By Rory Noonan – The Echo
Waterford 1-24 Cork 3-17
Disappointment for Cork as the got their hurling league campaign off to a losing start at Walsh Park.
Cork got off to the perfect start, with two goals in just over a minute. The first came after the full-forward line combined, with Horgan and Kingston setting up Lehane to score. A minute later and Horgan turned provider again, this time setting up Kingston, to make it 2-0 to no score, with three minutes gone. Neil Montgomery got Waterford off the mark when he scored from a sideline, with Horgan responding for Cork from a free. Waterford started to get the upper hand, with Stephen Bennett on target from a free, followed by two from Kieran Bennett, to make it 2-1 to 0-4 after nine minutes. Darragh Fitzgibbon scored for the Rebels, but Calum Lyons and Montgomery combined to set up Patrick Curran for a goal to bring Waterford right back into contention. Bennett hit two more frees, along with a point from Jack Fagan to see them lead afer 16 minutes, 1-7 to 2-2. Harnedy got his first of the game, with Kieran Bennett replying for Waterford. Horgan and Bennett exchanged scores, before a second from Harnedy, followed by a Horgan free had the sides level again. Bennett hit another free, with Cahalane replying but a strong finish to the half, with two more from Bennett along with one from Curran saw Waterford lead at the break 1-13 to 2-8.
Stephen Bennett hit the first two points of the second-half, with Horgan replying for Cork from a free. Bennett was on target again, along with Kieran Bennett as they kept the scoreboard ticking over and with 48 minutes gone they led by 1-17 to 2-11.
Cork responded with two points from Coleman and another Horgan free. Stephen Bennett, Prendergast and Iarlaith Daly hit three in-a-row for Waterford rto put them back in front, with Fitzgibbon on target for the Rebels. Two from Mikey Kearney, along with one from Curran had Waterford in control, but a late goal from Kingston gave Cork a glimmer of a hope, as he made it 3-16 to 1-24. Cahalane got his third of the game, but two late wides from Cork saw their chances of a draw disappear.
Scorers for Waterford: S Bennett 0-11 (0-7 f, 0-1 65), P Curran 1-2, K Bennett 0-5, M Kearney 0-2, I Daly, J Fagan, N Montgomery (sl), J Prendergast 0-1 each.
Cork: S Kingston 2-2, P Horgan 0-6 f, C Lehane 1-0, S Harnedy, D Fitzgibbon, M Coleman 0-2 each, D Cahalane 0-3.
WATERFORD: S O’Keeffe; C Gleeson, C Prunty, S McNulty; C Lyons, D Fives, I Daly; J Prendergast, J Dillon; N Montgomery, J Fagan, K Bennett; D Hutchinson, S Bennett, P Curran.
Subs: S Fives for C Gleeson (30m), M Kearney for J Dillon (49m), P Hogan for D Hutchinson (52m), D Lyons for N Montgomery (58m), T Barron for J Fagan (62m),
CORK: A Nash; N O’Leary, R Downey, S O’Donoghue; C O’Leary, T O’Mahony, D Cahalane; B Cooper, M Coleman; S Harnedy, D Fitzgibbon, A Walsh; C Lehane, S Kingston, P Horgan.
Subs: L Meade for A Walsh (49m), S O’Leary Hayes for N O’Leary (52m), S Twomey for C Lehane (60m), R O’Flynn for S Harnedy (67m),
Ref: John Keenan, Wicklow.
Cork footballers will travel to Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday in Round 2 of Allianz Football League. Leitrim will be the Rebels’ opposition as they seek their second win in this season’s competition.
Cork hurlers first home game of the 2020 league programme will take place on Saturday at 7pm.
