Brilliant Rebels book All-Ireland date

Brian Corcoran

06 August 2006

Nineteen-year-old substitute Cathal Naughton was the hero as classy Cork showed their mettle to defeat Waterford by 1-16 to 1-15 in an epic All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park.

The Newtownshandrum attacker bagged a goal and a point shortly after entering the fray in the fourth quarter to propel the Rebels into the decider and keep their three-in-a-row bid alive.

Waterford refused to lie down and kept themselves in the game with a flurry of points from frees, while the fluent champions - inspired by centre back Ronan Curran - got most of their scores from open play. John Mullane scored four Waterford points from play - two late in each half - but apart from that they only really posed a threat from placed balls.

Ultimately, Cork’s greater ability to fire scores from all over the field proved decisive.

John Allen’s 100% championship record as Cork manager was on the line when Eoin Kelly put Waterford ahead with a goal in the first minute of the second half and the Decies held that lead for most of the second half despite intense pressure from the buzzing Reds.

Joe Deane sent Cork into a second-minute lead when he converted a 40-metre free after Ken McGrath’s foul on Niall McCarthy and Timmy McCarthy stretched the gap with a brilliant score from play a minute later.

Ken McGrath’s dangerous 65 was almost deflected to the back of the Cork net but Donal Og Cusack was on hand to deal with it. Eoin Kelly closed the margin from a free but midfielder Tom Kenny steadied the Rebels with a trademark point from play.

McGrath floated over a huge free from well inside his own half and Cusack again had to be alert to deny Dan Shanahan a possible goal chance. Underfoot conditions were slippery and both sets of players had their work cut out to cope with the slippery surface.

Kenny’s shot drifted wide and the play ebbed and flowed wonderfully in the opening stages. Brian Corcoran roamed out onto into the right corner and gathered possession for the first time before sending a spectacular shot across his shoulder between the posts at the Hill end.

With quarter of an hour played, the Munster champions led by two points, 0-4 to 0-2. Ken McGrath drove a long-distance free to the left of the post but Kelly spared his blushes when he obliged from a free closer to goal.

Exceptional defending from Sean Og O hAilipin culminated in another exquisite Corcoran point from the other side before Ben O’Connor uncharacteristically fired a couple of wides in the 23rd minute, one from a free on the left, the other at the end of a run through the middle.

With the Cork half back line dominant, the Decies were offering very little from play but were staying in touch through frees alone: Kelly clipped over their fourth and Cork’s next two attacks came to nothing.

In the 29th minute, Neil Ronan scored a simple point following some high-pressure play in the Cork attacking division.

John Gardiner saw yellow for a foul on the marauding Michael ’Brick’ Walsh and Kelly popped over the resultant free – Waterford’s fifth point and all five had come from placed balls.

Shanahan became the first Waterford forward to score when he latched onto Sean Og’s poorly-struck attempted backpass to Cusack and Ronan replied instantly for the Leesiders before John Mullane drew the sides level with two points just before the half-time whistle.

The Waterford N.13 hit the leveller 50 seconds into injury time and the sides went into the break on eight points apiece. John Allen’s charges had led for almost the entire opening period only to see that lead wiped out right at the end.

The Suirsiders had to be delighted to be on level terms as they had been dominated territorially throughout the first 35 minutes and had conceded seven points from play while managing only three themselves. Frustrating for the Cork men.

Sensationally, Waterford got a goal in the first minute of the second half. Shanahan’s superb deft flick along the ground sent Eoin McGrath through on Cusack and the Cork goalkeeper thwarted the corner forward twice before the ball ricocheted to Kelly, who tapped the ball to an empty net.

Seamus Prendergast followed up with an instant point and Cork responded with a minor from Ronan – his third. Timmy McCarthy also brought his personal tally to 0-3 with a great score at the end of a mazy run as the Rebel County endeavoured to get back into the game.

Ken McGrath registered another free from huge distance to make it 1-10 to 0-10 after 43 minutes. At the other end, Ben O’Connor’s free dropped short into the clutch of Clinton Hennessy but twin brother Jerry O’Connor stepped up to the plate immediately with an inspirational solo score to cap a powerful run.

Heroic defending from Ronan Curran denied Prendergast a Waterford point and Waterford brought Paul Flynn in for Jack Kennedy with ten minutes played in the second half. Deane missed a chance to close the gap to one and Kelly punished Cork’s profligacy when he converted yet another free.

A foul on the inimitable Corcoran presented Deane with a routine point from a free. With 20 minutes remaining Waterford led by 1-11 to 0-10.

Shanahan caused panic when he ran at the heart of the Cork defence but Diarmuid O’Sullivan eventually cleared his lines after O hAilipin had been left chasing shadows.

Corcoran chalked up Cork’s tenth wide at the start of the final quarter and the Rebels must have wondered how they were two points in arrears as they continued to attack the Waterford goals in waves but just couldn’t register their superiority on the scoreboard.

In contrast, Waterford were much more efficient, nicking that 36th –minute goal and converting most of their frees. The relatively unknown Cathal Naughton made an immediate impact when he struck a splendid point within seconds of replacing Ronan.

Incredibly, supersub Naughton then helped himself to a 59th-minute goal, firing a lovely shot past the exposed Hennessy after Deane had selflessly sent him clear with a perfect lay-off. Jerry O’Connor’s second point of the evening put a goal between them – 1-14 to 1-11 with just over eight minutes to play.

Waterford were unable to conjure scores from play throughout but they were still in touch largely due to Kelly’s accuracy from frees. He added another in the 64th minute, while Corcoran and Kenny both missed the target at the Canal End.

Deane converted his third free from 50 metres with four minutes of normal time remaining but Mullane replied for the Decies after a good steal by Seamus Prendergast. Within seconds, Shanahan picked out the unmarked Eoin McGrath and the Waterford No.15 slotted the ball over the bar to close the gap to the minimum with three minutes left.

Deane brilliantly despatched a free from the sideline in the final minute of normal time and Mullane grabbed his fourth point from play on the stroke of 70 minutes.

Two minutes of injury time were announced and Man of the Match contender Curran made two vital interceptions at the heart of his defence. Ben O’Connor hit a late wide and Cork held out for a thrilling victory after a frantic finish.

Ken McGrath’s last-gasp free came back off a post and the Decies dream died in a torrent of tears as Cork marched onwards to their fourth successive All-Ireland SHC final.

Cork: D Óg Cusack; P Mulcahy, D O’Sullivan, B Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín; T Kenny (0-1), J O’Connor (0-2); T McCarthy (0-3), N McCarthy, N Ronan (0-3); B O’Connor, B Corcoran (0-2), J Deane (0-4). Subs: C Naughton (1-1), K Murphy

Waterford: C Hennessy; D Prendergast, T Feeney, E Murphy; T Browne, K McGrath (0-2), J Murray; E Kelly (1-6), B Phelan; D Shanahan (0-1), S Prendergast (0-1), J Kennedy; J Mullane (0-4), M Walsh, E McGrath (0-1). Subs: P Flynn