Cork have defeated Dublin to secure a place in the All-Ireland minor hurling final
An exhibition of free-taking from Brian Turnbull ended Cork’s 10-year wait for an All-Ireland minor final appearance,
The Douglas forward finished with 13 points, 11 of which were dead-ball efforts. Arguably his most impressive score was his second from play, delivered three minutes into second-half stoppages after Dublin’s Mark Grogan had flicked a ’65 to the net to cut the deficit back to three points.
Turnbull gathered possession in the ensuing passage and split the posts to seal Cork’s first All-Ireland minor semi-final victory since 2010.
The Munster champions led by 0-11 to 1-4 at the break and that interval advantage would have stood at seven points were it not for the concession of an injury-time goal, Eoghan O’Neill kicking the sliotar to the net after Dublin’s first three attempts were repelled by the Dublin defence.
The Cork full-back line, at times, lived a charmed existence, with goalkeeper Ger Collins, Conor O’Callaghan and Aaron Walsh Barry having to make last-ditch interventions at various junctures throughout the first-half to prevent Dublin goals.
At the other end, the Dublin rearguard simply had no answer to the speed of Turnbull. The Douglas corner-forward finished the half with five points, four of which arrived via the place ball – Turnbull was the player fouled for all but one of those frees. His tally could have been much higher, mind, with Turnbull hitting four first-half wides.
Midfielder Daire Connery raised two white flags in that first-half and he and Turnbull continued to lead the way upon the change of ends shooting the first two points of the second-half.
Dublin never came closer than three points in the second period and eventually switched Liam Murphy onto placed ball duty after Seán Currie sent a handful of frees wide of the target.
Scorers for Cork: B Turnbull (0-13, 0-11 frees); D Connery (0-5, 0-2 frees); B Roche (0-2); G Millerick, D Linehan, B Buckley (0-1 each).
Scorers for Waterford: S Currie (0-6, 0-3 frees); M Grogan, E O’Neill (1-1 each); L Murphy (0-4, 0-3 frees); E Allen (0-1).
Cork: G Collins (Ballinhassig); C O’Callaghan (Dromtarriffe), S O’Leary Hayes (Midleton), E Roche (Bride Rovers); A Walsh Barry (Carrigtwohill), J Keating (Kildorrery), G Millerick (Fr O’Neill’s); D Connery (Na Piarsaigh), B Roche (Bride Rovers); B Buckley (Dromina), C Hanafin (Na Piarsaigh), D Linehan (Ballyhooly); L O’Shea (Lisgoold), R Downey (Glen Rovers), B Turnbull (Douglas).
Subs: B Murphy (Castlelyons) for Hanafin (47 mins); D Hanlon (Blarney) for Buckley (49 mins); C O’Brien (Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels) for B Roche (60).
Dublin: C O’Donoghue (Ballyboden St Enda’s); B McHugh (Raheny), K Burke (Na Fianna), A Dunphy (St Brigid’s); E O’Donnell (Whitehall Caolmcille), L Walsh (Lucan Sarsfields), L Gannon (Whitehall Colmcille); D Keogh (Thomas Davis), B Coffey (Lucan Sarsfields); D Ó Floinn (Cuala), L McDwyer (Ballyboden St Enda’s), M Grogan (Kilmacud Crokes); L Murphy (Cuala), E O’Neill (St Vincent’s), S Currie (Na Fianna).
Subs: S Kennedy (Ballyboden St Enda’s) for McDwyer (HT); E Allen (Lucan Sarsfields) for Coffey, C Derwin (Craobh Chiaráin) for Ó Floinn (both 52); T Aherne (Ballinteer St John’s) for O’Donnell (60).
Referee: M Murtagh (Waterford).
