MUNSTER SH FIRST ROUND/Waterford 1-16 Cork 1-15: For a second successive year, Cork hurlers have lasted only one afternoon in the Guinness Munster hurling championship.
New look and under new management they still tumbled to a completely unfancied Waterford side who hurled with great assurance throughout the match.
For former Cork manager Justin McCarthy, the triumph of his new charges must have been immensely gratifying.
Waterford passed a mediocre league and hadn't done anything to suggest that a major championship impact was at hand but, despite some high-profile disruption by injuries, they battled away and had the self-belief to ride out a difficult phase and still hit back to win.
It was an exciting encounter more than a terrific spectacle. The rain that swept Thurles intermittently made sure that the surface was treacherous and the ball hard to control.
Nonetheless, the players made up for the loss of dexterity with some whole-hearted play and well-taken scores.
At the very end of the match a draw looked a likely result, but there was equally an insistent feeling that there might be a decisive score in the match.
There was, but surprisingly it came from Waterford and involved two players whose participation had been ruled out by injury earlier in the week.
Brian Greene gained possession of a loose ball and calmly picked out Ken McGrath who rifled over the winning point.
It was Waterford's first score of the final quarter, which they entered five points ahead. During their extensive fallow period, Waterford appeared to be slowly buckling under the weight of Cork's comeback and when Joe Deane equalised two minutes from time, there looked only one likely winner.
In the end, though, Waterford were deserving winners. They had been unlucky to go in at the interval trailing by a point and firmly took the initiative in the third quarter.
If there was a loss of nerve as an major upset beckoned, they deserved great credit for being the ones to grasp the opportunity at the end when momentum seemed to have swung fatally against them.
In addition, Waterford had the match's outstanding personality in Paul Flynn.
Again he assembled a huge score, this time 12 points, but he also brought a relentless focus to bear on his finishing, taking a succession of valuable frees - including two whoppers, one from his own 45 - and some delightful points from play.
In the past Flynn has - despite his huge scoring tallies - attracted a lot criticism for not clicking on big days, but yesterday he delivered in style on the scoreboard even if he wasn't always prominent in general play.
There was one blip on the screen when he missed a tricky free to put Waterford two clear in the 66th minute - his only lapse throughout the afternoon.
There was some luck attached to the success.
Tony Browne's goal, which turned the match, was a steadily drilled ball from distance that somehow got past Donal Óg Cusack 10 minutes into the second half. That gave Waterford a lead they never lost.
The match had started with some reshuffling on both sides. Cork were forced to replace the injured Alan Browne with Fergal McCormack at centre forward.
Waterford rendered their starting line-up purely notional by making changes to all outfield lines except the full backs.
This left them with a new centrefield of Tony Browne and Dave Bennett, a combination that had an impressive first half.
Early on, Cork looked a bit subdued but well capable of settling the match if they put their minds to it.
Joe Deane gave James Murray a frightful time - which continued largely unabated until the supply dried up - and in the other corner Ben O'Connor had a good afternoon, registering nine points from frees and open play.
What intensified the feeling that Cork were likely winners was the manner in which they rode out a phase of Waterford superiority before half-time and struck for the goal that sent them in a point ahead on the scoreboard.
On the half-hour, Deane flicked a ball on for Eamonn Collins who added to his growing reputation as a goal-scorer by calmly making space and striking to the net.
Adding to Waterford's frustration was the knowledge that they should have had a goal themselves just before that but Cusack saved well from Eoin McGrath.
Yet, Waterford stayed with them as the second half started. Their attack was looking sharper with the introduction of Ken McGrath as replacement for former Tipperary player Andy Moloney who struggled to get on top of John Browne or Diarmuid O'Sullivan when switched with Séamus Prendergast.
The match was tightly balanced when Browne struck for the Waterford goal and steadily the margin between the sides stretched into a five-point lead.
Cork responded by moving Timmy McCarthy to centre forward and bringing Pat Ryan to centrefield. Fergal Ryan was moved out of the corner where John Mullane had been giving him consistent trouble and Wayne Sherlock took over.
The moves paid off and Cork started to look more dangerous and pick off their scores.
Collins nearly had a second goal in the 55th minute but Stephen Brenner saved smartly and Waterford earned a free out for a foul committed before Deane scrambled the ball to the net.
The lead was duly chased down, but Waterford showed terrific spirit in the dying minutes and the reward is a first Munster final since 1998 and only their second in 20 years.
HOW THEY LINED OUT
WATERFORD: 1. S Brenner; 2. J Murray, 3. T Feeney, 4. B Flannery; 8. P Queally, 6. F Hartley (capt.), 5. E Murphy; 7. T Browne, 12. D Bennett; 10. E Kelly, 11. A Moloney, 15. P Flynn; 13. J Mullane, 14. S Prendergast, 9. E McGrath. Subs: 24. K McGrath for Moloney (26 mins), 20. D Shanahan for Bennett (63), 21. M White for Mullane (65), B Greene for E McGrath (67). Booked: J Murray (38)
CORK: 1. D Cusack; 2.W Sherlock (capt.), 3. D O'Sullivan, 4. F Ryan; 5. D Barrett, 6. J Browne, 7. S O hAilpin; 8. A Cummins, 9. T McCarthy; 10. J O'Connor, 22. F McCormack, 12. N McCarthy; 13. B O'Connor, 14. E Collijns, 15. J Deane. Subs: P Ryan for McCormack (47 mins), S McGrath for J O'Connor (52).Booked: F Ryan (46).
