McGrath Cup Semi Final – Waterford 0-8 Cork 0-7

Waterford defeated Cork by 0-8 to 0-7 in the McGrath Cup Semi-Final on Sunday January 18th at Clashmore.

AUDIO: Beating @OfficialCorkGAA is ‘huge’ for @WaterfordGAA – Deise boss Tom McGlinchey: http://t.co/ge9EAiwFot #ntfm pic.twitter.com/pZmSzH5I42

— Newstalk Sport (@NewstalkSport) January 19, 2015

Rebels rocked as Déise make history

By Michael Moynihan for the Irish Examiner newspaper

McGrath Cup semi-final

Waterford 0-8 Cork 0-7

It’s never too early in the year to make history. Waterford’s deserved win over Cork in yesterday’s McGrath Cup semi-final had local GAA experts searching for precedents as they streamed down the hill from chilly Clashmore. A league win over the Rebels back in 1957 was cited as the last competitive victory for Waterford over Cork in football, and the only pity is that there weren’t more than 337 spectators at the game yesterday.

The home manager wasn’t losing his head, mind you. “It’s the 18th of January,” said Tom McGlinchey. “It’s heavy ground, the wind was tough. Cork will say they didn’t start some of their marquee players, but that’s not to take anything away from our lads. “Our focus is on the 31st of January, the league, and that’s not taking anything away from today. The great thing is that they have an idea now they can compete.” And a little bit more.

McGlinchey’s calmness was counterbalanced by the visible disappointment of Cork manager Brian Cuthbert: “There aren’t too many positives to take out of today, we played very poorly. It was one of our worst performances in a long time. The first-half was the winning and the losing of the game. I thought we improved in the second-half, we owned the ball for the last 10 minutes, but our play in the first-half was extremely poor.”

Cork had the dubious advantage of a blustery wind in the first-half but they missed four early frees while Shane Ahearne pointed two placed balls for Waterford. Dan McEoin opened Cork’s account with a free on 17 minutes but Waterford were dominating everywhere, with the O’Gorman brothers prominent in a tight defence and Liam Lawlor a clever playmaker up front. Two late scores from Padraig Hurney and Michael O’Halloran made it 0-4 to 0-2 at the break, and it was 0-6 to 0-2 five minutes into the second-half.

Cork dominated possession for the rest of the game, and Cuthbert sent on Colm O’Neill, Donncha O’Connor and Paul Kerrigan, among others, to retrieve the situation, but Cork couldn’t close the gap. Waterford combined well to break upfield for scores and kept their noses in front with scores from O’Halloran and a last free from Aherne on 60 minutes.

Cork managed one more point after that, an O’Neill free, but they also kicked three wides and Waterford ended the game with another sweeping attack. “We were under the cosh there for the last 10 minutes or so,” said McGlinchey. “It would have been easy for lads to dive in and give away an easy free or two, but they didn’t panic, and even the way they worked out the last ball, up the field, it was just a shame Shane (Ahearne) didn’t get the free from it, given how well he played.

“The fact the lads went to the 73rd minute is pleasing, but there won’t be any bonfires lit. We still have a final to play and we want to win another competitive game. UCC have an incredible team. It’s another test for us and hopefully if we come through that with another performance we’ll be ready for the league.”

Because Waterford secured that McGrath Cup final place, Cuthbert said Cork would have to find a challenge game somewhere next weekend. Being “bossed” by a Division Four team is more of a headache, though. “We dropped four or five frees into the keeper’s hands,” said Cuthbert. “We could have had a point at the end to get extra-time and normally Donncha (O’Connor) would slot that over, but overall we were sloppy and didn’t take our chances. We’re a long way from where we need to be. I thought they bossed us, they bossed the game for the first 35 minutes and though we had the ball in the second-half we didn’t take our chances.”

A point from play — and that scored on 60 minutes — bears that out. Though McGlinchey was correct about recognising the date, Cork will be concerned at their failure to match Waterford for work-rate and application at the very least, particularly with onerous league trips looming. A different challenge for Waterford, though. A sniff of silverware, and a chance to make history all over again next weekend.

Scorers for Waterford: S. Aherne 0-3 (fs); M. O’Halloran, G. Nugent 0-2 each; P. Hurney 0-1.

Scorers for Cork: D. MacEoin, D. O’Connor and C. O’Neill 0-2 each (all frees); M. Collins (0-1).

WATERFORD: S. Enright, D. Crowley, N. Walsh, T. O’Gorman, T Ó hUallachain, M. O’Gorman, R. Ó Ceallaigh, S. Aherne, T. Prendergast, M. Curry, M. O’Halloran, P. Hurney, L. Lawlor, G. Nugent, J. Veale.
Subs: C. Phelan for Curry, 52; L O Corraoin for Veale (56); D. Hallahan for O Ceallaigh (64).

CORK: K. O’Halloran, L. Jennings, T. Clancy, S. O’Donoghue, P. Hodnett, E. Cadogan, J. O’Sullivan, M. Cussen, M. Collins, K. O’Driscoll, B. O’Driscoll, G. Durrant, D. MacEoin, F. Ó Deasunaigh, J. Hayes.
Subs: C. O’Neill for Ó Deasunaigh, D. O’Connor for MacEoin and C. O’Driscoll for Durrant (all HT); P. Kerrigan for Hayes (44); J. O’Rourke for O’Sullivan (61).

Referee: S. Joy (Kerry)

Waterford stun Cork to reach first McGrath Cup final in 13 years

Waterford 0-8 Cork 0-7

Report from the42.ie

WATERFORD STUNNED CORK in front of 337 fans at a bright and breezy Clashmore to advance to their first McGrath Cup final since 2002.
Tom McGlinchey’s men led from start to finish and held their fancied opponents to just a single point from play over the seventy.
Dean Crowley, Niall Walsh and the O’Gorman twins starred in defence as four of the six Cork starting forwards were substituted. Liam Lawlor showed total composure in possession on his first competitive start of the season. Up top, Michael O’Halloran and Gavin Nugent slotted two points apiece.

The heavy surface and the blustery conditions led to a low scoring affair. Waterford edged the first half by four points to two. Shane Ahearne landed two frees to get the hosts off to a positive start. It took the Rebels twenty minutes to open their account through a Dan McEoin free. McEoin levelled the match on 27 minutes as both sides spurned chances. Patrick Hurney fired the first point from play on 33 minutes before Michael O’Halloran gave the Déise a two point gap.

Brian Cuthbert made three half time switches as Colm O’Neill, Donnacha O’Connor and Colm O’Driscoll entered the action.
The Rebels looked rattled when Gavin Nugent shot a quick fire brace of points, the second from a mistake in the Cork rearguard.
The Reds started to apply the pressure and reeled off three frees in a row (two from O’Connor and one from O’Neill). Michael O’Halloran answered with an important long distance score on 57 minutes (0-7 to 0-5).

On the hour mark, Mark Collins fired Cork’s solitary point from play. Despite the waves of attack, Waterford didn’t panic. Ahearne restored their two point advantage before O’Neill responded. The visitors missed three chances to force extra time including an easy free from O’Connor. Waterford forced a crucial turnover in the dying moments to relieve the pressure and secure a famous success.

McGlinchey’s charges will take on UCC in the final next weekend and attempt to land their first McGrath Cup crown since 1981.

Scorers for Waterford: Shane Ahearne 0-3 (3fs); Michael O’Halloran, Gavin Nugent 0-2 each; Patrick Hurney 0-1.

Scorers for Cork: Colm O’Neill (2fs), Dan McEoin (2fs), Donnacha O’Connor (2fs) 0-2 each; Mark Collins 0-1.

WATERFORD
1. Stephen Enright
2. Dean Crowley
3. Niall Walsh
4. Thomas O’Gorman
5. Tadhg Ó hUallacháin
6. Maurice O’Gorman
7. Ray Ó Ceallaigh
8. Shane Ahearne
9. Tommy Prendergast
10. Michael Curry
11. Michael O’Halloran
12. Patrick Hurney
13. Liam Lawlor
14. Gavin Nugent
15. Joey Veale
Subs
Conor Phelan for Curry (51)
Lorcan Ó Corraoin for Veale (59)
David Hallahan for Ó Ceallaigh (64).

CORK
1. Ken O’Halloran
2. Liam Jennings
3. Tom Clancy
4. Stephen O’Donoghue
5. Padraig Hodnett
6. Eoin Cadogan
7. Jamie O’Sullivan
8. Michael Cussen
9. Mark Collins
10. Kevin O’Driscoll
11. Barry O’Driscoll
12. George Durrant
13. Dan McEoin
14. Fiachra Ó Deasunaigh
15. John Hayes
Subs
Donnacha O’Connor for McEoin (H-T)
Colm O’Driscoll for Ó Deasunaigh (H-T)
Colm O’Neill for Durrant (H-T)
P Kerrigan for Hayes (43)
J O’Rourke for O’Sullivan (61)

Referee: Sean Joy (Kerry)

Team News

Cork v Waterford – McGrath Semi-Final Clashmore Sun 18th Jan http://t.co/Lvka91YA4S

— Cork GAA (@OfficialCorkGAA) January 15, 2015

The Cork team for Sunday’s game is:

1. Ken O’Halloran (Bishopstown)

2. Liam Jennings (Ballincollig)

3. Tom Clancy (Clonakilty)

4. Stephen O’Donoghue (Ballincollig)

5. Padraig Hodnett (Carbery Rangers)

6. Eoin Cadogan (Douglas)

7. Jamie O’Sullivan (Bishopstown)

8. Michael Cussen (Glanmire)

9. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)

10. Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadgh MacCartháigh)

11. Barry O’Driscoll (Nemo Rangers)

12. George Durrant (Ballincollig)

13. Dan McEoin (Ilen Rovers)

14. Fiachra Ó Deasunaigh

15. John Hayes (Carbery Rangers)

Subs:

16. Ryan Price (O’Donovan Rossa)

17. James Loughrey (Mallow)

18. John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers)

19. Colm O’Neill (Ballyclough)

20. Colm O’Driscoll (Tadgh MacCartháigh)

21. Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond)

22. Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers)

23. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)