Fintan O'Toole Reports from Páirc Uí Rinn

Cork 1-18

Waterford 1-9

A TUESDAY NIGHT game in January is largely an information-gathering exercise, Cork and Waterford both trialled plenty new faces on the McGrath Cup stage tonight, with the home side triumphing to advance to the pre-season final in Munster.

Cork's Brian Lynch and Waterford's Kieran Histon. Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

They will await the winners of Kerry and Tipperary in that Munster clash, that pair meeting in Templetuohy tomorrow night in Group B.

It was an old reliable who did the scoring damage for Cork, Brian Hurley picking off 1-6 to match the tally he had registered in last Saturday’s tie against Clare in Group A.

Daniel Dineen chipped in with four fine points from play as he moved well alongside him in attack.

Waterford’s inside attackers made their own impression with teenager Tom O’Connell shooting over 0-3 for the Deise, while Darragh Corcoran bagged 1-3 from his corner-forward berth.

The match pitted two bosses new to the county scene for 2022, Keith Ricken at the helm for Cork and Ephie Fitzgerald in charge of Waterford. Ricken, fresh from Saturday’s win  in Miltown Malbay, took the chance to experiment in his team line-up, only four players starting here that began that game, while Fitzgerald pitched six debutants into action for his first encounter since assuming the managerial reins.

Keith Ricken speaks to his players. Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

It was 1-9 to 0-3 in Cork’s favour at the interval, Hurley punching a Blake Murphy delivery to the net when the game was only a couple minutes old.

Murphy, an All-Ireland U20 winner with Cork in 2019, weighed in with two sweetly-struck points in the first half, while another recent promising underage star, in both codes, made his debut at half-time as Jack Cahalane came off the bench and punted over a 44th minute point.

Waterford chipped away at the deficit they faced throughout with Corcoran firing home a superb goal just before the second-half water break, to leave it 1-14 to 1-5, and O’Connell hit a couple of impressive scores.

Cork tacked on points in the final quarter from Dineen, Kevin O’Donovan, the influential Cian Kiely and newcomer Colin Walsh. They’ll have another pre-season clash before starting their league run away to Roscommon while Waterford will now count down to the start of their Division 4 campaign against Tipperary.

Scorers for Cork: Brian Hurley 1-6 (0-2 frees), Daniel Dineen 0-4, Blake Murphy 0-2, Aodhan Ó Luasa 0-1 (0-1 mark), Cian Kiely 0-1, Jack Cahalane 0-1, Kevin O’Donovan 0-1, Colin Walsh 0-1.

Scorers for Waterford: Darragh Corcoran 1-3 (0-2 frees), Tom O’Connell 0-3 (0-1 free), Dave Meehan 0-1, Dermot Ryan 0-1 (0-1f).

Cork

1. Joe Creedon (Iveleary)

2. Paudie Allen (Newmarket), 3. Sean Meehan (Kiskeam), 4. Tadhg Corkery (Cill na Martra)

5. Luke Fahy (Ballincollig), 6. Kieran Histon (Nemo Rangers), 7. Matthew Taylor (Mallow)

8. Joe Grimes (Clonakilty), 9. Cian Kiely (Ballincollig)

10. Evan Cooke (Ballincollig), 11. Blake Murphy (St Vincent’s), 12. Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers)

13. Aodhan Ó Luasa (Naomh Aban), 14. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven), 15. Daniel Dineen (Cill na Martra)

Subs

18. Kevin Flahive (Douglas) for Meehan (half-time)

17. Kevin Cremin (Boherbue) for Corkery (half-time)

26. Jack Cahalane (Castlehaven) for Ó Luasa (half-time)

22. Ciaran O’Sullivan (Kilshannig) for Cooke (49)

25. Colin Walsh (Kanturk) for Murphy (49)

21. John Kiely (Valley Rovers) for O’Donovan (60)

23. Alan Walsh (Kanturk) for Hurley (60)

24. Fintan Finner (Castletownbere) for Grimes (68)

Waterford

1. Ben Kirwan (Kill)

2. Liam Fennell (Stradbally), 3. Darach Ó Cathasaigh (An Rinn), 4. Craig Burke (Tramore)

5. Jack Flavin (St Saviour’s), 6. Conor Walsh (Rathgormack), 7. Dermot Ryan (The Nire)

8. Michael Curry (Rathgormack), 9. James O’Leary (Clashmore-Kinsalebeg)

10. Dylan Guiry (The Nire), 11. Brian Lynch (Clashmore-Kinsalebeg), 12. David Hallihan (Kilmacthomas)

13. Stephen Curry (Rathgormack), 14. Tom O’Connell (Brickey Rangers), 15. Darragh Corcoran (St Saviour’s)

Subs

18. Keelan Taylor (St Saviour’s) for O’Leary (22)

16. Aaron Beresford (Ballinacourty) for Kirwan (half-time)

17. Aaron Jones (Gaultier) for Burke (half-time)

23. Jack Keane (Ardmore) for Curry (half-time)

25. Dave Meehan (The Nire) for Taylor (46)

20. Conor Curran (An Rinn) for Flavin (60)

21. Ronan Elliffe (Rathgormack) for O’Connell (60)

22. Conor Murray (Rathgormack) for Hallihan (60)

24. Rian Reddy (Modeligo) for Fennell (60)

Referee: Padraig O’Sullivan (Kerry)

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