Waterford rose to fifth in the table while Cork remain rooted to the bottom after Munster derby stalemate.
Substitute Will Fitzgerald should have inflicted more woe on the basement side at the RSC by converting a stoppage time sitter but Neale Fenn’s Rebels are still in deep relegation trouble.
This was their sixth time in seven matches this season not to score and they have not netted away from home for a full year.
Waterford were denied a definite penalty for a Kevin O’Connor handball but City sub Dylan McGlade also rattled the crossbar.
