Cork see off Waterford in season-opening fundraiser

Waterford 0-10 

Cork 1-15 

Cork led from start to finish as they had eight points to spare over Waterford in Saturday’s season-opener at Fraher Field.

A fundraiser in aid of the Friends of Brian Greene and Waterford Hospice, this hour-long game - brought forward from its original 5pm siting to 2pm due to the weather forecast - was played in difficult conditions but the Cork management will be pleased with how a side composed of a mix of experienced players and newcomers coped against a callow Déise side.

With the elements in their favour in the first half, Cork took control and never looked like relinquishing it. The full-forward line of Robbie Cotter, Alan Connolly and Pádraig Power all had points in the opening minutes while Micheál Mullins and Darragh O'Sullivan showed up well in defence.

The Rebels had eight registered before Shane Bennett opened the Waterford account with an 18th-minute free - however, that score was immediately followed by a Cork goal. From the puckout, Patrick Collins – assured throughout, despite the conditions – launched a boomer and Power reacted quickest to the breaking ball, his swivel and flick putting the sliothar into the path of Declan Dalton, who had an assured batted finish.

Another goal might have followed in the wake of that, goalkeeper Shaun O’Brien doing well to intercept a pass that would have given Dalton an easy finish, but the flow of points continued and Dalton (65), Ben Cunningham and Connolly eased Cork further clear.

As half-time approached, the home side had their only real goal opportunity, Charlie Treen’s low pass giving Thomas Douglas a chance but Collins saved well.

It meant Cork retired with a half-time lead of 1-11 to 0-3, though, after six half-time changes, their fluency dipped and three Shane Bennett points for Waterford cut the deficit slightly.

Cork sub Shane Kingston had a nice point before Jack Cahalane marked his arrival to the senior hurling set-up with a well-taken effort just after his introduction before setting up Kingston for another.

The ever-deteriorating conditions meant that it was harder for those in red to make a positive impression in the second half but there was still a sufficient collective effort to ensure that Waterford were kept at arm’s length and no real goal chance materialised. Brian Roche, who had Cork’s final point, typified that work ethic with a late blockdown on a Waterford clearance, albeit at the expense of a hurley.

Bigger tasks and tests await, but a few miles have been put into the legs.

Scorers for Waterford: S Bennett 0-6 (0-4 f), S Walsh 0-2, R Halloran, W Beresford 0-1 each.

Cork: D Dalton 1-2 (0-1 f, 0-1 65), A Connolly 0-3 (0-1 f), S Kingston, B Cunningham 0-2 each, E Twomey, R Cotter, P Power, J Cahalane, B Roche, C O’Brien 0-1 each.

WATERFORD: S O’Brien; S Fitzgerald, I Daly, M Power; PJ Fanning, T Barron, P Fitzgerald; J Barron, R Halloran; S Bennett, J Prendergast, T O’Connell; C Treen, S Walsh, T Douglas.

Subs: B Nolan for O’Brien, F Reaney for Fanning (both half-time), S Fitzgerald for O’Connell (35, injured), K Mahony for Treen (44), C Keane for P Fitzgerald, W Beresford for J Barron (both 49), C Sheahan for Halloran, P Curran for Douglas (both 54), M Mullaney for Prendergast (55).

CORK: P Collins (Ballinhassig); D O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), G Millerick (Fr O’Neills), N O’Leary (Castlelyons); M Mullins (Whitechurch), C Joyce (Castlemartyr), C O’Brien (Newtownshandrum); L Meade (Newcestown), E Twomey (St Finbarr’s); B Cunningham (St Finbarr’s), D Dalton (Fr O’Neills), B Hayes (St Finbarr’s); A Connolly (Blackrock), P Power (Blarney), R Cotter (Blackrock).

Subs: S O’Donoghue (Inniscarra) for O’Leary, C Cahalane (St Finbarr’s) for Mullins, B Roche (Bride Rovers) for Hayes, S Kingston (Douglas) for Dalton, A Walsh (Kanturk) for Power, W Buckley (St Finbarr’s) for Connolly (all half-time), J Cahalane (St Finbarr’s) for Cotter (32), T O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum) for Joyce (43), D Fitzgibbon (Charleville) for Meade, S Barrett (Blarney) for Twomey (both 44).

Referee: M Kennedy (Waterford).