Cork mettle fires them back into contention in Munster
Win over Waterford changes outlook of the championship
CORK are back. On a day when Patrick Horgan confirmed his official status as the all-time top championship scorer, having long passed the record of Cork icon Christy Ring, the Rebels set about creating a worthy modern chapter to go with their storied past.
After previous blow-outs against Limerick and Clare, Kieran Kingston and his squad had their character questioned, their tactical set-up criticised, and suffered a terse, personalised inquest.
With their backs against the wall, they responded in the best way, showing the fire and fight that was required to keep their season alive. And keep the Munster round-robin alive too, as this result against a highly-fancied Waterford – who knocked the stuffing out of Cork in the recent league final – means that it all goes down to the last round next weekend.
Cork will head to Thurles to face Tipperary with renewed hope and confidence in getting the win to secure the top three place that will extend their championship season. It’s Waterford now who have their backs against the wall, having lost the head-to-head with Cork and needing a win against Clare to have any chance of staying alive.
Cork had so many players who
“It was all so
disappointing for Waterford”
stood up and were counted. Goalkeeper Patrick Collins answered his recent critics with a controlled performance from his own puckout and even had the gumption to steal forward and thump a point from downtown in the first half as Cork tried to use the breeze to their advantage.
Seán O’Donoghue managed the feat of keeping Dessie Hutchinson scoreless while Mark Coleman played a captain’s role in the wingback position that he looked more suited to. Ciarán Joyce put in a hugely mature performance at six while Darragh Fitzgibbon’s display was summed up in one sensational solo point in that first half.
Up front, Conor Lehane and Séamus Harnedy led the line superbly while Alan Connolly bagged two crucial goals.
It was all so disappointing for Waterford, who lost Austin Gleeson to a second yellow card in the 63rd minute, missed a host of chances in the final quarter, including a couple of crucial frees from the usually ever-reliable Stephen Bennett, and now stand on the edge of a championship exit themselves.
From the start, it was proper hard-boiled championship fare. If Cork didn’t show a bit of cut prior to this, well Damien Cahalane was intent on rattling a few cages early on, getting stuck into Stephen Bennett off the ball a few times and lucky enough not to get an early warning from James Owens.
There was a tentativeness in Cork’s play early on, understandable enough given the flak taken since the tame defeat by Clare and the blow-out against Limerick.
Waterford eased 0-6 to 0-2 ahead, mainly courtesy of the free-taking of Stephen Bennett.
A lot of the scores were from dead-balls in that first half, with Patrick Horgan accounting for Cork’s first three.
Their first from play didn’t arrive ’til exactly midway through the first period when captain Mark Coleman bombed one over from his own half. This would become a recurring theme as Cork really got to grips around the middle and Darragh Fitzgibbon became the dominant figure, ably abetted by Luke Meade. Séamus Harnedy pointed after taking down a Coleman sideline and then goalkeeper Patrick Collins exploited the space with Waterford retreating by hitting a monster point from play from all of 100 metres.
Suddenly it was level and the packed crowd at Walsh Park knew they had a serious contest on their hands. Especially when Fitzgibbon went raiding on from midfield, foregoing the point to lay it off to Robbie O’Flynn who was torching past, off his shoulder.
When his goal attempt was saved, Alan Connolly doubled the rebound to the net.
However, Waterford hit 1-3 without reply themselves. The goal came from Michael Kiely who swept the ball to the net after Patrick Curran’s shot was saved.
Austin Gleeson rounded off the run of scoring with another quality point from play before Cork came again, the match ebbing and flowing in exciting fashion.
Meade, Harnedy, Lehane and Fitzgibbon all scored, with the last score coming after a remarkable catch, solo run and point from Fitzgibbon.
After Gleeson pointed, Coleman and Fitzgibbon thumped over a brace from distance to leave Cork 1-12 to 1-11 ahead and as it continued in the same nip-and-tuck vein, the best goal chance fell to the raiding Waterford wing-back Jack Fagan but his batted effort zipped wide of the post.
As Waterford’s wide count increased, Alan Connolly rounded off a glorious move that saw Shane Kingston revisit his super-sub role by volleying the ball on to his teammate, who finished to the net to give Cork a four-point cushion on 52 minutes, 2-15 to 1-15.
Peter Hogan and Neil Montgomery added bite off the bench for Waterford to fire points and then Cork manager Kieran Kingston was yellow carded for losing it over one call made by referee James Owens.
After Austin Gleeson rashly went in late on Mark Coleman to pick up a first yellow, he was dismissed on a second after tangling with Robert Downey, though this time Waterford fans weren’t happy.
The home side were well rattled by this stage and as the spaces opened up for Cork with the extra man, the likes of Harnedy and Lehane kept driving it on, Alan Connolly deprived a hat-trick by a goal-line save.
As four minutes went up on the board, the last three scores went to Cork and that combination of Lehane and Harnedy.
It all meant Cork – and the Munster round-robin – are very much alive and kicking heading into the final round.