Déise U-20 hurlers defeated at the death again
Waterford goalkeeper James Comerford receives the congratulations from his teammates as the Cork forward can't believe his first-half save during their Munster Under 20 championship clash played at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field. Photos: Noel Browne
For the third game in a row, the Waterford under-20 hurlers were defeated by a solitary score as their championship hopes came to an end at the hands of Cork.
Once again, the game was in the balance approaching the closing minutes - but the visitors seized the initiative at the finish to continue Cork’s 11-year unbeaten run against the Déise at underage level.
The sides were level seven times in a pulsating affair. Man-of-the-match James O’Brien started as he meant to go on, striking over from midfield in the opening 40 seconds.
Waterford bounced back well, and the lively Conor Tobin got them on the board inside five minutes, as he ran at Matthew Barrett and split the posts. The Déise hit the front moments later as Gearóid O’Shea won a high ball and handpassed to Mark Hartley, who planted his feet and made no mistake.
A well-taken free from O’Brien brought about parity again before a superb ball from Hartley found Tobin in the corner, and he again spun his man to raise a white flag. Cork captain Barry O’Flynn sliced over a beauty from the right flank, but that was quickly cancelled out as Shane Power burst forward and found the target for the hosts.
Conor Noonan then cracked an effort wide as he sought the opening goal, before Hartley played a neat one-two with Davy Comerford and again dissected the uprights from a tight angle. With 15 minutes gone, that was to be the Déise’s last score of the half, as the Rebels notched three without reply to lead at the break.
A 65 from O’Brien reduced arrears to the minimum before the Cloyne man notched another from play, but it could have got a whole lot worse for Waterford on 28 minutes.
Barry O’Flynn went on a mazy run and played in Finn O’Brien - but from point-blank range, Déise captain James Comerford produced a stunning save to somehow smother the sliotar and avert the danger. O’Brien nailed a difficult free in added time, and it was 0-6 to 0-5 to the visitors at the interval.
A timely score arrived for Waterford on the resumption as a Davy Comerford free brought the teams level for the fifth occasion, and provided the Déise’s first score in 20 minutes of play.
It was the first of four on the spin for James O’Connor’s men as they began to click into gear. Comerford won the sliotar well and blazed over from distance to regain the lead, before Darragh Keane found the marauding Tobin on the run to send over his third point. Bradley Penkert then emerged from a ruck and found Hartley, and his third point galvanised the Déise cause further.
O’Brien was continually proving the scourge of Waterford and the Cloyne midfielder tapped over in space before sending over a 65, but a Davy Comerford effort from play signalled the Déise wouldn’t go down without a fight approaching the final quarter.
A harshly awarded free afforded O’Brien the chance to raise another white flag, but it was swiftly cancelled out by a sweetly struck Hartley effort when he was found in acres.
The Déise again got out of jail on 48 minutes, as the sliotar was played across to Johnny Murphy, but with the goal at his mercy, he dropped the sliotar. Still, he recovered to spin James Comerford, but his goalbound effort was expertly blocked on the line by Keane.
Waterford worked the ball upfield, and Tobin showed tremendous speed to get out in front of his man and bat to Davy Comerford, and the Déise then led 0-12 to 0-9.
It was all to unravel from here for the hosts, as Cork finished with seven of the final eight points. Four in a row brought Noel Furlong’s side into the slenderest of leads on 54 minutes.
Johnny Murphy was stood off and duly punished before a short-range O’Brien free, and a precise effort from Noonan on the right flank made it honours even for the sixth time.
Finn O’Brien then rode a number of challenges to wrestle back control, but Davy Comerford made no mistake from a pressure-free position, and it was 0-13 apiece on 57 minutes.
Substitute Craig O’Sullivan then capitalised on a costly slip in the defence, before a superb tackle by Michael T Brosnan on Gearoid O’Shea at the other end. A Conor Noonan effort doubled the advantage as time was against Waterford. They huffed and puffed but to no avail as an O’Brien fittingly brought an end to proceedings.
The Déise died in their boots, but their horrible luck at this grade continues. There’ll be one last opportunity to end that run when they travel to Limerick for their final encounter.
David Comerford (0-5; 0-2f); Mark Hartley (0-4); Conor Tobin (0-3); Shane Power (0-1)
James O’Brien (0-10; 0-5f; 0-2 ‘65); Barry O’Flynn (0-2); Conor Noonan, Finn O’Brien, Johnny Murphy and Craig O’Sullivan (0-1 each)
James Comerford; Darragh Keane, Conor Lynch, Tomás Ahern; Bradley Penkert, Joe McDonnell, Cathal O’Sullivan; Hugo Quann, Paddy Spelman; David Comerford, Shane Power, Jack Power; Gearóid O’Shea, Conor Tobin, Mark Hartley.
Conor Shankey for Shane Power (26; inj); Thomas Carey for Paddy Spelman (44); Tommy Kennedy for Cathal O’Sullivan (54)
Óisín Walsh; Denis Fitzgerald, Matthew Barrett, Darragh Heavin; Michael T Brosnan, David O’Leary, Ben Walsh; Colm Garde, James O’Brien; Zach Biggane, Johnny Murphy, Jack O’Brien; Finn O’Brien, Barry O’Flynn, Conor Noonan.
John Murphy for Jack O’Brien (HT); Jack Counihan for Ben Walsh (37); Craig O’Sullivan for Zach Biggane (52); Ben Walsh for David O’Leary (60)
Niall Malone (Clare)
