Déise and Rebels to do it all over again.

Cork and Waterford will have to do it all over again after the two sides fought out a 1-21 to 1-21 draw in the first round of this year’s Munster Senior Hurling Championship at Thurles.

Waterford went into this game very much under the radar having lost their place in the top flight of the National hurling league for 2015 a few weeks back where they will be replaced by Cork who appeared in last years All-Ireland Final.

Many Waterford supporters would have travelled to Thurles more in expectation than anything else, as hearts and heads would have been saying different things, but there was no fear for any such fears amongst the Waterford support as Derek McGrath’s charges played some good hurling and were somewhat unlucky not to have advanced to meet Clare in mid June.

First blood in this game went to Waterford when Pauric Mahony slots over a free from distance, but Cork were not long behind as Patrick Horgan soon level matters from a free.

Pauric Mahony put Waterford’s back in front on four minutes and Brian O’Sullivan extended the Déise lead two minutes later.

Waterford went three in front on nine minutes when Jamie Nagle who impressed throughout put over a point from distance and seconds later Tadhg Bourke playing on the opposite wing back position to the Dungarvan Club man scored a terrific point on his Munster Championship debut.

Cork were in danger of been over run by Waterford and it was important that they did not leave Waterford open too much of a gap so early in the game. Man of the match Alan Cadogan put over a sweet point on 13 minutes which left Cork trailing 0-5 to 0-2.

Pauric Mahony and Seamus Harnedy traded points to keep three between the sides at the end of the first quarter, after which Jake Dillon gave Waterford a four point cushion.

Waterford went five up when Pauric Mahony put over another free on eighteen minute.

Three minutes later a lengthy Waterford injury list grew even longer when Eddie Barrett had to be replaced with a knee injury which early indications indicate that he could miss the replay with Cork on June 8 and possibly even longer.

Aidan Walsh and Pauric Mahony traded points to keep five between the sides, before Alan Cadogan and Jamie Nagle did likewise to keep Waterford in front by five with eight minutes plus stoppage time in the first half still to play.

Patrick Horgan and Austin Gleeson both swapped scores which gave Waterford a 0-11 to 0-6 lead with five plus minutes left on the clock.

Pauric Mahony from a free won by Brian O’Sullivan gave Waterford a double score lead at the end of the regular thirty five minutes, but with three added minutes to play there was still plenty of time for the game to have a different completion going into the second half.

As things happened, both sides added just one more point each in the time that remained. Patrick Horgan put over a close in free which was responded to with an effort from Austin Gleeson which gave Waterford a 0-13 to 0-7 lead at the turn around.

Cork were first off the mark in the second half when Patrick Horgan pointed with a minute of the second half played after some good work by Damien Cahalane in the build up.

Points from Jake Dillon and Conor Lehane in quick succession kept Waterford five in front, but that gap was extended by one when Brian O’Sullivan pointed.

The impressive Alan Cadogan hit his third score of the afternoon ten minutes into the second half to leave five between the sides which was followed with an effort from Patrick Hogan who put over a free he won himself.

On forty-three minutes what appeared to be a controversial call was made which will be remembered by Waterford supporters for some time to come.

Both sides appealed for a side line ball. After getting advice from the referee the linesman indicated that it would be awarded to Cork which angered members of the Waterford management team which were standing close by.

The line ball was poorly struck and was won by Waterford. Austin Gleeson gained control of the ball and went on an amazing solo run down the old stand side of the field before unleashing a bullet of a shot in the direction of Anthony Nash in the Cork goal who was powerless to stopping it going high into his top left hand corner.

There appears to be something about the goal at the Killinen end of the ground. Those of us that are old enough to remember it can still see John Fenton with a ground strike in a Munster Championship game between Cork and Limerick in the mid 80’s and there is also Paul Flynn’s goal against Cork from a free that we all remember. Both were great goals and the Mount Sion mans goal was up there with the two mentioned above. The more you look at it, the better it seems to be.

Shane Walsh pointed for Waterford soon afterwards which gave Waterford a 1-16 to 0-11 lead and when Pauric Mahony put over a free on forty-seven minutes which gave Waterford a nine point lead it looked as though Waterford would be making a trip to Limerick to play All-Ireland Champions Clare in the Munster Semi Final.

But you right off Cork at your pearl. Bill Cooper hit a goal for Cork on forty-eight minutes, tapping in from close range after Stephen O’Keeffe made one of a number of great saves in this game.

With twenty minutes to play, Pauric Mahony pointed again for Waterford after which the Rebels enjoyed a short period of dominance.

Aidan Walsh and Patrick Horgan pointed to reduce Waterford’s lead to five. Pauric Mahony and Patrick Horgan then swapped frees to keep Waterford five up with fifteen minutes to play.

Stephen O’Keeffe again did brilliantly to deny Alan Cadogan putting the ball over the end line for a ’65 which Horgan converted.

Horgan and Cadogan added points for Cork which left them trailing by two with twelve minutes to play and a minute later the gap was down to the minimum after Patrick Horgan dissected the uprights.

Pauric Mahony and Patrick Horgan traded points before Bill Cooper leveled matters with two minutes of normal time to play after he collected a Jamie Coughlan pass.

Shane O’Neill did well to stop Seamus Prendergast from scoring with a minute to go, but the big Ardmore man did get his name on the score sheet a minute later which gave Waterford a one point lead with two added minutes to play.

However, there was to be heartbreak for Waterford as in the closing seconds of the game Cork goalkeeper went down after been challenged while clearing the ball and Brian Gavin while some Waterford supporters would be aggrieved with the call was correct in awarding a free from where the ball landed at the other end of the field and Patrick Horgan made no mistake.

Cork:  A Nash; S O’Neill, D Cahalane, S McDonnell; C Joyce, M Ellis, L McLoughlin; D Kearney, A Walsh; C McCarthy, C Lehane, P Cronin; A Cadogan, S Harnedy, P Horgan. Subs: B Cooper for McCarthy, B Lawton for Kearney, S Moylan for Cronin, J Coughlan for Harnedy.

Scorers: P Horgan 0-12 (8 frees, 1 ’65), A Cadogan 0-4, B Cooper 1-1, A Walsh 0-2,  C Lehane, S Harnedy 0-1 each.

Waterford: S O’Keeffe; N Connors, L Lawlor, B Coughlan; J Nagle, K Moran, T de Búrca; M Walsh, E Barrett; A Gleeson, J Dillon, P Mahony; C Dunford, S Walsh, B O’Sullivan. Subs: R Foley for Barrett, S Fives for Coughlan, R Barry for Dunford, D Breathnach for Dillon, S Prendergast for Walsh.

Scorers: P Mahony 0-11 (9 frees), A Gleeson 1-2, J Nagle B O’Sullivan 0-2 each, T Bourke, J Dillon, S Walsh, S Prendergast 0-1 each

Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly).