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2024 oneills.com Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship – Cork 0-21 Waterford 1-10
Cork defeated Waterford by 0-21 to 1-10 in Round 1 of the oneills.com Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship on Friday April 5th at Fraher Field Dungarvan.
First-half Cork blitz helps reigning champions past Waterford challenge
Munster U20HC: Cork 0-21 Waterford 1-10
Report by Eoghan Cormican for the Irish Examiner newspaper
In the half of hurling where they showed any bit of urgency, Cork confirmed our suspicions. The county’s latest batch of U20s will take stopping.
On a horrible night for anything, Cork refused to be diverted off course by the driving and disruptive elements. They were as good as out the gap at half-time, in front by 0-14 to 0-5.
They were absolutely out the gap five minutes into the second period, a pair of Jack Leahy frees swelling their lead to double digits.
From there, the champions slackened. Their intensity waned. They managed only five more points in the remaining half an hour.
Rather crucially, though, Waterford made no meaningful inroads on them. Eight points was as close as they came. Substitute Conor Tobin’s consolation goal on 68 minutes was their sole second half score from play and only their third in total.
The defeat represented the county’s sixth on the spin at U20 level. The 2022 Munster round-robin win over Kerry remains their most recent victory at this grade.
Ken McGrath’s Déise charges are not out again for another fortnight. Their welcoming of Tipperary to Dungarvan falls on the same weekend as the seniors open their Munster campaign.
The much-maligned eligibility rule means inside forward Patrick Fitzgerald cannot play both. Although poorly and infrequently fed here, he showed flashes. Waterford’s efforts to end their U20 losing streak will not be any better for his absence.
Although the gale had more of a crossfield direction to it, it was certainly more of a help to the visitors in the opening half than the hosts.
The gale, though, had nothing at all to do with Cork’s touch being sharper, their passing being smarter, and their sense of positioning being far more intelligent. Even Cork’s conditioning seemed a step or three ahead of their opponents.
It was a difficult opening half for the hosts. Their restart and second passes of short puckouts rarely found a white shirt. Cork were quickly in each time to unsettle them.
Centre-forward Charlie Treen was their line scoreboard contributor until Patrick Fitzgerald split the posts in the fourth minute of first-half injury-time. It was only their second point from play of the half.
The Cork scoresheet was far more populous. Jack Leahy topped the first half chart with 0-7, five of which were from the dead ball.
Tadhg O’Connell’s 16th minute white flag was easily the score of the half, his effort coming at the end of a number of intricate handpasses involving Darragh O’Sullivan and Oran O’Regan.
O’Connell’s half-forward colleagues William Buckley and Diarmuid Healy both chipped in with a pair.
Only once were the sides level. Cork never once trailed. A seven-in-a-row took them 0-8 to 0-1 clear on 13 minutes. There was a further six-point burst later in the opening half, the gap yawning to 11.
Sub Barry Walsh won a 57th minute penalty that was driven over by goalkeeper Paudie O’Sullivan. Another sub, Ross O’Sullivan, who was a starter last year, finished out their scoring. Timmy Wilk is still to come back from injury.
Ben O’Connor has options, plenty of them. It’ll keep the collective primed. It’ll need to as much sterner examinations await.
For a first night out, what they tabled was more than sufficient.
Scorers for Cork: J Leahy (0-10, 0-8 frees); W Buckley (0-3); D Healy (0-2); P O’Sullivan (0-1 pen), Ben Walsh, M Finn (0-1 free), T O’Connell, D Cremin, R O’Sullivan (0-1).
Scorers for Waterford: C Treen (0-8, 0-7 frees); C Tobin (1-0); P Fitzgerald (0-2, 0-1 free).
CORK: P O’Sullivan (Fr. O’Neill’s); D Cashman (Bride Rovers), K Lyons (Ballygarvan), D O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig); J Dwyer (Ballincollig), Ó O’Regan (Erins Own), C Tobin (Bride Rovers); M Finn (Midleton), Ben Walsh (Killeagh); T O’Connell (Ballincollig), W Buckley (St Finbarr’s), D Healy (Lisgoold); E O’Leary (Glen Rovers), D Cremin (Midleton), J Leahy (Dungourney).
Subs: P O’Shea (Erin’s Own) for Tobin, A O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig) for O’Connell (both 48); Barry Walsh (Killeagh) for O’Leary, R O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) for Leahy (both 50); B Nyhan (Clyda Rovers) for Cremin (59).
WATERFORD: S Ryan (Mount Sion); C Ryan (Brickey Rangers), D Lalor (De La Salle), C Keane (De La Salle); A O’Neill (Ballygunner), B O’Connell (Abbeyside/Ballinacourty), F Hallinan (Fourmilewater); E Spellman (Fourmilewater), D Walsh (Abbeyside/Ballinacourty); S Mackey (Fenor), C Treen (Abbeyside/Ballinacourty), M Mahony (An Sean Phobal); M Morrisey (Fourmilewater), P Fitzgerald (Ballygunner), J Twomey (De La Salle).
Subs: M Burke (Dungarvan) for Hallinan (HT); C Tobin (Ballygunner) for Morrissey (40); J O’Keeffe (Lismore) for Walsh (45); B Callaghan (Abbeyside) for Mackey (48); J Power (Kilrossanty) for Spellman (52).
Referee: C Doyle (Tipperary).
Team Sheets
Fixture Details
Friday April 5th
2024 oneills.com Munster GAA Under 20 Hurling Championship Round 1
Waterford v Cork
Venue: Fraher Field Dungarvan @ 7pm
Referee: Conor Doyle (Tipperary)
Streamed Live on Spórt TG4 YouTube
Ticket Information
General Admission: €10
Students/OAPs: €5
Under 16’s: Free
Tickets are available from participating Centra and Supervalu outlets or online via the link below.
Live Streaming via GAA BEO – YouTube Spórt TG4
Team News
Ken McGrath & his management team have announced the team to play Cork in the O'https://t.co/A84aGCnX67 @MunsterGAA U20 Hurling Championship on Friday April 5th at 7pm in Fraher Field Dungarvan.
Tickets: https://t.co/BHfJ0UMEFW pic.twitter.com/BwkwEtqe6E
— Waterford GAA (@WaterfordGAA) April 3, 2024
