Cork 3-21
Waterford 0-9
Fintan O’Toole reports from Fraher Field, Dungarvan
A POWERFUL SECOND-half showing propelled Cork into the Munster junior football final this evening as they blitzed Waterford for a 21-point semi-final success.
A first-half goal from John Cronin – who featured for the Cork senior hurlers in last summer’s championship – was the key score in enabling Cork to forge a 1-6 to 0-5 interval lead.
But then they cut loose in the second-half to push nine points clear at the end of the third quarter and then they hit the net twice in the final quarter.
Firstly in the 50th minute a flowing team move culminated in Eoghan Buckley palming the ball home after it was played across by Anthony O’Connor.
A minute later full-forward Seamus Hickey booted in Cork’s third goal and their passage to the final on 27 June against Kerry or Limerick was assured.
Fielding five players who were part of last year’s Rebels squad that reached the All-Ireland U21 final, Cork overwhelmed Waterford in the second-half.
Buckley finished with 1-5 to his credit and was part of a free-scoring full-forward line with Hickey contributing 1-3 and O’Connor bagging 0-5.
Ryan Harkin and Killian O’Hanlon also weighed in on the scoring front while substitute Roy Downey picked off 0-3 after being introduced.
Conor McGrath was Waterford’s brightest spark in attack as he hit 0-4 while ex-Waterford senior hurler Shane Walsh notched a brace of points at full-forward.
Despite conceding that 15th minute goal to Cronin, Waterford were extremely competitive in the opening period but once Cork took over after the interval the match petered to an inevitable conclusion.
Aaa
Scorers for Cork: Eoghan Buckley 1-5 (0-2f), Seamus Hickey 1-3, Anthony O’Connor 0-5 (0-2f), Ryan Harkin, Roy Downey 0-3 each, John Cronin 1-0, Killian O’Hanlon 0-2
Scorers for Waterford: Conor McGrath 0-4, Shane Walsh 0-2, Cillian O’Keeffe, John Gartland, Eoin O’Brien (0-1f) 0-1 each.
Cork
1. Anthony Casey (Kiskeam)
2. Kieran Histon (Cobh)
3. Peter Murphy (captain, Bandon)
4. Paraic Clancy (Fermoy)
5. Darren O Regan (St Vincents)
6. Bart Daly (Newmarket)
7. John Cronin (Lisgoold)
8. Micheal Ó Laoire (Naomh Aban)
9. Ronan O’Toole (Eire Og)
10. Ryan Harkin (Mallow)
11. Killian O’Hanlon (Kilshannig)
12. Don O’Driscoll (Clann na nGael)
13. Eoghan Buckley (St Michael’s)
14. Seamus Hickey (Rockchapel)
15. Anthony O’Connor (Knocknagree)
Subs
23. Sean T O’Sullivan (Garnish) for O’Driscoll (28)
21. Roy Downey (Delaneys) for O’Sullivan (black card) (30)
17. Diarmuid Colfer (Glanworth) for Daly (48)
18. Lorcan O’Neill (Kanturk) for Murphy (52)
22. Mark Healy (Kanturk) for Buckley (52)
19. David O’Neill (Mayfield) for Histon (59)
Waterford
1. Kevin Dwane (Ballinacourty)
2. Conor McCarthy (Ballinacourty)
3. Ronan Cahill (Rathgormack)
4. Darach Ó Cathasaigh (An Rinn)
5. Conor Phelan (Brickey Rangers – captain)
6. Oran Keevers (De La Salle)
7. Darren Guiry (The Nire)
8. James O’Mahony (Ballinacourty)
9. David Gartland (Ardmore)
10. Cillian O’Keeffe (Clashmore-Kinsalebeg)
11. Conor McGrath (Brickey Rangers)
12. Shane Ó Ceallaigh (An Rinn)
13. Brad Carroll (Gaultier)
14. Shane Walsh (The Nire)
15. Paul O’Connor (Clashmore-Kinsalebeg)
Subs
21. Eoin O’Brien (Stradbally) for Carroll (19)
19. Jamie de Barún (An Rinn) for McCarthy (36)
24. John Gartland (Ardmore) for Ó Ceallaigh (42)
18. Johnny Cooney (Brickey Rangers) for Cahill (43)
22. Kevin Sheehan (Sliabh gCua) for O’Mahony (43)
17. Edmond O’Halloran (Clashmore-Kinsalebeg) for Phelan (52)
Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary)
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