Munster MFC: Rebels rout Na Deise

April 11, 2018

Cork held a 2-13 to 0-3 half-time advantage over Waterford at Pairc Ui Rinn.

Cork roared to a resounding 4-20 to 0-5 quarter-final victory over a shell-shocked Waterford outfit at Pairc Ui Rinn.

Conor Corbett, Aodhan O'Luasa (1-5), Evan Cooke and Sean McDonnell all netted in what was something of a turkey shoot for the free-scoring Leesiders. But they are unlikely to have it so easy in their next outing: the Rebels travel to Tralee to face holders Kerry in a winner-takes-all semi-final on Tuesday, May 8th.

The winners of that game will advance to the provincial final and will also be guaranteed a place in the All-Ireland series, while the losers will bow out of the competition.

Waterford have never beaten the Rebel County in minor football and - even though the grade has been tweaked this year from U18 to U17 - it was clear by the interval that this stat was not about to change as the hosts led by 2-13 to 0-3 at the turnaround.

Corbett netted in the third minute and O'Luasa in the tenth - with Dara O'Sullivan, Cooke, McDonnell and Ó Luasa all pointing in between - as the winners opened up a 2-5 to no score advantage. Aaron Ryan had the visitors off the mark in the twelfth minute but it was far too easy for the home team as David Buckley, Francis Cronin and Eoin Nation all poured forward to arrow over further scores.

It remained one-way traffic all the way to the final whistle, with Cooke and McDonnell finding the net in the 31st and 57th minutes respectively and ten different Cork men getting on the scoresheet before the end.

However, although this was a sobering experience for the visitors, their race is not yet run. Na Deise will return to action in a fortnight when they take on the winners of next Wednesday's backdoor clash of Tipperary and Limerick for the right to meet Clare in the second semi-final.

Cork - D Doody; D Connolly, D Buckley (0-1), C O'Donovan; F Cronin (0-1), D Phelan, E Nation (0-1); N Hartnett, R Lombard; H Murphy, D O'Sullivan (0-3), E Cooke (1-1); S McDonnell (1-2), A O Luasa (1-5, 0-2f), C Corbett (1-2). Subs: J Harte (0-1) for R Lombard, A Whelton for H Murphy, M O'Neill (0-3) for C Corbett, N Lordan for D Connolly, M White for D Doody, J O'Shea for E Nation.

Waterford - N McSweeney; C Foley, S Boyce, S Lennon; L Power, T Walsh, L Fennell; C Browne, J Power (0-1f); A Ryan (0-1f), L Walsh, S Ronayne; N O'Keeffe (0-2f), M O Floinn, R Elliffe. Subs: H Griffin for A Ryan, A Behan for L Power, T Mooney for S Ronayne, P Fitzgerald for M O Floinn, S Walsh for R Elliffe, K Taylor for L Fennell.

Referee - B Griffin.


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