Kelly leads Waterford's resistance

Waterford 2-20 Cork 3-17  DURING THE past few years, Cork and Waterford have delivered a fat catalogue of entertaining matches in both league and championship. Yesterday's Allianz NHL Division One meeting in Walsh Park didn't buck that trend, as the home side – hoisted into contention after early adversity by 1-17 from a rampant Eoin Kelly – pressed hard for the draw that they ultimately deserved before a crowd of around 5,000.

Sometimes Kelly’s dead-ball displays can be erratic and he missed his first free. But, although his wide count was five by the end, he had also potted 14 frees and one 65 which, together with two points from play and a goal that dropped into the net as full forward Shane Walsh pressurised Cork goalkeeper Anthony Nash, constituted a 20-point haul.

For the visitors, Ben O’Connor hit 0-8, including seven frees, and no misses, making the afternoon an exhibition by the free takers.

Cork were disappointed not to take full points having led for around 65 minutes of the match but they were under pressure for much of the second half and eventually got caught even if it took a last-minute free from Kelly to tie up proceedings just before the final whistle.

Denis Walsh had made a raft of changes to the side that beat Kilkenny a week previously and must have been encouraged to see former footballer Michael Cussen hit a first-half 2-2 even if the big full forward seemed a bit delicate at times and wasn’t always able to hold possession despite getting his hand up first.

Nonetheless, he showed excellent predatory instincts, finishing decisively to the net on the two occasions he was placed on his own inside Mark O’Brien (who had moved out to cover an incoming forward) – in the seventh and 25th minutes – and his two points were also smartly taken.

Waterford really struggled in the initial stages to make an impact on the scoreboard but there were signs that the Cork full backs weren’t on top form. Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, making his first start in the unusual position of left corner back, found young Thomas Ryan elusive and switched to the more familiar surrounds of wing back.

But not enough was getting through the visitors’ half backs and Cork were sufficiently clinical at the other end to build up a comfortable lead, which stood at six points at the end of the first quarter.

Once the frees started coming for Waterford, Kelly found his range and the margin shrank until at half-time it was down to a score, 2-9 to 1-9.

In the second half the home side took a grip around the middle. Shane O’Sullivan played in the half backs with good support from Aidan Kearney and Jamie Nagle and centrefield began to swing away from John Gardiner – switched from his man-of-the- match position of wing back against Kilkenny – and his partner Cathal Naughton, who was finding less space and eventually moved to wing forward from where he landed two useful points. Tom Kenny came into the middle.

Cork also lost goalkeeper Nash to an injury, giving Donal Cusack an unexpected run on his rest day. The visitors looked to have made a decisive move in the 53rd minute when Pat Horgan ran through the middle and with the defence backing off managed to strike for goal.

Some familiar faces had also arrived for Waterford. John Mullane came in as a replacement and added some dynamism up front as well as two points and Dan Shanahan appeared to join his brother Maurice. The key score saw Ryan pull on a ball broken in front of goal in the 61st minute to bring it back to 2-17 to 3-15. Kelly tacked on a couple of frees and Waterford led for the only time.

Initiative swung back and forth with Kenny and O’Connor restoring Cork’s lead before Kelly levelled a frenetic and entertaining contest.

“I’m happy with the manner in which we kept fighting back,” said Waterford manager David Fitzgerald.

“Other teams might have thrown in the towel after getting two or three killer blows. How many times were we six points down? Again in the second half we could have folded. But we didn’t. We fought on and that’s one of the things I like about these guys.”

His counterpart Denis Walsh was also content.

“A fair result really. I felt both sides deserved to take something out of it which happened in the end. Waterford hurled very well in the second half but I thought we put some nice passages of play together too.”

CORK:A Nash; K Hartnett, B Murphy, S Óg Ó hAilpín; S O'Neill, R Curran, M Walsh; C Naughton (0-3), J Gardiner (0-1); B O'Connor (0-8, seven frees), C McCarthy, N McCarthy; P Horgan (1-2), M Cussen (2-2), K Murphy. Subs:L O'Farrell for K Murphy (ht), D Cusack for Nash (40 mins), T Kenny (0-1) for C McCarthy (45 mins), M O'Sullivan for N McCarthy (53 mins).

WATERFORD:C Hennessy; E Murphy, M O'Brien, N Connors; A Kearney, S O'Sullvan, J Nagle; E Kelly (1-17, 14 frees, one '65'), R Foley; S Prendergast (0-1), K Moran, E McGrath; T Ryan (1-0), S Walsh, S Molumphy (capt). Subs:M Shanahan for E McGrath (34 mins), D Shanahan for Walsh (42 mins), J Mullane (0-2) for Prendergast (47 mins).

Referee:J Ryan (Tipperary).