Waterford 3-12
Cork 1-9

by Anthony Newman

Waterford are through to the TG4 Munster Senior Football Championship final after an impressive win over Cork at Dungarvan GAA Club on Sunday.

Two goals in two minutes early in the second half were the key scores as the home side have reached the decider for the first time since 2019.

Lauran McGregor and Karen McGrath got the all-important green flags to seal the win for the home side, a victory they thoroughly deserved on the day. 

They took the lead in the second minute when Aine O’Neill scored, with Chloe Fennell adding a second as the home side were dominating the early exchanges.

They thought they had a goal when Lauren McGregor scored but it was ruled out for overcarrying.

Katie Quirke got Cork’s first score, after 13 minutes, from a free, before Kellyann Hogan replied at the other end.

Two more from Quirke, both frees, saw the sides level after 20 minutes, a position Cork would have been happy with at that point.

Emma Murray put Waterford back on front, with another Quirke free levelling it again.

A point from Libby Coppinger put Cork in front for the first time, before Fennell’s second had them level again.

A great run from Aoife Healy put Cork back in front with three minutes to half time, but a late free from Hogan had the sides level at the break, 0-6 each.

Emma Murray put Waterford back in front, before Emma Cleary had the sides level again. It looked like the game was swinging in Cork’s favour when Quirke set up Healy for Cork’s goal, to make it 1-7 to 0-7.

But Waterford broke straight down the pitch with Lauren McGregor getting their first goal.

Two minutes later and they had their second, with McGregor setting up Karen McGrath to score. Hogan added a point, to make it 2-8 to 1-7 as Waterford had one foot in the final.

With 53 minutes gone Waterford got their third goal, with McGregor scoring again as they were now well in control.

Cleary pointed for Cork but late scores from O’Neill and Katie Murray secured the win for Waterford as they now face Kerry in the final on May 25 at Mallow.

Scorers - Waterford: L McGregor 2-1, K McGrath 1-0, K Hogan (1f), C Fennell 0-3 each, A O’Neill, E Murray 0-2 each, K Murray 0-1.

Cork: A Healy 1-1, K Quirke 0-4 (4f), E Cleary 0-2, L Coppinger, L Hallihan 0-1.

WATERFORD: K Gardiner; R Casey, E Power, A Murray; C Murray, K McGrath, M Ryan; K Hogan, H Power; L Ni Harta, K Murray, E Murray; L McGregor, C Walsh, C Fennell.  Subs: L O’Shea for L Ni Harta (48), A Power for C Fennell (60).

CORK: S Murphy; D Kiniry, S Kelly, M Duggan; E O’Shea, S Cronin, R Corkery; M O’Callaghan, A Healy; K Horgan, L O’Mahony, E Cleary; A O’Sullivan, L Coppinger, K Quirke. Subs: A Ryan for K Horgan (ht), L Hallihan for L Coppinger (40), H Looney for R Corkery (41), A Ring for L O’Mahony (48), S McGoldrick for M O’Callaghan (54). 

Referee: Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry).

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