Cork 1-27
Kilkenny 2-20
John Coleman reports from Pairc Ui Chaoimh
ULTIMATELY IT WAS a devastating 1-3 blitz five minutes from time that propelled Cork into the final of the Allianz NHL final next weekend against either Waterford of Wexford.
The Rebels trailed by 2-18 to 0-23 in Páirc Uí Chaoimh prior to the game winning salvo and had been generally on the backfoot throughout as a result of two first half goals from Kilkenny’s Martin Keoghan.
Cork were a different animal in the second half and though they huffed and puffed, they couldn’t find a way to knock Kilkenny down until Darragh Fitzgibbon struck for a goal following good work from substitutes Conor Cahalane and Jack O’Connor. As ever, Eoin Murphy got a touch, but there was enough on the shot to get the job done.
Two points from Conor Lehane, who was outstanding throughout, then sandwiched another score from Fitzgibbon to put the game to rest. Padraig Walsh and Alan Murphy points gave the Cats a glimmer of hope but Lehane’s sixth point of the second half ended a memorable night on Leeside in front of 16,000 fans.
Eoin Cody and Billy Ryan caused Cork endless problems in the opening half as they shot 0-7 between them as the Rebels failed to deal with Kilkenny’s greater desire and tactical acumen, with the positioning of Cillian Buckley and Pádraig Walsh in particular giving them headaches.
Martin Keoghan, like all good full forwards, was in the right place at the right time to notch his first goal in the second minute and his side led by 1-4 to 0-1 after seven.
Slowly, Cork began to establish a foothold in the game through the free taking of Patrick Horgan, the class of Alan Connolly and defensive qualities of Ciarán Joyce. They outscored Kilkenny by 0-8 to 0-2 across the next sixteen minutes with Horgan, Joyce and Connolly responsible for all of them to level the sides for the second time.
Kilkenny’s wiliness soon had them back on the front foot with a second goal from Keoghan, who finished smartly after rounding Dáire O’Leary, putting the Noresiders back in control.
It was even from there to the break with Horgan tapping over two more frees and Shane Barrett getting his first score but points from Pádraig Walsh, Ryan and Murphy left the Cats leading by 2-12 to 0-14 at the break.
Cork, however, were transformed on the resumption and successive points from Shane Kingston, Lehane, Connolly and substitute Timmy O’Mahony levelled the game for the third time.
They couldn’t get ahead though, as and scores from Cody and Murphy soon had Kilkenny back in the driving seat. There was a feeling that Kilkenny were creaking, however, with Ciaran Joyce colossal at the back for Cork but their final ball was lacking.
Two scores from Patrick Horgan, his last contribution of the game, had Cork level again before a Lehane free gave them the lead for the first time. It didn’t last long though as John Donnelly and Murphy gave Kilkenny a 2-18 to 1-23 lead with five to play.
Then Cork finally breached the wall as they now go in search of their first national title since 2005 next weekend.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan (0-9, 0-8 frees), Darragh Fitzgibbon (1-3), Conor Lehane (0-6, 0-3 frees), Alan Connolly (0-4), Shane Barrett, Ciarán Joyce, Robbie O’Flynn, Shane Kingston and Tim O’Mahony (0-1 each)
Scorers for Kilkenny: Martin Keoghan (2-0), Alan Murphy (0-6, 0-4 frees), Eoin Cody and Billy Ryan (0-4 each), Pádraig Walsh (0-2), David Blanchfield, Cian Kenny, Cillian Buckley and John Donnelly (0-1 each).
Kilkenny
1.Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
2.Mikey Butler (O’Loughlin Gaels) 3.Huw Lawlor (O’Loughlin Gaels) 4.Conor Delaney (Erin’s Own)
5.Michael Carey (Young Ireland’s) 6.Paddy Deegan (O’Loughlin Gaels) 7.David Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge)
8.Cian Kenny (James Stephen’s) 9.Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro)
10.Walter Walsh (Tullogher Rosbercon) 11.Pádraig Walsh (Tullaroan) 12.Eoin Cody (Shamrocks Ballyhale)
13.Billy Ryan (Graigue Ballycallan) 14.Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan) 15.Alan Murphy (Glenmore)
Subs
20. James Maher (St Lachtain’s) for Kenny (45)
22. John Donnelly (Thomastown) for Keoghan (60)
17. Richie Reid (Shamrocks Ballyhale) for Buckley (63)
Cork
1.Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)
2. Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons) 3. Dáire O’Leary (Watergrasshill) 4. Damien Cahalane (St Finbarr’s)
5. Robert Downey (Glen Rovers) 6. Mark Coleman (Blarney) 7. Ciarán Joyce (Castlemartyr)
8. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville) 9. Ger Millerick (Fr O’Neill’s)
10. Robbie O’Flynn (Erin’s Own) 11. Shane Barrett (Blarney) 12. Conor Lehane (Midleton)
13. Alan Connolly (Blackrock) 14. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers) 15. Shane Kingston (Douglas)
Subs:
19. Sam Quirke (Midleton) for Millerick (69)
21. Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum) for D O’Leary (h/t)
24. Séamus Harnedy (St Ita’s) for Barrett (46)
23. Conor Cahalane (St Finbarr’s) for Kingston (52)
25. Jack O’Connor (Sarsfield’s) for Horgan (58)
19. Sam Quirke (Midleton) for Millerick (69)
Referee: Seán Stack (Dublin)
Id imagine the referee is more disappointed with that Cork win than Kilkenny themselves. A shambles of a refereeing display. Kilkenny cynical all night. Good win for the Rebels.
@IrishOwl: Kilkenny cynical? Go way outta that. If Cork never win an All-Ireland again it’ll be too soon.
@LaoisWeather: lol… Good man. Well.. it’ll be a Cold day in Laois before they make any impact.. in any sport. More lemons ?
@LaoisWeather: kilkenny were absolutely cynical tonight. Ball dropping and a sneaky pull of the helmet or coming out with the ball and swinging the Hurley. Walter Walsh nearly bust Tim o mahonys back when he he threw a shoulder full force into his spine. Kilkenny have always been like that.
@James horgan: Kilkenny hurled, as they always have. Typical Cork, not happy with a flukey win.
@LaoisWeather: killkenny hurled and lost again to cork. Cork not been put off by the sly digs as much anymore. Question is do killkenny have anything else to offer?
@michael o farrell: Cork won’t get out of Munster
@LaoisWeather: Wake up, Kilkenny, while obviously have been a fantastic hurling team over the years, have also been one of the most cynical and dirty teams ever, but they are so cute and sly at doing it.
@James horgan: and Cork got a free and Walsh got yellow carded. What more could the ref have done in that situation
@Patrick O Connell: correct action was taken by the ref but the situation shouldn’t have happened. Could have seriously injured o mahony but Walsh didn’t care less and full pelt into the back. Just the kinda stuff kilkenny have been doing for years but you can’t call them out cause their supporter’s get offended. Even though it’s clear to everyone what they’ve been upto for years
@LaoisWeather: kilkenny wrestled and cork hurled. That’s why cork won out in the end. It was a hurling match not wreslemania
@LaoisWeather: what a bitter böllix you are mate.
The ref should never officiate again, trying to make a name for himself, at least 2 reds in game, lost the game in 2nd half
I don’t know if it’s wrestling the boys from Kilkenny think they’re playing or what. The amount of dragging and pulling off the ball that all of us in the crowd could see and the ref ignored was ridiculous.
Cork were sloppy enough with their passing game and had some bad wides . Hard to know where they are at . Kilkenny should have put them away but they hurled well the last 15 mins and got over the line
All Ireland favourites now,
@Chris Tobin: Limerick, Galway, Waterford and then Cork per the bookies with Limerick odds on.
@T Dawg: Galway will do well to make it to the semis. Nobody will lay a glove in Limerick again this year
@T Dawg: cork 5th favourite.
I’ll take that all day
@T Dawg: Yawn
Lads, Cork stop moaning and get on with. Soft as f. All the talent in the world (which ye have btw) won’t win anything relying on refs and a soft culture created by Dog etc. Brian Cody has not blown a whistle in Nowlan Park for 23 year! Its a war ffs
@Gary Quirke: will ya stop for crying out loud. What game do you want to see? Is it hurling or a mish mash of wrestling, rugby and hurling? Cody not blowing a whistle in 23 years doesn’t prove anything other than ye haven’t got the talent and so want to win dirty. That’s not something to be proud of. Hurling is supposed to be a fast and skillful game, not the awful yoke of a spectacle ye want it to be. I lost count of the amount of times a Kilkenny man used his hurley to tackle a player around the neck last night. Thats not hurling and all the ‘man’s game’ propaganda yer past players spout will never make it so.
@Gary Quirke: who won the match?
poor little Cork, depending on refs as usual
@Kevin Shortall: ah cmon now, take the loss like a man
Lads, see this moaning and complaining that Cork do? Its’ now ingrained in yere behaviour, culture and youth. Get on with, ye have the hurlers but do ye have it in the belly? Send up yere youth to St. Kierans College and ye might win a senior this decade
@Gary Quirke: We’re coming in this year off the back of winning the last 2 U20 All Irelands and last years Minor All Ireland and you want us to send up our young lads to St. Kierans, any more jokes like that
@Gary Quirke: sir did ASR beat Kierans lately
@Gary Quirke: so rattled from losing to cork again. Just take the loss on the chin like a man.
Where will the final take place?
@David O’Brien: Thurlas, next Sunday as far as I know. Expect waterford to beat wexford so an all munster final
@David O’Brien: league final always Thurles . So next Sunday in Thurles
@Eileen Hennessy: I recall Limerick winning the league in Croke Park recently?