Half-time message was to have no regrets as Cork found way to break down Waterford's defence
Have no regrets.
That was the message at half time in UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday after hot favourites Cork went to the dressing-room one point in arrears in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship semi-final.
Courageous Waterford had put it up to them and Beth Carton's 15th minute goal - Mairéad O'Brien the provider - was a big moment in that first half.
Cork struggled with the opposition's game plan.
Abby Flynn's stoppage time point enabled Waterford to lead 1-7 to 0-9 at the interval.
A significantly-improved second half performance led to the three-in-a-row seeking champions carving out a 10-point victory and a highly-anticipated meeting with familiar foes Galway in a repeat of last year's final in two weeks time.
'They set up with two extra at the back and it probably took us a while to figure out how to get our forwards on the ball,' captain Méabh Cahalane explained. 'At half time we discussed that if we ran it through the lines and forced Waterford to come out and defend from higher up, we'd have a great chance.
'Laura Treacy, as our spare player, she kind of dictated the whole thing and was telling who to take who, and once we got our running game going in the third quarter I felt it gave us a great platform going into the final stretch.
'The big thing about sport is, it is always hard when you have regrets. We came in at half time and we felt we would have regrets if we didn't go out in the second half (and perform). There is no game won after 30 minutes, we had another 30 minutes to rectify what we weren't doing right. We definitely needed to bring more energy to our play, get in on the rucks and tackle harder.'
With the double header drawing a crowd of 7,120 to the superb Kilkenny venue, the atmosphere was electric.
In fact, Mick Boland's side could have had another goal in that period but Carton's brave effort in the eighth minute inched over the bar rather than under.
Cork had come off a four-week break and that may have led to some rustiness. They were thankful to prolific attacker Saoirse McCarthy who gave the Rebel support something to cheer about. She had a major influence on the outcome tallying seven points - four in the opening 30 minutes.
Incidentally Boland, who lives in Carrigtwohill, coached McCarthy when Courcey Rovers won the Cork senior championship in 2020.
Cork were a different proposition after the restart outscoring their near neighbours seven points to two in a wind-assisted 15-minute spell.
Katrina Mackey was a late replacement for the injured Clodagh Finn and in her 17th senior inter-county season the Douglas legend struck three points in six minutes.
With Cork's defensive structure now in full swing the Déise were beginning to struggle.
Yet with 12 minutes remaining, they were very much in the hunt, 0-16 to 1-10.
Cork, however, continued to build momentum and influential substitute Orlaith Mullins' stoppage time goal - put through by Orlaith Cahalane - gave the Sarsfields lady a day to remember. She sensationally grabbed 1-2 after being introduced three minutes from time.
'When it mattered we stepped it up,' noted manager Ger Manley. 'We said that to them at half time to step it up and the girls pushed themselves. I thought in the second half they were excellent.
'Will it do for the final? Probably not. But 1-21 is a solid score.
'You have to give credit to Waterford, they worked very hard. They played two sweepers.
'Carton had a great game early on but I think Pamela Mackey was unbelievable on her and Carton is one of the best players in camogie history so both Mackeys, they were excellent.
'Katrina has been injured, we only got her back in the last couple of weeks. She has quality.
'There is huge quality there but you need it all.'
Scorers for Cork: S McCarthy (0-7, 0-4 frees), O Mullins (1-2), K Mackey (0-4), A O'Connor (0-3, 0-2 frees, 0-1 45), E Murphy and S McCartan (0-2 each), L Hayes (0-1).
Scorers for Waterford: B Carton (1-4), Rockett (0-5, 0-3 frees), L Bray and A Flynn (0-1 each).
CORK: A Lee; P Mackey, L Coppinger, M Cahalane (Capt); A Healy, L Treacy, L Hayes; H Looney, A Thompson; E Murphy, S McCartan, E Murphy; O Cahalane, K Mackey, A O'Connor.
Subs: C Healy for E Murphy (53), M Murphy for A Thompson, O Mullins for S McCartan (both 57), A Fitzgerald for L Hayes (62).
WATERFORD: B O'Regan; A McNulty, K Corbett Barry, V Falconer; B Bowdren, R Walsh, O Hickey; L Bray (Capt), A Flynn; E O'Neill; B Carton, E O'Neill, M O'Brien; A Fitzgerald, N Rockett, K Lynch.
Subs: T Power for B Bowdren (40), M Gostl for M O'Brien (46), M Comerford for A Flynn (55), N Ahearne for A Fitzgerald (63).
Referee: Gavin Donegan (Dublin).
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