Glen Dimplex Senior Championship semi-finals: Cork 0-15 Waterford 0-10
Glen Dimplex Senior Championship semi-finals: Cork 0-15 Waterford 0-10
FOR a good while in the opening game at Croke Park on Saturday afternoon, Waterford looked capable of reaching a first All-Ireland senior final since 1945 when Antrim beat the Déise to win their first title.
But Cork had the patience to weather the storm and they hit the last eight points to chisel out a five-point victory in a pulsating semi-final. Central to their final quarter push was former Down star Sorcha McCartan.
The Castlewellan native and daughter of Down All-Ireland midfielder Gregory transferred to St Finbarr’s last year. She was fairly quiet for most of the game, but periodically burst into life with two excellent points from play and she added a third from a free.
Beth Carton was an early candidate for Player of the Match with three points on the board after just 22 minutes as Waterford’s work-rate knocked Cork out of their comfort zone.
Cork shot five wides from largely low-percentage shots early in the game due to the pressure being exerted further out and didn’t get their first score until Mackey pointed in the 25th minute. McCartan split the posts three minutes later.
When Chloe Sigerson lofted over a free from the 65, tight to the right touchline, there were incredibly only two points between them despite Waterford having done all the hard running. Their response was good though, Abby Flynn and Niamh Rockett with a sensational score making it 0-7 to 0-3 at the break.
Rockett clipped over another less than two minutes after the restart but Cork shot four of the next five points through Mackey, Clíona Healy, O’Connor and Fiona Keating, the latter after a brilliant turnover at the other end of the field by Thompson on Bray, when a point looked on for Waterford.
Rockett fed Bray to make it a three-point game in the 46th minute but, with Carton’s influence reduced greatly, Cork found another gear as the spaces opened up and confidence grew.
O’Connor hit three on the trot to bring the sides level. The second of those came from a 45 after Brianna O’Regan made a brilliant double save from sub Emma Murphy. Murphy then gave Cork the lead for the first time with a delightful score.
Cork were playing with more energy now as Waterford tired and winning more 50-50s as a result. They were also finding more space in the Déise half and McCartan (two), O’Connor and Keating completed the scoring.
Cork scorers: A O’Connor (0-5, 0-4 frees); S McCartan (0-3, 0-1 free); K Mackey (0-2), F Keating (0-2); C Healy (0-1), E Murphy (0-1), C Sigerson (0-1 free)
Waterford: B Carton (0-4, 0-2 frees); N Rockett (0-3); A Flynn (0-2); R Kirwan (0-1)
