Déise advance with win over Rebel Rivals

What is seldom is wonderful.

Waterford’s under 21 hurling team travelled to Pairc Ui Rinn in Cork last night with the tag of favourites around their necks for their clash with Cork in the quarter final stages of this years championship.

While it was easy to see what Waterford were favourites to advance to the semi finals and a meeting with Clare, the odds that some bookies were offering on Waterford were a little surprising.

In eighteen previous clashes between the two sides at this grade of hurling, Waterford’s overall record was far from good, as Cork emerged winners in sixteen of the games, Waterford won one back in 1992 when Waterford went on to win the All-Ireland (Could that be an omen), and there was one draw when the sides drew 1-11 a piece in 1983.

Waterford’s overall record in playing Cork on their own soil heading into last nights game was also far from good. Waterford emerged as winners once playing underage hurling on Cork soil, that winning coming two years ago in the minor championship after extra time in Pairc Ui Rinn, where Waterford again went on to win the All-Ireland (Another omen maybe).

Also its worth remembering that heading into this game Cork would have put in a lot of collective training while Waterford with so many players involved in the senior set up, even though the players would be playing at a higher standard, it is important that players are together as much as possible as a group heading into a game like this.

On the night, Waterford had a number of outstanding performers.

Its well documented that Shane Bennett only finished his leaving cert two and a half hours before this game an had to make the dash from Lismore to Cork to be with the side as they went through the final preparations for the game.

The Ballysaggart man was outstanding on the night and was a worthy winner of the Man of the Match Award finishing with 1-4 behind his name but he would have been pushed all the way for the award by a number of Waterford players including centre back Tadhg de Burca, Tom Devine, Patrick Curran who finished with as many scores behind his name as the whole Cork team achieved between then and Darragh Lyons a late call up to the team before the game for the injured Cormac Curran.

Early in the game it did not look as if the game would finish the way it did as Cork proved to be the better side in the opening minutes as Waterford were slow to settle.

Fermoy’s Martin Brennan was first to get his name on the scoresheet putting over a point inside the opening sixty seconds of the game and the lead was soon doubled as Kevin O’Neill found the range.

Waterford’s first score came on three minutes when Shane Bennett put over the first of his scores.

Mark O’Connor from a free and D.J. Foran swapped scores before Martin Brennan hit his second of the evening on ten minutes to give Cork a 0-4 to 0-2 lead.

Luke Meade put Cork three up on thirteen minutes, but this was as good as it got for the home side as Waterford upped their game and for the remaining three quarters of the game proved to be the better side.

Patrick Curran put over a brace of frees with side of the quarter of an hour mark to leave one between the sides and the scores were tied on eighteen minutes when Dungarvan’s Ryan Donnelly split the posts.

Eleven minutes from the break Waterford took the lead when Patrick Curran put over another free before Shane Bennett and Mark O’Connor swapped scores to keep just one between the sides.

Waterford however finished the game the stronger of the sides and went to the dressing rooms with a three point lead as the impressive Patrick Curran landed a brace of points on twenty seven minutes.

A good start was needed by both sides in the second half. For Cork if they were to get it and went on to further cut Waterford’s lead then a battle could be made of things, while if Waterford were to get the better start they could go on and win the game comfortably.

David Geary who had replaced Killian O’Connor late in the first half was first to score, a point, but it was cancelled out soon afterwards by Austin Gleeson.

Patrick Curran and Shane Bennett added points to extend Waterford’s lead to five which was followed by Martin Brennan and Stephen Bennett swapping scores.

Patrick Curran and Mark O’Connor were next to swap scores before Patrick Curran and Conor Twomey did likewise just as the game was entering its final quarter.

Leading by five with a quarter of the game still to play, Waterford finished the game well in command.

Patrick Curran put over two more points and Shane Bennett landed one by the forty-eight minute.

Colin Dunford and David Geary swapped scores with ten minutes remaining.

In front of 3,765 spectators, Patrick Curran seven minutes from the hour mark Patrick Curran edged Waterford nine in front, but three minutes later it looked as if Cork might stage a late fight back as Luke Meade beat Billy Nolan with a neat finish, but Waterford’s response was rapid as Shane Bennett rounded off a great evening’s work kicking the ball to the net, which will have impressed the Ballysaggart Junior Football Selectors and will have banging on his door to see if he could do the same for their high flying team.

Waterford rounded off a good evening’s work with another Patrick Curran late on in the game, which helped Waterford to a first championship win since 2009 and a meeting with Clare in Ennis just over 72 hours after the county senior hurlers play Tipperary or Limerick in the Munster Final on July 12.

Waterford: Billy Nolan; Shane McNulty, Conor Gleeson, Kieran Bennett; Michael Harney, Tadhg De Búrca, Tom Devine; Ryan Donnelly, Colin Dunford; Austin Gleeson, Darragh Lyons, Shane Bennett; Stephen Bennett, DJ Foran (Portlaw), Patrick Curran. Subs: Michael Kearney for Ryan Donnelly (44 mins), Cathal Curran (Dungarvan) for Michael Harney (51), Brian Phelan for DJ Foran (57), Barry O’Sullivan for Shane Bennett (60).

Scorers: Patrick Curran 0-12 (0-7f, 0-1 '65), Shane Bennett 1-4, D.J. Foran, Austin Gleeson, Stephen Bennett, Ryan Donnelly, Colin Dunford 0-1 each.

Cork: Patrick Collins; Darren Browne, Alan Dennehy, Sean O’Donoghue; Dave Noonan, Conor Twomey, Niall Cashman; Rickard Cahalane, Martin Brennan; Darren Casey, Killian O’Connor, Kevin O’Neill; Mark O’Connor, Anthony Spillane, Luke Meade. Subs: David Geary for Killian O’Connor (26 mins), Dayne Lee for Mark O’Connor (40), Kieran Histon for Dave Noonan (51), Shane Hegarty for Darren Browne (59).

Scorers: Luke Meade 1-1, Martin Brennan, Mark O'Connor (0-3f) 0-3 each, David Geary 0-2, Kevin O'Neill, Conor Twomey (f) 0-1 each.

 

Referee: Fergal Hogan (Tipperary).