Cork 1-26 Waterford 1-15

Semple Stadium

Cork regained the Electric Ireland Munster MHC for the first time since 2017 as they led all the way through against Waterford in Semple Stadium on Monday night.

Set on their way by an Eoin O’Leary goal inside 13 seconds, Cork tacked on three more points before Waterford got off the mark and the margin was never less than four points thereafter. Cork led by 11 at half-time and though Waterford got on top for a brief period in the third quarter, they couldn’t sufficiently trouble the Rebels who finished strongly.

The win sends Cork straight through to the All-Ireland final against Kilkenny or Galway on August 21, meaning the county will be in three national deciders in six days – the U20 against Galway is next Tuesday while the senior final against Limerick is on August 22.

Having recorded good wins over Clare and Limerick, Cork came into this game with a lot of momentum and it was harnessed immediately as Diarmuid Healy found O’Leary in the opening stages and the corner-forward rifled a shot home.

By the third minute, it was 1-3 to 0-0 after points from William Buckley – who shone as a third midfielder – Healy and Jack Leahy. Though Billy O’Connell and Patrick Fitzgerald got Waterford going, Cork remained on top, with Darragh O’Sullivan outstanding in defence while Mikey Finn was prominent in midfielder.

It was 1-9 to 0-4 as the first-half water-break approached, though Cork needed a good save from goalkeeper Paudie O’Sullivan to deny Peter Cummins a goal, with Fitzgerald sending over the subsequent 65.

After action resumed, Cummins threatened again, denied by good defending but, after a Leahy free, Waterford had a goal, conjured from nothing by the excellent Jack Twomey. Again, Cork remained composed and reeled off six points in a row with Healy and O’Leary among their brightest at that stage and they led at half-time by 1-17 to 1-6.

Cork couldn’t pull further away early in the second half though and Waterford got a foothold, with Fitzgerald influential in open play as well as landing frees, but a goal never looked likely.

Cork still held a 1-21 to 1-12 advantage at the water-break and Leahy and Buckley impressed in the latter stages as they powered home.

Scorers for Cork: Jack Leahy 0-11 (0-7 frees, 0-1 65), Eoin O’Leary 1-2, William Buckley 0-4, Diarmuid Healy, Mikey Finn (0-1 sideline), Timmy Wilk 0-2 each, Cillian Tobin, Ben Nyhan, Adam Walsh 0-1 each.

Scorers for Waterford: Patrick Fitzgerald 0-8 (0-7 frees, 0-1 65), Jack Twomey 1-4, Peter Cummins 0-2, Billy O’Connell 0-1.

CORK: Paudie O’Sullivan; Darragh O’Sullivan, Kevin Lyons, James Byrne; James Dwyer, Ben O’Connor, Timmy Wilk; Mikey Finn, Cillian Tobin; Diarmuid Healy, Ben Nyhan, Tadhg O’Connell; Eoin O’Leary, Jack Leahy, William Buckley.

Subs: Adam Walsh for Nyhan (6-7, temporary), David Cremin for O’Connell (22, injured), Walsh for Nyhan (half-time), Rory Sheahan for Dwyer (50), Ross O’Sullivan for Buckley (56), Oran O’Regan for Leahy (58).

WATERFORD: Cian Troy; Conor Keane, Craig O’Keeffe, Rory Dobbyn; Billy O’Connell, Charlie Treen, Aaron O’Neill; Seánie Callaghan, Fionn Hallinan; Liam Ó Siothcháin, Jack O’Donnell, Marc Ó Mathúna; Patrick Fitzgerald, Jack Twomey, Peter Cummins.

Subs: Aidan Higgins for Keane (half-time), Sam Pender for Ó Mathúna (39), Michael O’Brien for Callaghan (41-47, temporary), Darragh Walsh for O’Connell (53), Hugh Flanagan for O’Keeffe (60).

Referee: John O’Halloran (Limerick).