Cork 4-13 Waterford 1-6WHEN WATERFORD won the toss at a windy Walsh Park yesterday the home support would have wished their side would take a convincing lead by the break.

It was Cork's Mark Scanlon who opened the scoring, however, and the visitors, despite conceding a goal to Maurice Shanahan in the 18th minute, frustrated the home side with some determined hurling.

When Paul Honahan goaled on the half-hour mark his side went in at the break only a point in arrears, 1-4 to 1-3, and the signs were ominous for Waterford. So it proved, as Cork took complete control in the second half.

Substitute James Coughlan got his side's second goal on 49 minutes to give the visitors a 2-9 to 1-6 lead and from there on the margin of victory was the only issue in doubt.

Centre forward Ciarán Sheehan added a third on 53 minutes and Coughlan put the icing on the cake with his second and Cork's fourth goal in the 58th minute.

CORK: D McCarthy; C Smith, D Rodgers, E Moynihan; A Walsh, P O'Shea (0-2, 65s), W Egan; S Farrell, P Honahan (1-1); M Collins (0-3), C Sheehan (1-3), D Roche; J O'Dwyer, S O'Brien (0-4), M Carroll. Subs: S Long for Carroll, J Coughlan (2-0) for Collins, E O'Sullivan for Honahan.

WATERFORD: S O'Keeffe; S Kearney, B Coughlan, N Connors; O Whelan, P Mahony, S Daniels; A O'Neill, O Connors; C Curran (0-2, one free), G Falconer, B O'Halloran (0-2); A Brophy, M Shanahan (1-1), B O'Sullivan (0-1). Subs: P Mahony for Falconer, T Ó hUllacháin for O'Neill, P O'Donovan for B O'Halloran, M O'Neill for E Connors.

Referee: J O'Mahoney (Limerick).