Strong start peters out for Cork

Waterford 1-24 Cork 3-17

FOR those early few moments it looked as though the world was Cork’s oyster. The way the goals came, so early and so confidently, it was possible to imagine Cork running out relatively comfortable victors in Walsh Park.

That they didn’t and that they were in fact unable to fully capitalise on that dream start will really sting the Rebels, but it’s early days yet, no need to panic and really given what Waterford showed for the rest of the match there’s no shame in losing out to Liam Cahill’s men. It does though increase the pressure a little bit on the Rebels ahead of this weekend’s clash with the Premier in the Páirc.

Tipp, of course, similarly lost out of course having established a healthy lead against Limerick in Semple, but their second half stumble was probably more dramatic than that of Cork – Tipp were ten points up early in the second half of that match.

Back to Walsh Park though and when Conor Lehane opened the scoring with a goal in the second minute and Shane Kingston followed that immediately with another green flag, the Rebels were in a great position and led 2-1 to 0-1 after Patrick Horgan’s first point of the day in the fifth minute.

However, from there Cork were outscored by 1-7 to 0-2 and, though they did lead again late in the first half, Waterford went in with a 1-13 to 2-8 advantage. The Déise moved five points ahead coming up to full-time and, though Kingston’s second and Cork’s third goal helped to cut the gap, a draw proved beyond them.

A tally of 17 wides hampered Cork’s ambitions, but there were some positives. Robert Downey, playing at full-back – where he had impressed for UCC in the Fitzgibbon Cup – was strong, while Damien Cahalane sent over three points from left halfback.

The normal holder of the number 7 shirt, Mark Coleman, was sited at midfield and grew into the game in the second half, while Shane Kingston’s personal haul of 2-2 is hopefully a sign of things to come.

Nevertheless, Cork are now on the back foot in terms of qualification for the knock-out stages of the revamped league, especially as this week sees the visit of All-Ireland champions Tipperary, who also lost their opening game.

They will certainly rue failing to build on such a positive start, though Waterford do deserve credit for the way they established a foothold in the game after giving themselves a mountain to climb.

Cork went for the jugular from the off and cut Waterford open as Kingston’s pass set Lehane away for the opening goal and the game had hardly begun again before Kingston prodded home following a goalmouth scramble.

Jack Fagan’s sideline cut got Waterford off the mark and though Horgan replied, the Déise began to get on top, aided by a 12th-minute goal from Patrick Curran following good build-up play from Iarlaith Daly, Neil Montgomery and Calum Lyons. Stephen Bennett’s accuracy from dead balls helped to build their tally while his brother Kieran excelled at wing-forward, scoring three times by the 22nd minute.

That made it 1-8 to 2-3, though Cork had three of the next four points, two from Horgan while Kingston almost got in for another goal. After Stephen Bennett’s fourth put the hosts back in front, Cork replied thanks to Kingston and Cahalane to lead again but Waterford had the final three scores, two from Stephen Bennett and one by Curran, to go in two in front.

Within two minutes of the restart, Stephen Bennett had added his seventh and eighth points, but Horgan and Cahalane replied as Cork stayed in touch. The sides were level again on 52 minutes, 1-17 to 2-14, thanks to a sideline cut from Coleman, but Waterford grew stronger as the final quarter dawned. Stephen Bennett’s tenth was followed by a score from Jack Prendergast – a Cahalane challenge denied Montgomery a goal chance just beforehand – and Daly’s longrange point made it 1-20 to 2-13.

Darragh Fitzgibbon’s second point was only a brief interruption to the white and blue flow and a pair of Curran points sandwiched one from sub Mikey Kearney to leave Waterford five clear.

Horgan’s sixth cut the gap, Stephen Bennett replying with his 11th, but Cork had a glimmer of hope when Kingston got on the end of Chris O’Leary’s pass to slot home a goal.

Cahalane’s third point left just the minimum between the teams but an equaliser remained elusive for Cork.

Not quite back to the drawing board, but food for thought and work to be done.

WATERFORD: Stephen O’Keeffe; Shane McNulty, Conor Gleeson, Conor Prunty; Iarlaith Daly (0-1), Darragh Fives, Calum Lyons; Jack Prendergast (0-1), Jake Dillon; Jack Fagan (0-2, 1 sideline), Neil Montgomery, Kieran Bennett (0-1, 1 sideline); Dessie Hutchinson, Stephen Bennett (0-11, 1f, 1 ‘65), Patrick Curran (1-3) Subs: Shane Fives for Gleeson, 30, Mikey Kearney (0-1) for Dillon, 49, Peter Hogan for Hutchinson, 54, Darragh Lyons for Montgomery, 57, Tom Barron for Fagan, 62

CORK: Anthony Nash; Niall O’Leary, Robert Downey, Seán O’Donoghue; Chris O’Leary, Tim O’Mahony, Damien Cahalane (0-3); Bill Cooper, Mark Coleman (0-2); Aidan Walsh , Séamus Harnedy (0-2), Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-2); Shane Kingston (2-2), Patrick Horgan (0-6f), Conor Lehane (1-0) Subs: Luke Meade for Walsh, 49, Seán O’Leary-Hayes for Niall O’Leary, 54, Seán Twomey for Lehane, 60, Robbie O’Flynn for Harnedy, 69

REFEREE: John Keenan (Wicklow)