Munster minor hurling: Cork withstand late Waterford fightback to take title

Cork 1-20 

Waterford 2-15 

Cork are Electric Ireland Munster MHC champions after holding off a dramatic Waterford fightback at FBD Semple Stadium on Friday evening.

Having scored the first three points of the second half, Cork led by eight, 0-14 to 0-6, but Waterford ate into that deficit during the middle period of the first half, with Cormac Spain unerring from frees.

As the game ticked into injury time, Cork still held an 0-18 to 0-13 lead but seven minutes had to be added following an injury to Callum Coffey and the Déise refused to give in. After Spain and Craig O’Sullivan exchanged frees, Dylan Murphy of Waterford left it 0-19 to 0-15 and then a game that had not had a goal in 63 minutes suddenly had three.

First, Spain conjured a lovely individual effort to cut the gap to one but Waterford had scarcely stopped celebrating before Cork sub Sam Ring rose high to make a superb catch and produced a finish to the back of the net to match it.

Even then, there was time for more as Waterford won a 20m free which Spain drilled home, but Cork never panicked. Ring made a big play and was fouled, allowing O’Sullivan to put over his eighth point of the night and Cork’s two-point lead did not prove to be a dangerous one as they held out.

A run of six unanswered points during the middle of the first half had put Cork in a commanding position.

While some of their play did betray some signs of nerves, Waterford were similarly afflicted and, crucially, Cork were more efficient with their score-taking. The only real goal chance of note for the Rebels came in the sixth minute and even that was just a half-chance, Seán Coughlan setting up Eoghan O’Shea for a shot he put over the bar after Callum Coffey’s effort had been blocked down.

Waterford had a better opportunity for a green flag on the quarter-hour, at a time when they trailed by just one, 0-5 to 0-4, but after Jack Power forced a turnover, Shane Power’s low shot was well-saved by Tom C Walsh at the expense of an unconverted 65.

Cork made the most of that left-off with the next five points, the last of them the third of the night for midfielder Tom A Walsh – excellent throughout – set up by a combination his partner Jack Counihan and superb corner-back Darragh Heavin.

Cormac Spain ended 16 scoreless minutes for Waterford with a free – play called back after his goal attempt was blocked by Denis Fitzgerald – and centre-back Hugo Quann brought them back to within four before Cormac Deane intercepted a clearance to assist Eoghan O’Shea’s second point for Cork, sending them in five in front.

That soon expanded, with sub Ryan Dineen pointing twice after his introduction, but the injury to Coffey necessitated a hold-up – the attacker had to leave the field on a stretcher – and Waterford got on top for a period.

Spain’s eighth had them back to four, 0-16 to 0-12, before a pair of O’Sullivan points looked to have given Cork breathing space down the stretch.

They were still in front at the end, but not without a few twists and turns.

Scorers for Cork: C O’Sullivan 0-8 (0-3 f), TA Walsh 0-3, S Ring 1-0, R Donovan, E O’Shea, C Deane, R Dineen 0-2 each, S Coughlan 0-1.

Waterford: C Spain 2-10 (1-7 f), D Murphy 0-2, S Power, H Quann, J Zeljkovic 0-1.

CORK: TC Walsh (Aghada); C Lawton (Midleton), D Fitzgerald (Bride Rovers), D Heavin (Russell Rovers); MT Brosnan (Glen Rovers), B Carroll (Dromina), C Garde (Lisgoold); TA Walsh (Carrigtwohill), J Counihan (Watergrasshill); C O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh), C Deane (Killeagh), R Donovan (Fermoy); S Coughlan (Passage), C Coffey (Na Piarsaigh), E O’Shea (Ballinhassig).

Subs: R Dineen (Erin’s Own) for Counihan (half-time), S Ring (Carrigtwohill) for Coffey (41, injured), C Hanratty (Carrigaline) for O’Shea (51), D Winters (Courcey Rovers) for Coughlan (60+3).

WATERFORD: J Comerford; C Lynch, D Murphy, D Keane; B Penkert, H Quann, C Power; J Power, E Burke; G O’Shea, S Power, C Reville; J Shanahan, D Murphy, C Spain.

Subs: J Zelkjovic for Burke (half-time), T Kennedy for C Power (41).

Referee: C O’Donovan (Tipperary).