Waterford IT 2-14 UCC 1-15:WATERFORD IT recovered from conceding a goal after 15 seconds and trailing by 1-10 to 1-7 at half-time to pull off a stunning comeback in their semi-final at Cork IT.
Waterford IT restricted UCC to just five points on the resumption as they thundered into the contest, drawing level with a Fintan O'Leary point after 38 minutes and then taking the lead in controversial circumstances moments later.
Referee John Ryan adjudged the Cork students fouled Pat McLoughney and duly awarded a penalty which the same player converted with a low, hard shot to hand Waterford IT a 2-10 to 1-10 lead.
A combination of dogged defending and the capacity to answer every UCC point with a score of their own kept them in front entering the closing stages in a hectic finale.
With two minutes left Stephen Moylan made it a one-point game only for O'Leary to reply on the call of full-time and, despite late pressure, UCC couldn't engineer the goal they needed.
All this contrasted with Cork's sharp, flowing first-half display, boosted by Eoghan Murphy's early goal, with Waterford IT only drawing level entering the second quarter following O'Leary's crashing goal, set up by McLoughney.
Murphy's accuracy from placed balls and Moylan's opportunism helped UCC look the more likely winners during that half.
The introduction of Gary Nolan for the second half, a number of positional switches and an overall improvement produced the desired result for Waterford IT, leaving UCC reflect on what might have been.
WATERFORD IT: A Power; K Lanigan, J Dalton, C Cooney; S Fives (0-1 free), P Hartley, K Moran,captain; S Lillis, P Kelly; F O'Leary (1-3), TJ Reid, R Good; R McLoughney (1-6, 1-0 penalty, 0-5 frees), E Reid (0-3), S O'Sullivan. Subs: G Nolan (0-1) for Kelly (half-time), G Griffley for Good (52 mins).
UCC: A Nash (0-1 free); C O'Driscoll, D Cody, captain, A Quilligan; K Hartnett, R Foley (0-1), S O'Neill; M Cahill, M Rice (0-1); A Harte (0-1), B Beckett, J Gorman; J Halbert (0-1), E Murphy (1-6, 0-5 frees, 0-1 65), S Moylan (0-4). Sub: P Barry for Harte (49 mins).
Referee: J Ryan
