Holders Cork, inspired by Brian Hayes, are all but certain of a place in another Munster SHC decider after victory over Waterford but they were made to work for their win by their dogged Déise hosts, whose challenge was hampered by two black cards.
As Waterford Fire Services dealt with a blaze just a few streets away, Ben O'Connor’s side secured the points while Waterford’s latest bid to end their round-robin hoodoo all but went up in smoke.
Having won the toss, Waterford opted to play with the wind and were a point ahead at the break (0-14 to 0-13).
Cork’s Alan Connolly opened the scoring after 97 seconds, with Jack Prendergast finding a prompt reply for the hosts.
Brian Hayes converted the first of six first half points in the third minute and he was next to score barely 60 seconds later.
Sean Mackey and Jamie Barron, who led Waterford’s second half recovery against Tipperary, tagged on the next three points (two for the Fourmilewater clubman) before Hayes, picked out by Darragh Fitzgibbon, restored parity.
An interchange of passes involving Alan Connolly and William Buckley provided the opening for Hugh O’Connor to edge Cork ahead by the 10th minute, but Calum Lyons, picked out by Billy Nolan, levelled for the Déise men.
Alan Connolly (a free) and Dessie Hutchinson, latching onto Stephen Bennett’s cross-field ball, traded points before Bennett’s 15th minute free sent Waterford a point clear.
Cork, who didn’t have to rue on their evening’s wayward shooting, restored their lead thanks to Hayes, who tagged on two points either side of Bennett’s 18th minute free.
The end-to-end nature of the contest continued through to the interval, but Waterford were further impeded by the injury-forced withdrawals of Ian Kenny, Iarlaith Daly and the talismanic Stephen Bennett.
Two minutes from half-time, Mark Fitzgerald was black carded after hauling down Brian Hayes just yards from the Town End goal. Alan Connolly’s subsequent penalty was saved by the outstanding Billy Nolan, who dived smartly to his left. Hayes and Hutchinson, the latter by then on free taking duties, completed the first half scoring.
Waterford extended their advantage to three points by the 43rd minute but Cork edged back into contention and had drawn level a quarter hour later, with Connolly unerring over the dead ball.
A second black card on the hour mark turned the contest in the Rebels’ favour after Jack Fagan impeded the advancing Alan Connolly. Mark Coleman rifled home the penalty to send Cork four points clear, much to the delight of the sizeable travelling support among the 12,017-strong gate.
But Waterford never threw the towel in and were denied an equalising goal after 66 minutes after Patrick Collins reacted superbly to Peter Hogan’s well-struck shot. The home support’s groans grew louder after Connolly converted another free to send Cork four clear with time running out.
Yet, not for the first time under Peter Queally’s watch, Waterford stubbornly remained in touch as a brace of Hutchinson points leaving them just two points in arrears with just a minute of regulation time remaining.
But Cork showed the greater composure in the additional four minutes thanks to an excellent Séamus Harnedy point and Connolly’s sixth free of the evening.
The muscle memory of doing what it takes to remain a neck ahead down the stretch served Ben O’Connor’s men well. They shall not easily surrender the Mick Mackey Cup.
Waterford: Billy Nolan; Ian Kenny, Mark Fitzgerald, Aaron O’Neill; Jack Fagan, Iarlaith Daly, Calum Lyons (0-03); Paddy Leavey, Sean Mackey (0-02); Jack Prendergast (0-02), Stephen Bennett (0-02f), Jamie Barron (0-03); Dessie Hutchinson (0-08, 7f), Sean Walsh (0-02), Kevin Mahony (0-03).
Subs: Conor Keane for Ian Kenny (19), Shane Bennett for Iarlaith Daly (22), Peter Hogan for Stephen Bennett (36), Michael Kiely for Kevin Mahony (64), Darragh Lyons for Seán Mackey (65),
Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Damien Cahalane, Seán O’Donoghue; Tommy O’Connell, Eoin Downey, Mark Coleman (1-00pen); Tim O’Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-03, 1f); Diarmuid Healy, Shane Barrett (0-01), Hugh O’Connor (0-02); Alan Connolly (0-09, 7f), William Buckley (0-03), Brian Hayes (0-07).
Subs: Ger Mellerick for Seán O’Donoghue (Blood, 29), Robbie O’Flynn for Hugh O’Connor (51), Cormac O’Brien for Eoin Downey (55), Séamus Harnedy (0-01) for Diarmuid Healy (59), Pádraig Power for Alan Connolly (70).
Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin)
