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Declan Dalton in action for Cork. James Lawlor/INPHO

Four-goal Cork storm past Galway to reach hurling league final

The Rebels will face Tipperary in the decider in a fortnight.

Cork 4-22
Galway 0-22

John Coleman reports from Páirc Uí Chaoimh 

CORK BOOKED THEIR place in the final of Divison 1A of the Allianz NHL after they had four goals to spare over Galway in front of 20,010 souls in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaomh this evening.

First-half goals from Brian Hayes and Darragh Fitzgibbon gave them the impetus in the first half while second-half majors from Patrick Horgan and Tim O’Mahony meant the game was over as a contest with thirteen minutes to go.

Horgan clipped over 1-9 on an almost perfect night for the Rebels, with the only negative of the evening coming when Hayes departed the field injured in the second half, casting a doubt over his availability for the league final against Tipperary in a fortnight.

In the open opening ten minutes, both teams enjoyed the wide-open spaces of Páirc Uí
Chaoimh as four players from both Cork and Galway found their range to make it 0-4 each.

Cork then edged in front when Hayes rattled the net after good play from Ethan Twomey.
Horgan pushed Cork further clear before points from Rory Burke, Evan Niland and Cathal Mannion made it a one-point game with sixteen minutes played.

Cork struck for major number two a minute later, with Hayes turning provider, allowing
Fitzgibbon to fire home. They registered four of the next six points to make it 2-9 to 0-9 after thirty minutes. The sides broke even from there to the break, with Mannion and Horgan both landing their fourth points to leave Cork 2-12 to 0-12 to the good at the break.

Three points from Niland narrowed the gap after the break, but when Horgan goaled after fine work from Declan Dalton, a sense of inevitability descended over proceedings Niland and Mannion kept Galway ticking over, but Shane Barrett brought his total to 0-4 before O’Mahony planted gaol number four after linking well with Shane Kingston who had come on for Hayes.

Conor Cooney hit 0-3 in the final five minutes for Galway, before Alan Connolly grabbed the game’s final score as Cork now go looking for a first league title since 1998.

Meanwhile, Wexford concluded their Division 1A campaign with a 1-19 to 1-12 win over Limerick.

Wexford held a two-point lead at half-time and although Limerick levelled in the second half through a Shane O’Brien goal and Tom Morrissey goal, Keith Rossiter’s side took control again.

Kevin Foley raised a green flag from close range in the 43rd minute after receiving a pass from Lee Chin. Cian Molloy, Cathal Dunbar, Conor Hearne and Séamus Casey all added points as Wexford dominated the final quarter to seal the win.

Scorers for Cork: P Horgan (1-9, 0-6 frees), T O’Mahony and D Fitzgibbon (1-1 each), S Barrett (0-4), B Hayes (1-0), D Dalton (0-2, 0-1 free), B Roche, S Harnedy, E Twomey, C O’Brien and A Connolly (0-1 each).

Scorers for Galway: E Niland (0-8, 0-5 frees, 0-1 ’65), C Mannion (0-5), C Cooney (0-3, 0-1 free), R Burke (0-2), C Whelan, D McLoughlin, T Monaghan and J Flynn (free) (0-1 each).

Cork:
1.Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)

2. Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons) 3. Damien Cahalane (St Finbarr’s) 4. Sean O’Donoghue
(Inniscarra)

5. Ciarán Joyce (Castlemartyr) 6. Robert Downey (Glen Rovers) 7. Mark Coleman

8. Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum) 12. Ethan Twomey (St Finbarr’s)

11. Shane Barrett (Blarney) 9. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville) 13. Brian Roche (Bride
Rovers)

10. Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neill’s) 14. Brian Hayes (St Finbarr’s) 15. Patrick Horgan (Glen
Rovers).

Subs:

  • Cormac O’Brien (Newtownshandrum) for Coleman (39)
  • Seamus Harnedy (St Ita’s) for Roche (46)
  • Alan Connolly (Blackrock) for Dalton (50)
  • Shane Kingston (Douglas) for Hayes (inj, 60)
  • Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold) for Horgan (64)

Galway:
1.Eanna Murphy ((Tommy Larkins)

5. Padraic Manion (Ahascragh Fohenagh) 2. Joshua Ryan (Clarinbridge) 4. Darren
Morrissey (Sarsfields)

8. Cianan Fahy (Ardrahan) 6. Gavin Lee (Clarinbridge) 7. Shane Morgan (Loughrea)

9. Tom Monaghan (Craughwell) 12. Sean Linnane (Turloughmore)

10. Rory Burke (Oranmore-Maree) 11. Tiernan Killeen (Loughrea) 15. Cathal Mannion
(Ahascragh Fohenagh)

13. Conor Whelan (c) (Kinvara) 21. Evan Niland (Clarinbridge) 15. Brian Concannon
(Killimoredaly)

Subs:

  • Jason Flynn (Tommy Larkins) for Concannon (h/t)
  • Declan McLoughlin (Portumna) for Whelan (39)
  • Conor Cooney (St Thomas’) for Niland (39)
  • Ronan Glennon (Mullagh) for C Mannion (52)
  • TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge) for Morgan (63)

Referee: Chris Mooney (Dublin).

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