IT’S ARGUABLY THE greatest hurling rivalry since the turn of the millennium and this weekend’s next instalment looks set to be every bit as good. Cork go into the tie as strong contenders for the All-Ireland, while Waterford were superb throughout a league campaign which they ultimately won. Here are some of the best moments from the battles over the last 15 years.
I love me county
Interviews with GAA players these days have become increasingly bland as they’re so restricted in what they can say to the media. This is what makes John Mullane’s speech all the more heart-warming as he could hardly hold in the tears after he had been sent off in the epic 2004 Munster final, but 14-man Waterford showed true grit to edge their way to a one point win.
Brian Corcoran’s half-volley goal
The 34-year-old had always been known for having an extra bit of skill that other hurlers didn’t seem to possess. What he managed to do in Croke Park in the 2005 All-Ireland quarter-final was truly superb however. A long ball into the Waterford square was somehow kept in play by Neil Ronan flicked the it back towards the full-forward. Corcoran gathered possession before dropping the sliotar and sweeping it off the carpet and curling it into the bottom corner.
Ken McGrath climbs into the skies
In the same game in which John Mullane had been sent off Waterford carried a one-point lead into the final few moments of the game. Waterford’s desperation to hang onto their lead was greater than Cork’s need to abolish it however, and when Diarmuid O’Sullivan pumped along ball into the Déise back-line McGrath rose highest to pluck the sliotar from the clouds. In what was such an eventful game, this was its defining moment.
Paul Flynn’s 40-yard screamer
With his side trailing by only two points and with 20 minutes left on the clock it took a certain amount of balls for Flynn to take a goal shot on from a free that was about 40 yards out. The result was a thundering effort that left Donal Óg Cusack and Diarmuid O’Sullivan floundering on the line as the ball flew into the top corner.
Aisake Ó Hailpín’s wonderful solo goal
During a relatively low-scoring encounter compared to games of the past few years there was the need for something to light it up. Step forward Aisake Ó Hailpín who raced through towards goal before bumping Noel Connors out of his way and rasping a powerful shot past Clinton Hennessy in the Waterford goal.
Eoin Kelly takes the long route to goal
With Waterford four points down early in the 2004 Munster final Eoin Kelly produced a moment of shear magic. He took the ball just inside the Cork 45′ and ran right into the corner before eventually shaking off Jerry O’Connor on his route to goal and smashing in a fabulous finish from the tightest of angles.
Donal Óg prevents Ken McGrath’s equaliser
The match had already flowed three minutes into injury-time and Waterford were fighting tooth and nail to somehow find an equaliser with the score at 1-16 to 1-15 in favour of Cork. Referee Brian Gavin then awarded a free to the Déise just inside their own 65′ and Cork manager John Allen was left wondering if his side had blown their chances again. However when Ken McGrath stepped up and put everything he had behind his last minute strike, Donal Óg Cusack clawed the ball away from going over the bar. After an almighty ruck for possession Tom Kenny emerged with the sliotar and Gavin blew for full time.
Donal Óg and ‘The Rock’ save the day
A memorable moment from the drawn encounter in the 2007 championship quarter-final came in the most pulsating of atmospheres right at the death. Cork were leading their rivals by one point and after Eoin McGrath entered the fray for the Déise he sneaked in behind the Rebels defence before striking towards goal. Donal Óg Cusack made a stunning save and Diamuid O’Sullivan kept out Paul Flynn’s rebound after he had pulled hastily on it. The Cork goalkeeper was adjudged to have lied on the ball however, and from the resultant free Eoin Kelly forced the tie into a replay with a simple tap-over.
Dan The Man’s winning goal in the 2010 Munster final
A low-scoring affair that was still engulfed in drama, an ageing Waterford side took on a Rebels side with a few new players on the scene. Ken McGrath and Dan Shanahan had been reduced to bench roles as the hands of time caught up on them but Shanahan was able to summon one last trick. After entering the fray just before the end of normal time the Lismore man latched onto a scooped pass from Eoin McGrath before racing onto the Cork 21 metre line and driving an unstoppable shot past the despairing Donal Óg Cusack.
Tony Browne wins his fourth Munster medal aged 37
Browne will go down as one of Waterford’s greatest-ever servants to hurling, if not the greatest. The longevity of his career was all the more impressive considering he had never been kept in the side because of sentimentality, he was there because he deserved his place. The wing-back scored a goal in the drawn final of 2010 before playing a full 90 minutes of hurling in the resultant replay and even making a match-winning block with his head near the end from a Cathal Naughton shot.
