Top Ten Championship Moments - Waterford v Cork Countdown

 

1. Only Paul Flynn could think of it (2004)

 

Moments after John Mullane walked the plank, Paul Flynn rifled over a point. He made a statement that he would now take up the responsibility in attack. When Dan Shanahan won that free about 45 metres out and slightly to the right of the posts, Diarmuid O’Sullivan joined his goalkeeper on the line. Did they know what was coming next? “Flynn goes for the goal!” He put top spin on the ball and it glided through the air and underneath the crossbar past the despairing dive of O’Sullivan. Disbelief all round but we all knew that he meant it. A moment of genius and imagination that will go down in the annals of Munster final history.

 

2. Ken soars into the clouds (2004)

Two magical moments from Ken McGrath will be forever engraved in recollections of the 2004 Munster final. Mid way through a first half of unrelenting pace, he launched a ball down towards the square. He gave it everything. It kept travelling and looped over the backpedalling Dónal Óg Cusack and between the posts. “Wow, you won’t see any better. Oh he was a hundred yards out” marvelled Ger Canning in commentary. Then in injury time, Diarmuid O’Sullivan joined the attack in one last ditch effort. McGrath leaped skyward to fetch the sliotar and when he returned to planet Earth, a white and blue wall of noise greeted him.

 

 

3. Rebels left empty handed (1948 & 1959)

Cork could call upon the likes of Christy Ring and Jack Lynch in their line-up for the 1948 decider but they ended up on the losing side. Johnny O’Connor, Christy Moylan, Tom Curran and Willie Galvin all flashed to the net to bring back Waterford’s second Munster crown and their first provincial final win over the Rebels. Further history was created when Jim Ware got his hands on Liam McCarthy later that year. They repeated the dose against Cork in 1957 and two years after that they took the scalp of the red and white once again in front of over 55,000 on their way to a second All Ireland.

 

4. Eight goal Thurles thriller (2007)

Eight goals and 33 points over the course of seventy breathless minutes. Hit with a raft of suspensions, Anthony Nash made his debut in goals for Cork and by half time four goals had flew past him. Dan Shanahan with two, John Mullane and Paul Flynn all billowed the net but Kieran Murphy inflicted damage at the other end with a brace. Eoin Kelly’s green flag settled the issue but there was still enough time for corner back Shane O’Neill to smash his shot off the crossbar. More entertaining than 2004 perhaps?

 

5. Dan’s last stand (2010)

In extra time of the first ever Munster final under floodlights, an impatient Dan finally got the call and he delivered. Maurice Shanahan and Eoin McGrath combined in the build up to play him in with only his old adversary to beat. He hit it low and early, too early perhaps. The sliotar skipped off the greasy surface however and slid under Cusack’s hurley. “I was a bit pissed off that I didn’t get on near the end of normal time but I did my bit when I came on. I know where the net is — when I get my chance, I take it.”

 

6. Shemozzle at the Canal End (2007)

One point down with time running out, Eoin McGrath went for broke. Dónal Óg parried it away but Paul Flynn followed up and a ruck ensued as the Cork defenders shielded the sliotar. From Dan Shanahan’s viewpoint; “O’Sullivan had his fat arse on it!” Brian Gavin assessed the situation and instead of a throw ball, he gave a free in. He implemented a rule supporters barely knew existed. Eoin Kelly converted and Dan took care of the replay.

 

7. Hat trick hero (2003)

The king of lost causes replicated the feat of Tallow’s Pat Murphy of 1989 by netting three of the best against the Rebels. No tap-ins either just three unstoppable shots. He rocketed home the first, collected a Paul Flynn free to bury to the bottom corner for number two and rounded it all off with one that nestled sweetly in the top corner. “This guy is gone wild today” remarked Cyril Farrell in the commentary box. He certainly had but amazingly Mullane’s heroics didn’t even merit the man of the match award that afternoon.

8. Take a bow Flynner (2005)

An exquisite piece of skill and opportunism from Paul Flynn illuminated the first half of another mile a minute Munster clash between the two counties. Tony Browne drove down a clearance and after the ball slipped out of Diarmuid O’Sullivan’s grasp, Flynn raced into the clear. He whipped on it first time and the connection was crisp. It caught Cusack by surprise and whizzed over his head to the roof of the rigging. The Ballygunner attacker took off his helmet to take in the acclaim. Cork exacted revenge that day but Flynn’s netbuster stays in the memory.

 

9. Dónal Óg denies the Déise (2006)

On a damp day in Dublin, Ken McGrath stood over an injury time free into Hill 16 as Waterford trailed by the minimum. Cathal Naughton’s introduction had cancelled out an Eoin Kelly goal at the start of the second period. From inside his own half, Ken coaxed it towards the posts. On first viewing it appeared to strike off the post but on closer inspection Dónal Óg Cusack angled his stick to divert it away towards the sideline. It flew out towards the Cusack Stand side and Brian Gavin sounded the whistle soon after. Another bid for All Ireland glory denied in cruel circumstances.

 

10. Munster final massacres (1982 & 1983)

Waterford fans waited so long for a taste of Munster final day but it all went pear shaped when one finally arrived after 16 years in the wilderness. Seanie O’Leary weighed in with four of the five goals in a 31 point walloping. The game is best remembered for Ray Cummins showing some mercy with his weary opponents by hand passing the ball over the bar when a goal looked certain. A significantly reduced crowd witnessed another hiding a year later. This time, Cork settled on a 19 point margin of victory.