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| Rebels and Decies must meet again - Sunday, July 11, 2010
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Tony Browne's late equalising goal earned Waterford a 2-15 apiece draw with Cork in a thrilling Munster final in Thurles.
The Rebels had one hand on the silverware after quickfire goals from Aisake O hAilpin and Ben O'Connor propelled them into a five-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter but the Decies refused to panic and Eoin Kelly's stunning goal kept them in touch before veteran campaigner Browne came off the bench to force a replay four minutes into stoppage time.
The rematch will be in Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The sides were level four times during the course of a disappointing first half, which ended with the underdogs leading by 0-7 to 0-6. Only four players managed to score from play in that opening 37 minutes. In truth, it was a damp squib rather than the fireworks anticipated. But the game would fairly ignite after the restart…
A brilliant Shane O'Sullivan score fired Waterford ahead in the third minute and Cathal Naughton had the Rebels in front within seconds as he drilled over a brace of wonderful points from midfield.
In the eighth minute, a flowing Waterford move culminated in the inimitable John Mullane levelling the scores for the second time. O'Sullivan then slotted over a sideline cut to restore the Decies' lead before Mullane made it 0-4 to 0-2 after ten minutes.
Ben then sent a free wide but - on a day of high-profile umpiring errors - the official made a clear error in allowing the 'point' to stand. Mullane missed a goal chance when he miscued his groundstroke. O'Connor had two wides either side of an Eoin Kelly free for Waterford: 0-5 to 0-4 after 20 minutes.
The Cork No.10 was having an off-day in the early stages and he lofted a sideline cut badly wide. The squandermania was contagious, with Kelly missing the target at the other end from a simple enough free by his own high standards.
Clinton Hennessy dealt capably with a Tom Kenny shot for goal and Sean Og O hAilpin was on hand to loft over the levelling point: 0-5 each after 26 minutes. Kelly popped over his next free - this one from straight in front of the posts - and Davy Fitz temporarily introduced the legendary Ken McGrath as a blood substitute a minute shy of the half-hour mark.
Donal Og Cusack easily saved a Kelly goal effort and the Waterford No.12 drilled over his third free to make it 0-7 to 0-5. John Gardiner popped over a 65 after a harsh free went against Michael Brick Walsh, so the Decies could argue that they had been diddled out of two first-half points. Still, they led by one at the interval.
Mullane grabbed his third point within seconds of the resumption and Kelly arrowed over a free to make it a three-point match three minutes in. Kelly, Kenny and Kevin Moran then chipped in with superb points from play at both ends to leave the outsiders winning by 0-11 to 0-7 after 40 minutes.
After Aisake O hAilpin was fouled, Ben O'Connor tapped a free between the posts and Gardiner followed up with his second of the match to bring the deficit down to two with ten minutes played in the second half. When the Rebels crept ominously within a point courtesy of Paudie O'Sullivan, De La Salle clubman Mullane replied with a trademark score at the other end.
But Ben O'Connor replied instantly with another pointed free and substitute Michael Cussen supplied the equaliser, 0-12 apiece. Kelly's sixth of the day - his fifth free - restored the Decies' one-point lead before - on the stroke of the three-quarters mark - Aisake O hAilpin demonstrated strength and agility to boom the sliothar to the back of the Waterford net: 1-12 to 0-13.
Thurles erupted in the 55th minute when Ben O'Connor drilled a second Cork goal to the roof of the net. The Newtown' clubman took his time and weighed up his options before unleashing an unstoppable shot to seemingly finish the game as a contest. Kelly replied with another free but Cork now had the look of a winning team.
However, the Munster final was brought back to life in the 58th minute when Eoin Kelly brought his personal tally to 1-7 by sending a scorching shot into the postage stamp of the Cork goal. A tremendous score and the match was back alive with just a point in it: 2-12 to 1-14.
Davy Fitz threw Ken McGrath, Dan Shanahan and Maurice Shanahan into the fray and the latter was out of luck when his shot flew a few feet wide.
Brian Murphy added to Cork's tally from left corner back seven minutes from the end and Paudie O'Sullivan - with his second point of the half - made it a three-point game - 2-14 to 1-14 - with four minutes to go.
Kelly slotted over a disputed 65 in the last minute of normal time but Ben O'Connor replied with an injury-time free.
Deep into added time, Waterford were awarded a controversial free in front of goal. Kelly's low drive from 21 metres was blocked on the line but the ageless Tony Browne arrived first to the breaking ball to deliver a dramatic equalising shot to the net.
Cork - D Óg Cusack; S O'Neill, E Cadogan, B Murphy (0-1); J Gardiner (0-3, 1f,1'65), R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín (0-1); T Kenny (0-1), C Naughton (0-2); B O'Connor (1-5, 4f), J O'Connor, N McCarthy (0-1); K Murphy, A Ó hAilpín (1-0), P Horgan. Subs - R Ryan for S Óg Ó hAilpín, M Cussen (0-1) for J O'Connor, P O'Sullivan for K Murphy, P Cronin for Horgan.
Waterford - C Hennessy; E Murphy, L Lawlor, N Connors; T Browne (1-0), M Walsh, D Prendergast; S O'Sullivan (0-2, 1sl), R Foley; S Walsh, K Moran (0-1), E Kelly (1-8, 6f,1'65); S Molumphy, J Mullane (0-4), E McGrath. Subs - S Prendergast for McGrath, J Nagle for Lawlor, D Shanahan for Moran, M Shanahan for Walsh, K McGrath for Foley.
Ref - J Ryan (Tipperary).
Source: hoganstand.com |
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