“That’s what we’ve asked the lads to do every time they put on the Cork jersey, that they leave everything out there,” said an understandably jubilant Ryan. Cork’s work-rate, in other words, was simply not going to be up for debate here. It soon became clear that Waterford needed goals and a quick Bennett free gave Patrick Fitzgerald the opportunity to fire in a 53rd-minute pile-driver, only for the effort to be charged down.ĭessie Hutchinson did have a goal chance denied by Collins just after the hour mark, but when the rebound came to Bennett, his effort was deflected for a ‘65’. The strength of Ryan’s bench became obvious to all, too, with the likes of Robbie O’Flynn and Shane Kingston given minutes as Cork eased away into the distance. Patrick Collins did make a fine 42nd-minute save from Hogan following great work from Bennett, the Cork goalkeeper relieved that his spillage of a mis-hit Bennett shot just after the resumption came to nought, TV pictures showing the sliotar roll along the goal-line without ever crossing the whitewash. There was momentary hope of a contest, too, Waterford necklacing three unanswered points within four minutes of the resumption, only for that hope to quickly weaken like a guttering candle, Cork duly nailing the next five scores. Only Stephen Bennett’s free-taking kept any semblance of life in Waterford, who would make three changes at the interval, Davy introducing Austin Gleeson, Peter Hogan and Patrick Fitzgerald. That was the tenor of it from the first whistle, the wind corrupting Waterford’s hurling in the shape of flustered, hasty passing and rushed shooting from often unwise angles.Ĭork were 0-15 to 0-6 clear by the midpoint and it would have been more but for a courageous Nolan stop from Brian Roche on 25 minutes after the young debutant was put in behind the cover by a clever Patrick Horgan pass.

Heart Fire by Robin D. Owens