Waterford 0-25; Cork 1-26
Cork seem destined for another Munster final after getting past a game Waterford in front of 12,017 spectators at Walsh Park on Saturday.
Alan Connolly got the first of his 9 points for the defending Mick Mackey Cup champs in the second minute of the game, while key star Brian Hayes got his opening point of his total of 7 a short time later. In between those Cork scores, Jack Prendergast opened the hosts’ account.
The tit-for-tat nature of the contest continued for the half, during which Waterford, playing with the wind, lost Stephen Bennett to injury after he'd registered two points. Ian Kenny and Iarlaith Daly also joined the star man on the injury list, while the hosts additionally had Mark Fitzgerald black carded for bringing down Hayes just before half time.
Waterford led by 14-13 at the break, and went three points up early in the second half. A Connolly-led Cork clawed their way back to parity and then a one-point lead, when in the game’s turning point Jack Fagan was black-carded by ref Sean Stack for his foul on Connolly close to goal, and Mark Coleman scored the resulting penalty.
That made the gap four points, which it was at the end, but not before the home side narrowed it to two points as the clock ticked down. Only Cork managed scores in added time to the delight of the fans who made the trip to Waterford.
Waterford scorers: Calum Lyons (0-03); Sean Mackey (0-02); Jack Prendergast (0-02), Stephen Bennett (0-02f), Jamie Barron (0-03); Dessie Hutchinson (0-08, 7f), Sean Walsh (0-02), Kevin Mahony (0-03).
Cork scorers: Mark Coleman (1-0 pen); Tim O’Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-03, 1f); Shane Barrett (0-01), Hugh O’Connor (0-02); Alan Connolly (0-09, 7f), William Buckley (0-03), Brian Hayes (0-07). Séamus Harnedy (0-01).
