Waterford hold off fast-finishing Cork in full-blooded affair

Cork 1-14 Waterford 0-20

Waterford heaped more misery on Cork by surviving a late rally to make it two wins from two at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night.

Both sides finished with 14 men after Maurice Shanahan and Alan Cadogan were red carded in separate incidents during hectic scenes near the finish.

Waterford enjoyed a six-point lead going into four minutes of injury-time, when Patrick Horgan plundered a goal from a free to give Cork hope of snatching a draw.

And it took a diving save by goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe to turn away a Paudie O’Sullivan shot to preserve Waterford’s winning start to the league.

They were in a commanding position at the interval, leading by 0-11 to 0-7, despite having played against the strong wind.

Cork recovered from an unsettling start to be just a point behind after the opening quarter, 0-5 to 0-4, but three points in quick succession re-asserted Waterford’s grip.

While Cork relied much on Horgan’s free-taking, Waterford spread the scoring burden though Shanahan’s placed-ball accuracy was an important source.

The visitors strengthened their grip by making a storming start to the second-half, when they outscored Cork by five points to one to sweep 0-16 to 0-8 in front after 47 minutes.

Cork were incensed at a high challenge on Aidan Walsh which forced him out of the action but they finished the stronger and made Waterford hang on for the points in the end.

CORK: A Nash; S O'Neill, C Spillane, S McDonnell (capt); D Cahalane, C Joyce, W Egan; D Kearney (0-1), L McLoughlin; B Cooper, P Horgan (1-6, 1-4 frees), A Walsh (0-1 sideline); C Lehane (0-3), W Leahy, B Lawton (0-2).

Subs: A Cadogan (0-1) for Healy and S Moylan for Kearney (both half-time), M Ellis for Egan (45 mins), C Murphy for Spillane (47 mins), C McCarthy for Walsh (injured, 56 mins), P O'Sullivan for McLoughlin (64 mins).

WATERFORD: S O'Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, D Fives (0-1); P O'Mahony, N Connors, K Moran (capt) (0-1); J Barron (0-2), A Gleeson (0-3, one free); M Walsh, S Bennett (0-1), J Dillon (0-1); P Curran (0-3), M Shanahan (0-6, five frees, one 65), C Dunford (0-2).

Subs: B O'Halloran for Bennett (58 mins), T Devine for Curran (62 mins), M Kearney for Dunford (68 mins).

Referee: J Owens (Wexford)