Sport

Ronan's accuracy crucial for Cork

Munster SH Cup Semi-final/ Cork 0-16 Waterford 2-9 : Ten points, nine of them from frees, by the unerring Neil Ronan set up …

Mon Jan 29 2007 - 00:00

Munster SH Cup Semi-final/ Cork 0-16 Waterford 2-9: Ten points, nine of them from frees, by the unerring Neil Ronan set up Cork's victory over Waterford at Dungarvan yesterday.

The sides were level five times in a game that came to life in the second half after a pedestrian opening 30 minutes. Waterford started well with early points from Michael Walsh and James Murray before Ronan opened Cork's account from a free in the eighth minute.

The sides were level three times in the opening half before points from Ronan (a free) and Niall McCarthy in injury-time gave Cork an 0-8 to 0-6 interval lead. McCarthy's point was the first by a Cork forward from play as midfielders Tom Kenny (two) and Kieran Murphy (one) were their only other scorers from play in the opening half.

Waterford took the lead two minutes after the restart when Séamus Prendergast was fouled in the square and Ken McGrath blasted the resulting penalty to the net to make it 1-6 to 0-8.

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Cork were back on level terms inside three minutes before a hat -trick of Ronan points from frees along with one by Murphy saw Cork open up a four-point advantage, 0-13 to 1-6, after 45 minutes.

Waterford were right back in the game in the 46th minute when team captain Michael Walsh, now at full forward, flicked the ball to the net from a long-range McGrath free. Points were exchanged before Eoin Kelly brought Waterford level once again with six minutes remaining.

Ronan, with two more pointed frees, edged Cork 0-16 to 2-8 ahead before Kelly replied with a free with 60 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to the minimum margin. McGrath had a glorious chance to send the game to extra time in the dying seconds but his effort went wide.

CORK: D Óg Cusack; P Fitzgerald, C O'Connor, E O'Sullivan; G Callanan, R Curran, J Gardiner; K Murphy (0-2), T Kenny (0-2); J O'Callaghan, N McCarthy (0-1), T McCarthy (0-1); N Ronan (0-10, nine frees), D O'Sullivan, C Cusack. Subs: P Kelly for Gardiner, M O'Connell for Niall McCarthy, J Deane for O'Callaghan, P O'Sullivan for Cusack.

WATERFORD: C Hennessy; E Murphy, T Feeney, A Kearney; J Kennedy, D Prendergast, J Murray (0-1); K McGrath (1-1, pen, 0-1 free), J Hartley; J Mullane (0-1), S Prendergast (0-2), M Walsh (1-1); C Carey, D Shanahan, E Kelly (0-3 frees). Subs: S Molumphy for Hartley; B Phelan for Carey.

Referee: J Ryan(Tipperary).