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2024 McGrath Cup Football – Cork 1-20 Waterford 0-6
Cork defeated Waterford by 1-20 to 0-6 in Round 3 of the McGrath Cup Football competition on Sunday January 14th at Mallow.
Second-half burst eases Cork past Waterford and into final tussle with Kerry
Cork 1-20 Waterford 0-6
Report by Therese O’Callaghan for the Irish Examiner newspaper
Cork are through to the McGrath Cup final against Kerry in Páirc Uí Rinn on Friday night.
A much-improved second-half from the Rebels in this Group B round 2 game at Mallow on Sunday was required, as they outscored Waterford 1-14 to 0-2 and emerged with 17 points spare.
They led 0-6 to 0-4 after a tame opening half, but were able to turn it around with substitute Chris Óg Jones making an immediate impact. His goal straight from the restart was the springboard they needed.
As John Cleary continued to rotate his squad, he made eight changes from the Clare win with Kevin Flahive, Eoghan McSweeney, Brian O’Driscoll, Paul Walsh, John O’Rourke, Fionn Herlihy and Black Murphy were retained.
When Fionn Herlihy opened Cork’s account after a mere 20 seconds, you’d be forgiven for thinking Cork might be going to dominate the exchanges.
But Waterford and Niall McSweeney had other ideas, as he converted a free following a foul on Jack Keane.
Mark Cronin added a free for Cork, but again, Waterford responded through William Beresford.
The teams were level twice more, in fact the Déise had opportunities to go ahead only for wayward shooting.
Cork’s two points in the second-quarter from Cathal Maguire and a second Cronin free from the right flank pushed the hosts 0-6 to 0-4 at the break.
The only goal chance fell to Seán Meehan, but his effort went for a ’45, which wasn’t converted by Cork netminder Chris Kelly.
Meanwhile, Waterford were reduced to 14 men when Conor McCarthy received a black card on 27 minutes, but Cork failed to capitalise.
As well, Paul Walsh had to be helped off injured in first-half stoppage time, and when the teams returned there were three alterations to the Cork side and these made all the difference.
One of these was Chris Óg Jones, and within 13 seconds he placed the ball in the far corner of the net when he latched on to a marvellous delivery from first-half substitute Colm O’Callaghan, who dominated proceedings in midfield throughout the second 35.
It was one-way traffic after that, Chris Óg Jones and Eoghan McSweeney kicking some great points For new Waterford manager Paul Shankey this is a second heavy defeat after they lost at home in round 1 to Clare.
Scorers for Cork: C Óg Jones (1-4), E McSweeney (0-5), M Cronin (0-4 frees), C Maguire (0-2), F Herlihy, B Murphy (mark), D Gore, D Buckley, B O’Driscoll (0-1 each).
Scorers for Waterford: M O’Brien (0-1 mark) and S Curry (0-2 each), N McSweeney (free) and W Beresford (0-1 each).
CORK: C Kelly; N Lordan, K Flahive, J McCarthy; L Fahy, S Meehan, B O’Driscoll; I Maguire (Capt), P Walsh; E McSweeney, F Herlihy, C Maguire; M Cronin, B Murphy, J O’Rourke.
Subs: C O’Callaghan for P Walsh (33 inj), D Buckley for F Herlihy, C Óg Jones for C Maguire, D Cashman for J McCarthy (all half-time), A Walsh Murphy for B O’Driscoll (45), D Gore for I Maguire (47), A Hassett (St Judes, Dublin) for K Flahive, C Dungan for C Kelly (both 56), G O’Sullivan for J O’Rourke, D Desmond for E McSweeney (62), M Taylor for L Fahy (64).
WATERFORD: A Beresford; R McGrath, C Walsh, C McCarthy; R Browne, M Curry, C Ó Cuirrín; J Keane, J Curry (Capt); D Ryan, W Beresford, S Whelan-Barrett; S Curry, N McSweeney, M O’Brien.
Subs: J O’Connell for C McCarthy, B Hynes for M O’Brien (both 55), C Maguire for S Whelan Barrett (58), J Sheridan for A Beresford (59), D Fitzgerald for N McSweeney (60).
Referee: Pádraig O’Sullivan (Kerry).
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Team News
The Waterford Senior Football Team to face Cork in Sunday's McGrath Cup has been named
🏆 McGrath Cup @MunsterGAA
@WaterfordGAA
🆚 @OfficialCorkGAA📅 Sun, Jan 14th
📍Mallow GAA Complex
🕒 2pm📹Live Streaming on https://t.co/sMwfq7UnJv ONLY pic.twitter.com/c8r5tLmqiY
— Waterford GAA (@WaterfordGAA) January 12, 2024
The Cork Senior Football team to play Waterford in the McGrath Cup has been announced https://t.co/Xx1Qaxa7ZP
— Cork GAA (@OfficialCorkGAA) January 13, 2024
CORK (v Waterford):
Christopher Kelly (Éire Óg);
Neil Lordan (Ballinora), Kevin Flahive (Douglas), Adam Walsh-Murphy (Valley Rovers);
Luke Fahy (Ballincollig), Seán Meehan (Kiskeam), Jack McCarthy (Carrigaline);
Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s, capt), Paul Walsh (Kanturk);
John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers), Fionn Herlihy (Dohenys), Cathal Maguire (Castlehaven);
Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers), Blake Murphy (St Vincent’s), Damien Gore (Kilmacabea).
Subs: Callum Dungan (Carrigaline), Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty), Alex Hassett (St Jude’s, Dublin), Darragh Cashman (Millstreet), Mattie Taylor (Mallow), Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg), Brian O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh), Eoghan McSweeney (Knocknagree), Chris Óg Jones (Iveleary), Gerry O’Sullivan (Boherbue)
