Cork too strong for Waterford in Fraher Field deluge

Waterford's Daniel Lalor in action with Cork's Mikey Finn.
Facing the defending Munster and All-Ireland champions and a team based on the minor All-Ireland winning side of three years earlier, Waterford were always going to be up against it in Fraher Field on Friday night. There was, however, an air of optimism about that a fresh approach by a management team of former county stars, of fairly recent times, would produce a performance from what was, on paper, a talented home side. In the event, Waterford supporters, in the 2,377 ticket holders that braved the horrendous wet and windy conditions got neither a performance nor a result from a game that Cork dominated from start to finish.

If anything, the weather in Dungarvan on Friday was marginally worse than in Ennis for the minor game the previous evening but for Waterford the outcome was the same. The playing conditions were the same for both sides but while Cork skilfully adapted as necessary Waterford could never get comfortable on the ball and were prone to handling errors, misplaced passes and conceding frees.
Waterford won the toss and elected to play into the strong wind blowing towards the dressing room corner. Cork attacked from the throw in and with Cillian Ryan conceding an early free Jack Leahy shot his side into the lead. Waterford equalised in the third minute from a Charlie Treen free but Cork were already looking the sharper and more focused side and by the 15th minute had moved into a seven point lead with Leahy’s accuracy from frees and play accounting for six of the scores.

Waterford were playing an extra defender, allowing Billy O’Connell to play the role of sweeper, while Patrick Fitzgerald was withdrawn outfield for a time leaving Jack Twomey and Michael Morrissey as the front men. Cork were cleaning up possession under the Waterford puck outs and always seemed to have a spare man available due to slack marking on Waterford’s part.
The hard working Marc O Mathuna placed Charlie Treen for a fine point in the 15th minute but the score merely interrupted the flow of play towards the Waterford goal as Tadhg O’Connell started a run forward combining a one two with centre back Oran O’Regan and finishing the move with the best score of the game.

Thee further Cork points followed from David Cremin, Jack Leahy and William Buckley before Treen had Waterford’s third point, from a free in the 24th minute. Treen had a further point from a free between Cork scores from play by Finn and Buckley before Patrick Fitzgerald, who had moved closer to goal, had an effort saved by Paudie O’Sullivan before sending over Waterford’s fifth point, leaving the half-time score at Cork 0-14 Waterford 0-5.

Waterford made one half-time substitution sending Dungarvan’s Mike Burke on for Fionn Hallinan. The first five minutes saw Leahy extending his side’s lead from two frees before Patrick Fitzgerald pointed after being fouled close to goal. Charkie Treen followed up with two points from frees and with the deficit at eight points in the 40th minute hopes rose that we might see a Waterford resurgence. Leahy again restored Cork’s nine point lead as Waterford proceeded to clear their bench with Conor Tobin replacing Michael Morrissey up front and Joe O’Keeffe coming on in midfield for Darragh Walsh.
Patrick Fitzgerald had a goal effort from a 20 metre free saved as Brian Callaghan replaced Sean Mackey in attack and at that stage Cork too were ringing in the changes off the bench. Waterford were still struggling to set up scores from play as Charlie Treen added points from frees in the 51st and 54th minutes either side of Buckley’s third point for Cork.
The door seemed opened for Cork to find the net in the 57th minute when a short puck out by Scott Ryan went amiss and Cork sub Barry Walsh was taken down as he headed for goal. Cork goalie Paudie O’Sullivan was summoned forward as penalty taker but his shot blazed over the crossbar for a point. By the 60th minute Cork had added two further points from Ben Walsh and Ross O’Sullivan. With the game in added time a Waterford free from the wing was sent into the goalmouth where Conor Tobin was seen to get the slightest touch to send the ball past O’Sullivan for the only goal of the game and a late consolation score for the home side ahead of the final whistle.

It was a most impressive performance by Cork who made light of the weather conditions. They had outstanding performers in leading marksman Jack Leahy backed up by Oran O’Regan, Ben Walsh, Tadhg O’Connell and William Buckley.
Waterford did not do themselves justice here with just Conor Keane, Marc O Mathuna and Patrick Fitzgerald showing well at times. They have two weeks to regroup for the visit of Tipperary to Fraher Field.
– Jack Leahy 0-10 (8Fs), William Buckley 0-3, Diarmuid Healy 0-2, Tadhg O’Connell, David Cremin. Paudie O’Sullivan (pen.), Mikey Finn, Tadhg O’Connell, David Cremin and Ross O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
Charlie Treen 0-8 (0-7f), Conor Tobin 1-0, Patrick Fitzgerald 0-2 (0-1f).
Paudie O’Sullivan, Denis Cashman, Kevin Lyons, Darragh O’Sullivan, James Dwyer, Oran O’Regan, Cillian Tobin, Mikey Finn, Ben Walsh, Mike Healy, William Buckley, Tadhg O’Connell, Jack Leahy, David Cremin, Eoin O’Leary. – Peter O’Shea for Tobin and Adam O’Sullivan for O’Connell (48), Barry Walsh for O’Leary and Ross O’Sullivan for Leahy (50), Ben Nyhan for Cremin (59).
– Scott Ryan (Mount Sion), Conor Keane (De La Salle), Daniel Lalor (De La Salle), Cillian Ryan (Brickeys), Aaron O’Neill (Ballygunner), Billy O’Connell (Abbeyside), Fionn Hallinan (Fourmilewater), Evan Spelman (Fourmilewater), Darragh Walsh (Abbeyside), Sean Mackey (Fenor), Carlie Treen (Abbeyside), Marc O Mathuna (Old Parish), Michael Morrissey (Fourmiewater), (Patrick Fitzgerald), Jack Twomey (De La Salle). – Michael Burke (Dungarvan) for Hallinan (HT), Conor Tobin (Ballygunner) for Morrissey (40), Joe O’Keeffe (Lismore) for Walsh (45), Brian O’Callaghan for Mackey (48), Jack Power (Kilrossanty) for Spelman (51).
– Conor Doyle (Tipperary).