brosnan 0-1 each.

WATERFORD: B Murphy; A Furlong, F Cooney, J Twomey; T Kennedy, J McDonnell, C Power; J Power, O Fives; G O’Shea, M Hartley, C Reville; C Spain, S Power, J Shanahan.

Subs: C Lynch for Twomey (21), B Cummins for Spain (half-time), A Coughlan for C Power (42), E Burke for Fives (47), D Hickey for O’Shea (48).

CORK: J Goulding (Glen Rovers); CD O’Connor (Millstreet), R O’Riordan (Blackrock), L Kelleher (Douglas); K Beechinor (Éire Óg), C Noonan (Kanturk), J Murphy (Mallow); L Hennessy (Ballymartle), M O’Brien (Douglas), L Murphy (Barryroe); A Lee (Cloyne), J Twohig (Valley Rovers), MT Brosnan (Glen Rovers).

Subs: D Cosgrave (Courcey Rovers) for Brosnan (42), P Barrett (Midleton) for Hennesssy (44), C Deane (Killeagh) for Twohig (48), O O’Connell (Carrigaline) for J O’Brien (51), L O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum) for Lee (57).

Referee: J Donnellan (Clare).