Waterford 1-11
Cork 1-21

Waterford have been beaten in the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship semi-final, as champions Cork march on to another O’Duffy Cup decider.

The Déise led by one at the break following a fantastic first-half display, but Cork showed exactly why they are All-Ireland champions in the second – outscoring the Déise 1-12 to 0-4 after the break.

Cork got the opening score of the game on two minutes as Amy O’Connor sent over a free from close range, but Niamh Rockett was on hand to quickly cancel that out and get the Déise off the mark.

A superb run and point up the left flank from Saoirse McCarthy put the Rebels back ahead, but after fantastic work from Eimear O’Neill – she picked out Abby Flynn, who allowed Rockett to send over a fine effort from play to draw the sides level for the second time.

A huge goal chance then presented itself to the Déise on seven minutes as Beth Carton raced in on a breaking ball after a fine pass from Annie Fitzgerald, but Amy Lee did just enough to deny her and settle for a point instead.

Carton then made a brilliant sidestep to get inside her marker, and her rasping effort gave Waterford a two-point advantage that they in truth deserved given their positive start.

Cork wing-back Laura Hayes then split the posts as the All-Ireland champions notched their first score in nine minutes, but it was Waterford who were playing like champions – as they found the game’s opening goal on 14 minutes.

Mairéad O’Brien was released in behind and the Modeligo star offloaded to the onrushing Carton, and once the former Player of the Year got an eye of goal – she made no mistake, finding the bottom right corner to send the Déise fateful into raptures. They billed it as David versus Goliath, but it was David who led by four.

26 July 2025; Beth Carton of Waterford celebrates with teammate Niamh Rockett, left, after scoring their side’s first goal during the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Camogie Senior Championship semi-final match between Cork and Waterford at UPMC Nowlan Park, Kilkenny. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Cork responded superbly to that setback, their experience showing in spades as Emma Murphy and Sorcha McCartan split the posts with aplomb to reduce arrears to just two points.

Carton then made her personal tally 1-3 and Waterford’s 1-5 as the De La Salle ace picked up a loose sliotar and thumped over a tremendous effort amid a tightly-packed crowd. Kate Lynch was deployed at sweeper, and was mopping up plenty of ball – and the forwards in tandem worked like dogs to account for the extra defender.

Rockett made no mistake with a close-range free as the Déise re-established their four-point advantage. Katrina Mackey split the posts on 24 minutes following a driving run from McCarthy, and McCarthy was then on hand to knock over a free as Cork reduced the gap to two approaching the break.

Excellent defending from the Déise epitomised the intensity and effort on display, and the next score felt crucial as the interval loomed large. It came once again via McCarthy as Cork suddenly trailed by just a point – their response to Waterford’s goal one befitting of a side on the hunt for a third successive O’Duffy Cup crown.

While Beth Carton led from the front for Waterford, Saoirse McCarthy was Cork’s leading light – when she found space, Waterford were duly punished as the sides drew level for a third time.

A searching free from Rockett dropped short, but Abby Flynn was on hand to swivel and open her account, a one point lead for Waterford at the break – 1-07 to 0-09 – but plenty of drama left to unravel in the second period.

26 July 2025; Niamh Rockett of Waterford in action against Libby Coppinger of Cork during the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Camogie Senior Championship semi-final match between Cork and Waterford at UPMC Nowlan Park, Kilkenny. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Vikki Falconer and Amy O’Connor were in close contact all evening and when Falconer was adjudged to have fouled O’Connor, up stepped McCarthy to knock over the first score of the second period to level matters again.

Hayes then picked out Mackey and Cork led for the first time since the opening minutes, but Waterford responded admirably as the excellent Eimear O’Neill set up Carton to swivel and score once again.

Katrina Mackey was proving to be a source of distress to the Déise however, as when she was found in acres, she again made no mistake to bring her tally to three. It was score for score as Flynn found Rockett and she knocked over with ease as the sides refused to give one another an inch.

Mackey was again spotted on her own and she repeated her habit of splitting the posts, and the pace of Emma Murphy soon set her away to double their advantage.

A poor puckout then proved almost calamitous but Brianna O’Regan was on hand to deny Mackey a green flag, but there was no denying the impetus was starting to swing towards the team in red.

Cork continued to win the Waterford puckout and the Déise struggled to get upfield, the consequence being O’Connor firing the Rebels into a three-point lead on 40 minutes.

Sorcha McCartan clipped over a beautifully taken score as Cork notched a fourth successive score while Waterford suddenly looked devoid of both idea and inspiration, and they were also without a score in nine minutes – hence the introduction of Maggie Gostl.

Eimear O’Neill won a free and Rockett was on hand to reduce the Déise deficit, but Cork responded with the score of the match as Murphy and McCarthy combined for the latter to thump over from range.

The same player was then on hand from a dead ball to stretch the Cork advantage out to five as both time and the scoreboard proved the scourge of Waterford.

Cork had a huge opportunity to seal their passage to the final for definite on 55 minutes as substitute Clíona Healy was sent racing through but she was denied by the thigh of O’Regan – though their passage was all but certain when O’Connor pointed the requisite ‘45.

A point from captain Lorraine Bray provided a small step in the right direction, shortly after a narrowly misplaced pass denied Tara Power a golden opportunity to bear down on goal.

An instant impact from substitute Orlaith Mullins further dented Déise confidence as they tried to engineer some form of a goalscoring opportunity but their efforts proved fruitless.

Orlaith Cahalane picked out her namesake Mullins, and she fired into the net to break Waterford hearts good and proper. She was on hand again to make it 1-2 off the bench late on, and a ten-point success was secured.

Cork march on as their juggernaut shows no signs of stopping, Waterford are at the top table, but it’s hard to make your presence felt.

Waterford: Brianna O’Regan; Alannah McNulty, Keeley Corbett Barry, Vikki Falconer; Orla Hickey, Rachael Walsh, Bevin Bowdren; Lorraine Bray (0-01), Eimear O’Neill; Abby Flynn (0-01), Beth Carton (1-04), Mairead O’Brien; Annie Fitzgerald, Niamh Rockett (0-05, 0-03f); Kate Lynch.

Subs: Tara Power for Bevin Bowdren (40); Maggie Gostl for Mairead O’Brien (46); Molly Comerford for Abby Flynn (54); Niamh Ahearne for Annie Fitzgerald (60)

Cork: Amy Lee; Pamela Mackey, Libby Coppinger, Meabh Cahalane; Aoife Healy, Laura Treacy, Laura Hayes (0-01); Hannah Looney, Ashling Thompson; Emma Murphy (0-02), Orlaith Cahalane, Saoirse McCarthy (0-07; 0-04f); Katrina Mackey (0-04), Sorcha McCartan (0-02); Amy O’Connor (0-03; 0-01f; 0-01 ‘45)

Subs: Clíona Healy for Emma Murphy (52); Méabh Murphy for Ashling Thompson (57); Orlaith Mullins (1-02) for Sorcha McCartan (57)

Referee: Gavin Donegan (Dublin)

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