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Cork champions secure Munster Intermediate and Junior hurling titles

It was a day to remember for Watergrasshill and Russell Rovers.

CORK CHAMPIONS captured the Munster Intermediate and Junior hurling titles as Watergrasshill and Russell Rovers claimed provincial glory.

The Hill are Intermediate champions after a dominant 10-point victory over Cashel King Cormacs in a downpour at the Gaelic Grounds.

Centre-forward Adam Murphy led the way with a point straight from the throw-in and he never stopped going in front of 2,336 fans, ending the day with 1-12 (1-5 from play).

Managed by 2001 Tipperary All-Ireland-winner and All-Star Eddie Enright, the Cork champions advance to meet Carey Faughs of Antrim in the All-Ireland semi-final in a fortnight.

Cashel were over-reliant on Devon Ryan’s frees and a couple of Eoghan Connolly sideline cuts. Tipp U20 Oisín O’Donoghue was their only starter to score from play.

It was 0-10 to 0-8 at half-time, with Cashel’s one point from play in contrast to the Hill’s cutting edge, requiring only one free and the other nine from play. Murphy had four points and Brendan Lehane two more.

Connolly produced two major moments with back-to-back sideline cuts arrowed between the posts, either side of a point from Hill corner-back Ian O’Callaghan.

They were level three times but Cashel never led.

It was still a one-score game at the three-quarter mark but not for long more.

Captain Seán Desmond supplied Murphy who whistled his bullet just over the crossbar. His next chance came around straight from the next puck-out.

Anthony and Patrick Cronin did the spadework for Murphy to skip a low shot to the bottom corner. 1-15 to 0-11 after 48 minutes.

Ger Browne, introduced as a sub, nailed a tricky score but Aiden Foley stopped a close-range Ryan free. 

The Hill took over with five points on the spin, while Desmond forced Jonathan Walsh into his second save.

Cashel sub Adrian Cummins scored back-to-back points but it was the Hill’s day.

Earlier at Páirc Uí Rinn, 2-2 from Brian Hartnett saw Russell Rovers secure a second Munster title five years after their last, beating Waterford’s Kilrossanty by 11 points.

The Dónal Óg Cuasack-coached side are the sixth successive Cork winners at this grade, with 2010 All-Ireland football champion Ciarán Sheehan lifting the Rody Nealon Cup as captain.

The Shanagarry club will face Ballinascreen of Derry in the All-Ireland semi-final, although a straight red card for Kevin Tattan is a blow ahead of that contest in a fortnight.

They did it despite a perfect start for Déise runners-up Kilrossanty. Within 12 seconds, Alan Dunwoody fed Eoin Power who dispatched the sliotar to the net.

What followed was far more imperfect as they misfired their next five shots wide and Dunwoody had another saved by Ross Walsh.

When Rovers got a firm stranglehold on the Rossies’ puck-outs, they were far more clinical, reeling off 1-4 in four minutes.

The 18th-minute goal originated from Fintan Murray’s high catch before Kieran Walsh’s ball in trickled through for Hartnett to apply a lethal finish.

There were saves at either end as Walsh denied Jack Power before Waterford footballer Caoimhín Walsh blocked Hartnett’s rasper.

Pádraig Fitzgerald accounted for Kilrossanty’s three points but also had six misses, including four placed balls. Despite playing with the wind, their 25% conversion rate left them two behind, 1-5 to 1-3, at half-time.

Rovers restarted with the first three points from Josh Beausang, who finished with 0-7. 

Former Déise football captain Paul Whyte scored after his introduction but the Cork side were safe in the 48th minute when Hartnett grabbed Daniel Moynihan’s delivery and blasted home.

Five minutes later, they were reduced to 14 when Tattan was sent off for a foul on Dunwoody. They avoided further punishment, though, as Walsh saved from a Dunwoody effort and a Fitzgerald free.

A stoppage-time goal for Luke Duggan Murray was the cherry on top.

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