Cork surge to finish to make Munster Under-21 hurling final

Cork 3-18 Waterford 0-16

Cork pulled off an unexpectedly comfortable victory over a highly-fancied Waterford side at Walsh Park to progress to the Munster Under-21 hurling final.

A brace of Alan Spillane goals, coupled with a superb Alan Cadogan strike sent the Rebels through to another provincial decider.

Outmuscling Waterford in the aerial stakes, and aided by an inspired performance by goalkeeper Patrick Collins, Cork took command of the match during a one-sided second half.

At the break, Waterford led by 0-11 to 0-10, yet one suspected Cork went in the happier of the two sides in front of a 3,717-strong attendance.

Three superb saves by Collins, still a minor hurler, denied Ryan Donnelly and Donie Breathnach in the second and fifth minutes respectively, with his third block denying Jamie Barron on the stroke of half-time.

Dillon effort

The hosts were 0-4 to 0-2 to the good by the ninth minute; the pick of scores coming off the stick of Waterford captain

Jake Dillon

, bisecting the upright from an acute angle on the right flank.

But Cork doggedly stuck to their task, and it was no surprise to see emerging senior talent Alan Cadogan featuring prominently in the opening half, full of direct running and scoring menace, registering three points.

After the break, Cadogan’s 35th-minute goal set Cork en route to a commanding victory, leaving a shell-shocked Waterford without a win at this grade since 2009.

Surging past two defenders, Cadogan broke onto Cormac Murphy’s deep ball to slam the ball beyond Waterford goalkeeper Seanie Barry.

Despite Murphy's sending off in the 43rd minute following an altercation with Austin Gleeson, Cork continued to make the better of possession and territory, and outscored Waterford by 2-3 (both goals from Anthony Spillane) to 0-3 between then and full-time. WATERFORD: S Barry; K Daly, T de Búrca, S Roche; S McNulty, R Barry (0-1), M Harney; C Dunford, G O'Brien (0-2); J Dillon (0-3; one free), J Barron (0-1), A Gleeson (0-7; three frees, two 65); D Breathnach, R Donnelly (0-1), M Kearney. Subs: S Bennett (0-1) for Breathnach (39 mins), K Power for Harney (45 mins), T Devine for Kearney (54 mins). CORK: P Collins; S Murphy, C Barry, C Buckley; K Kavanagh, C Burke (0-1), C Murphy; D Brosnan, R Cahalane; S O'Keeffe (0-2), C Spillane (0-3), M Collins; A Cadogan (1-3), A Spillane (2-1), R O'Shea (0-8, four frees). Subs: M Sugrue for Brosnan (47 mins), K McIntyre for C Spillane (59 mins), C Walsh for A Spillane (60 mins). Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)