Cork must beat Tipperary in Thurles next Sunday to have a chance of avoiding a relegation play-off after this third consecutive defeat.

They could end up facing Waterford again, who on a seriously sandy Páirc Uí Chaoimh sod in front of a 10,445 crowd, claimed their first points of the Division 1A campaign to join Cork on two points. They face Clare at home in seven days’ time.

Cork may also be without captain Seamus Harnedy for the remainder of the campaign after he was sent off for a serious foul on Barry Coughlan, which left the home side playing catch-up for most of the remainder of the game.

Cork did draw level early in the second half as Waterford were beginning to think they would regret a series of wides and shots dropping short. But with Noel Connors and Austin Gleeson in mean form, they continued to send enough ball forward for substitutes like Stephen Bennett and Stephen Roche to see off Cork.

The score sequence was tit-for-tat in the opening quarter before Horgan pounced for his goal in the 20th minute. Cork broke from defence, Bill Cooper sending a diagonal ball into a two attackers versus three defenders scenario but one deft touch by Horgan and he had taken out the Waterford backs to lift the ball, run and finish to the net.

Cork’s three-point lead lasted just two minutes as Mikey Kearney finished off a slick Déise move involving Tom Devine who passed the ball cleverly into Kearney’s path although the Ballyduff Upper man did well to ground stroke the ball past a defender to free himself up in front of Anthony Nash to strike.

The first of two Austin Gleeson bombs pushed the visitors in front although Cork soon equalised. Waterford had been struggling with a couple of their forwards and their midfielders were both on yellow cards by the end of the half, Jamie Barron having coughed up three frees.

But it was Cork who lost a player in the 25th minute when Harnedy dropped his knee on Coughlan and, after consulting with his linesman, Seán Cleere brandished the red card.

Waterford, with the slight wind favour too, finished out the half three points better to lead 1-12 to 1-9 at the break.

Scorers for Cork: P. Horgan (1-10, 0-9 frees); C. Lehane (0-2); T. O’Mahony, M. Ellis, C. Spillane (0-1 each).

Scorers for Waterford: Pauric Mahony (0-10, 8 frees); M. Kearney (1-1); A. Gleeson (0-3, 1 free); S. Bennett (0-2); C. Dunford, J. Barron, T. de Burca, S. Roche (0-1 each).

CORK: A. Nash; C. O’Sullivan, E. Cadogan, C. Spillane; C. Joyce, T. O’Mahony, D. Browne; M. Ellis, M. Coleman; B. Cooper, C. Lehane, D. Brosnan; A. Cadogan, S. Harnedy (c), P. Horgan.

Subs for Cork: R. O’Flynn for C. Lehane (h-t); L. McLoughlin for C. Joyce (54); L. Meade for D. Brosnan (58); M. Cahalane for C. O’Sullivan (65); S. Kingston for B. Cooper (66).

Sent off: S. Harnedy (straight, 25).

WATERFORD: S. O’Keeffe; S. Fives, B. Coughlan, N. Connors; T. de Burca; A. Gleeson, Philip Mahony, C. Gleeson; J. Barron, K. Moran; Pauric Mahony, M. Kearney, M. Shanahan; T. Devine, C. Dunford.

Subs for Waterford: S. Roche for M. Shanahan, B. O’Halloran for C. Dunford (both 48); S. Bennett for T. Devine, J. Dillon for M. Kearney (both 57); K. Bennett for K. Moran (68).

Referee: S. Cleere (Kilkenny).