A strong finish saw Cork get the better of an injury hit Waterford at Walsh Park in the All Ireland camogie championship on Saturday evening (0-16 to 0-10).
Late points from Amy O'Connor, Cliona Healy and Laura Hayes put the Rebelettes through to the semi finals as Group 1 winners. Katrina Mackey finished with four points from play.
The home side lost three key players to injury. Abby Flynn (hamstring), Orla Hickey (knee) and Lorraine Bray (hip) all came off for Derek Lyons' side. Goalkeeper Brianna O'Regan passed a late fitness test.
Beth Carton shot seven points for Waterford including a stunning solo effort in the second half. Her last gasp penalty, in the tenth minute of injury time, was saved by Amy Lee. A win away to Clare on July 2 would see the Déise advance to the quarter finals.
Both sides set up with sweepers with Ashling Thompson and Clodagh Carroll free at the back. Waterford went two points up inside two minutes with Niamh Rockett and Carton on target. Cork responded with five white flags in a row, including two from Mackey, as they led 0-6 to 0-4 at the break. In the sixth minute of injury time, Chloe Sigerson sent a penalty right and wide after Amy O'Connor was fouled.
Carton converted a free three minutes into the second half to reduce the gap to one. That was as close as Waterford got. Defender Orla Hickey and captain Lorraine Bray were both carried off the field. Carton got a sensational solo score when she fended off Cork midfielder Katie O'Mahoney. Sarah Lacey and Rockett added points but Cork came good in injury time.
Scorers for Cork: Katrina Mackey, Amy O'Connor (3fs) 0-4 each, Cliona Healy 0-3, Laura Hayes 0-2, Meabh Murphy, Saoirse McCarthy, Fiona Keating 0-1 each.
Scorers for Waterford: Beth Carton 0-7 (3fs, 2 45s), Niamh Rockett 0-2, Sarah Lacey 0-1.
Cork: Amy Lee; Ciara O'Sullivan, Libby Coppinger, Meabh Cahalane; Saoirse McCarthy, Katie O'Mahoney, Laura Hayes; Fiona Keating, Ashling Thompson; Izzy O'Regan, Meabh Murphy, Chloe Sigerson; Cliona Healy, Amy O'Connor, Katrina Mackey.
Subs: Hannah Looney for O'Sullivan (39), Emma Murphy for O'Regan (44), Ali Smith for Mackey (59), Kate Wall for Sigerson (59).
Waterford: Brianna O'Regan; Keeley Corbett Barry, Mairead Power, Iona Heffernan; Orla Hickey, Clodagh Carroll, Aoife Landers; Lorraine Bray, Clara Griffin; Beth Carton, Abby Flynn, Mairead O'Brien; Niamh Rockett, Roisin Kirwan, Rachael Walsh.
Subs: Tara Power for Flynn (24), Sarah Lacey for Hickey (36), Ciara O’Sullivan for Kirwan (49), Alannah O'Sullivan for Bray (56).
Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare)
