Minors show courage with stirring show
Cork 3-17 Waterford 2-5
CORK restored pride but were ultimately left disappointed as a 15-point win over Waterford in Thurles on Sunday wasn’t enough to reach the Munster MHC final.
Had Clare held on for victory against Limerick in Ennis, all five counties would have finished on four points with Cork just squeezing into second place, but a late fightback by the Shannonsiders ensured that it is they who will face Tipperary in the decider.
Earlier losses to Tipp and Limerick were what cost Cork, but coach John Considine was pleased with how his charges responded.
“If you look, there was one ball in the Limerick game, there were four players involved and each one took two touches where they would normally take one,” he said.
“They were wrecked, physically and mentally. We had the break and that was Waterford’s fourth week, it does make a difference. All we asked the lads was to go down fighting, they were exceptional, in fairness to them.
“Jack Cahalane there is only 15, he’s not 16 until November. For young fellas, all round and for Waterford too, to have to go four weeks running is exceptional. We dug a hole for ourselves, and the lads nearly dug themselves out of it! I was getting the permutations fed to me from behind.”
Having conceded an early goal, Cork bounced back well to lead by 1-9 to 1-2 at half-time and pushed on impressively in the second half.
“I suppose that’s experience,’ Considine said, ‘we got used to conceding early goals, let’s put it that way! They knew to keep going and keep going, the instruction was to try to win the match, we couldn’t control the score in Ennis.”
Ciarán Keating had the early Waterford goal, but Cork responded through Jack Cahalane, Shane Barrett and Darragh Flynn before a goal from captain Shane Barrett had them 1-4 to 1-1 front and they
Barrett’s second goal, right at the end, brought the lead to 15 points – the magic number needed if Clare had held on, but it wasn’t to be.
TALKING POINT
This was of course the first year of minor as U17 – the next chance these players will haveto represent Cork is at Under 21. built on that.
The advantage was extended further in the second half, while Waterford were reduced to 14. Cork continued to push with points from Barrett, Cahalane and corner-back Cian McCarthy of St Oliver Plunkett’s before Pádraig Power netted a second goal on 52 to suggest that the impossible might happen, the lead up to 14. However, Waterford responded with points from Keating and Michael Kiely and sub Oisín O’Gorman netted just after his introduction.
Three Cork points did make it twelve once more and Barrett got his second goal right at the end, but events elsewhere meant that the win wouldn’t be sufficient. Nevertheless, a lot learned and lessons to take.
“Yeah, bits and pieces,” Considine said.
“I suppose we were trying to win the Tipperary game when we were so far behind that maybe we should have just popped a few frees over the bar.
“Maybe, next time you’ll do those things but what was so pleasing this year was that these MANOF THE MATCH
Shane Barrett played a captain’s role for Cork, scoring 2-2.
KEY MOMENT guys are probably the quietest group I’ve ever met, but when it was really put up to them they were going at it hammer and tongs.
“It’s great, I’m delighted for them.”
Scorers
CORK: Shane Barrett 2-2, Pádraig Power 1-2, Jack Cahalane 0-5f, Darragh Flynn, Alan Connolly, Cathal Hickey 0-2 each, Ethan Twomey, Cian McCarthy 0-1 each. Waterford: Ciarán Keating 1-2, Oisín O’Gorman 1-0, Michael Kiely 0-2f, Aidan Organ 0-1.
CORK: Donncha McCarthy; Cian McCarthy, Niall O’Riordan, Ciarán O’Brien; Luke Horgan, Cormac O’Brien, Cillian O’Donovan; Ethan Twomey, Darragh Flynn; Kevin Moynihan, Cathal Hickey, Daniel Hogan; Shane Barrett, Pádraig Power, Jack Cahalane Subs: Olan Broderick for Flynn (45), 23. Alan Connolly for Cahalane (54), Cian O’Donovan for McCarthy (59) WATERFORD: Dean Beecher; Jack Ó Floinn, Cian Wadding, Rory Furlong; Kevin Mahony, Gavin Fives, Ryan Tierney, Michael Kiely; James Power, Sam Fitzgerald; Tom Gallagher, Ciarán Keating; Oisín Ó Ceallaigh, Caolán Mac Craith, Aidan Organ Subs: Christopher Kavanagh for Organ, David Byrne for Tierney (both half-time), Gavin Corbett for Mac Craith, Paddy Leevy for Gallagher (both 48), Oisín Ó’Gorman for Keating (55)
REFEREE: Philip Kelly (Tipperary)