Waterford star lucky after striking Cork captain in the neck with hurl

Fortunate....

Cork host Waterford this afternoon at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in the Munster SHC.

It's a winner-takes-all clash with the victor advancing to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, while the Rebels have a chance to make the provincial final.

At the time of writing, it is nip and tuck between the sides, and the Déise are lucky not to be a man down after an incident involving Darragh Lyons.

The player appeared to push Cork captain Shane Barrett and his hurl rose up and hit his neck with what could be argued was a striking motion.

Luckily for his side, referee Johnny Murphy took it no further.

Ahead of the game, Cork boss Pat Ryan said: "Traditionally, down through the last couple of years, when their backs have been to the wall, Cork have come out with their best.

“But, I suppose what we've been striving to get to is that your best has to be every time. That's what you're looking for all the time, that's what the teams that go on and be successful do.

“They perform every time and that's their standard and I think that's what we've been striving over the last two or three years to get to.

“Unfortunately, we didn't reach that standard on Sunday, but it's all in our own hands to make sure that we get to that standard at the weekend.

“But, look, we’re no illusions – Waterford have a lot of good performers, they’ve beaten Clare, obviously ran Limerick an awful lot closer than we did.

“If you bring it down to the last game in the Munster championship with an opportunity to win the match and qualify, I think really that's what every team is looking for at the start of the year.”