Cork 1-26
Waterford 1-15
CORK’S SPELL OF hurling success continued tonight as their minor team collected Munster silverware to ensure the county will contest three All-Ireland deciders next week in the space of six days.
With the senior team’s triumph over Kilkenny yesterday booking their place in the showdown, and the U20 side already assured of a passage to that stage, Noel Furlong’s minor outfit joined them as they won provincial honours with this dominant showing over Waterford.
They will now meet Galway or Kilkenny, who play next Friday night at the semi-final stage, in a final that is scheduled for the weekend of 21-22 August.
Cork’s full-forward line was in electrifying form as they struck 1-17 between them – Eoin O’Leary with 1-2, Jack Leahy the top scorer with 0-11 and William Buckley supplying 0-4.
Wing-forward Diarmuid Healy impressed as he shot over a brace, while midfielder Mikey Finn, man-of-the-match Darragh O’Sullivan and defender Timmy Wilk were others in superb form as Cork gained control of this game from the off.
Waterford suffered the setback of shipping a goal after 13 seconds as O’Leary finished clinically to the net but despite trailing on the scoreboard from an early juncture, they battled strongly to the finish.
11 points in arrears at the break, Waterford matched Cork stride for stride in the second half. Their full-forward line were in brilliant scoring form as well, firing all but a point of the team’s overall tally. Patrick Fitzgerald bagged 0-8 with his free-taking reliable and he drew fouls from the Cork defence with his direct running. Jack Twomey fired 1-4, including a marvellous one-handed finish to the net in the 22nd minute, and Peter Cummins notched 0-2.
But once Cork hit full speed early on, they never looked like being caught. They had posted 1-3 on the board before Waterford scored and hit five unanswered points between the 9th and 15th minutes. It was 1-9 to 0-4 in Cork’s favour at the first water break but Twomey’s goal instilled life into Waterford’s challenge.
Cork upped the ante once more, six points on the bounce towards the end of the half, helping to fashion a 1-17 to 1-6 interval advantage. Waterford chipped away at the Cork lead in the third quarter, largely thanks to Fitzgerald, and had cut the gap to eight points at one juncture.
However the Cork rearguard held firm to prevent Waterford carving them apart to create goalscoring openings. Leahy shot three points in the final quarter, including two stylish efforts from play, before being withdrawn near the finish. His entire Munster minor campaign scoring record of 4-34 over three games marks him out as Cork’s main scoring threat. They finished with eleven points to spare before Ben O’Connor lifted the trophy afterwards.
Scorers for Cork: Jack Leahy 0-11 (0-7f, 0-1 ’65), Eoin O’Leary 1-2, William Buckley 0-4, Timmy Wilk, Mikey Finn (0-1 sideline), Diarmuid Healy 0-2 each, Cillian Tobin, Ben Nyhan, Adam Walsh 0-1 each.
Scorers for Waterford: Patrick Fitzgerald 0-8 (0-7f, 0-1 ’65), Jack Twomey 1-4, Peter Cummins 0-2, Billy O’Connell 0-1.
Cork
1. Paudie O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neills)
2. Darragh O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), 3. Kevin Lyons (Ballygarvan), 4. James Byrne (Ballinora)
5. James Dwyer (Ballincollig – joint captain), 6. Ben O’Connor (St Finbarr’s – joint captain), 7. Timmy Wilk (Cobh)
8. Mikey Finn (Midleton), 9. Cillian Tobin (Bride Rovers)
10. Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold), 11. Ben Nyhan (Clyda Rovers), 12. Tadhg O’Connell (Ballincollig)
13. Eoin O’Leary (Glen Rovers), 14. Jack Leahy (Dungourney), 15. William Buckley (St Finbarr’s)
Subs
22. Adam Walsh (Bride Rovers) for Nyhan (blood) (6)
11. Nyhan for Walsh (8)
20. David Cremin (Midleton) for O’Connell (inj) (22)
22. Walsh for Nyhan (half-time)
24. Rory Sheahan (Kanturk) for Dwyer (50)
23. Ross O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) for Buckley (56)
21. Oran O’Regan (Erins Own) for Leahy (58)
Waterford
1. Cian Troy (Ballygunner)
2. Conor Keane (De La Salle), 3. Craig O’Keeffe (Ballygunner), 4. Rory Dobbyn (Ballyduff Lower)
5. Billy O’Connell (Abbeyside-Ballinacourty), 6. Charlie Treen (Abbeyside-Ballinacourty), 7. Aaron O’Neill (Ballygunner)
8. Seanie Callaghan (Abbeyside-Ballinacourty), 9. Fionn Hallinan (Fourmilewater)
10. Liam Ó Siothcháin (An Rinn), 11. Jack O’Donnell (Ballyduff Lower), 12. Marc Ó Mathúna (Old Parish)
13. Patrick Fitzgerald (Ballygunner – captain), 14. Jack Twomey (De La Salle), 15. Peter Cummins (Brickey Rangers)
Subs
17. Aidan Higgins (Abbeyside-Ballinacourty) for Keane (half-time)
24. Sam Pender (Roanmore) for Ó Mathúna (39)
18. Darragh Walsh (Abbeyside-Ballinacourty) for O’Connell (52)
Referee: John O’Halloran (Limerick)
