‘It wasn't good enough,’ Pat Ryan admits, as Cork hurlers prop up table after second successive loss

Cork 1-17

Kilkenny 0-21

JOHNNY CAROLAN REPORTS

A DISAPPOINTING performance for much of the first half was costly as Cork fell to a second straight defeat in the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A.

Kilkenny took the points at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday night thanks to John Donnelly’s late winner after a competitive second half. However, Cork will rue an opening 20 minutes that saw them fall 0-13 to 0-4 behind.

They did rally before half-time and Conor O’Callaghan’s goal helped them to trail by just three points at the break. Though Kilkenny moved five ahead on the resumption, Cork managed to overhaul them and Conor Lehane’s 59th-minute point had them ahead for the first time, 1-15 to 0-17.

Unfortunately for the Rebels, it was a unique and fleeting experience and Kilkenny edged matters. Cork manager Pat Ryan acknowledged that the opening exchanges left his team with too much to do.

‘I'm not going to make excuses now, it wasn't good enough,’ he said.

‘We need to figure it out really, but I think we were too slow and ponderous against a very good Kilkenny team that worked their socks off in the first 25 minutes and put us under fierce pressure.

‘I thought we were architects of our own thing, we didn't move the ball quick enough, we didn't get the ball into inside line. But look, very proud of our guys in the second half, we'd a lot of chances, left a lot of scores out there but look we'll take the positive. 

‘As I said, losing at home in Páirc Uí Chaoimh is not something we want to be doing.’

Patrick Horgan's strike is blocked down by Kilkenny full back Huw Lawlor.

A crowd of 16,274 were present for the first competitive GAA fixture in the renamed stadium – Cork’s minors defeated their Kilkenny counterparts in a challenge match beforehand – but the home faithful were quietened by the dominance of Kilkenny.

Cork struggled on their own puckouts and, while they had some joy on Kilkenny’s long efforts, they were overturned too easily. A six-point burst moved the Cats 0-10 to 0-3 in front, though Cork’s Luke Meade might have had a goal chance only for a good David Blanchfield challenge.

But for Kilkenny wastefulness, the visitors would have been further in front before Cork belatedly rallied. Patrick Horgan’s free had six points in it before a good Tommy O’Connell hook on Mikey Carey stopped Kilkenny fashioning a goal chance. Moments later, O’Connell’s midfield partner Conor O’Callaghan had the ball in the Kilkenny net following good work by Seán Twomey.

On the resumption, Kilkenny pushed ahead again but Cork were much better than they had been. Patrick Horgan was unlucky not to score another goal but the points continued to come.

Two more Horgan frees made it a one-point game before Conor Lehane intercepted a clearance and levelled. It took time for them to actually lead, Lehane again the man to do that, but Billy Drennan was on hand to restore the advantage to Kilkenny. Horgan levelled with his ninth point as the regulation time ended but Donnelly had the final say and Cork couldn’t find a leveller.

With next year’s seven-team Division 1 set to comprise the top three in Groups A and B this year as well as the winners of a play-off between the fourth-placed sides. Ryan isn’t preoccupied with that, though.

‘To be honest now, I’m not thinking one bit about next year’s league!’ he laughed.

‘I’m only thinking about this year’s league. [Cork County Board secretary] Kevin O’Donovan might not want to hear that but I’m only worried about us preparing for the championship. Where we are in the league next year won’t make too much difference if we can have a very good championship.’

Scorers - Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-9f; Conor Lehane 0-4; Conor O’Callaghan 1-0; Tommy O’Connell, Shane Barrett, Robbie O’Flynn, Tim O’Mahony 0-1 each.  Kilkenny: Eoin Cody 0-7 (5f); Adrian Mullen 0-5; Billy Drennan 0-3 (2f); John Donnelly, Cian Kenny 0-2 each; Shane Murphy, Mikey Carey 0-1 each.

Cork: P Collins; S O’Donoghue, E Roche, E Downey; T O’Mahony, N O’Leary, R Downey; T O’Connell, C O’Callaghan; L Meade, C Lehane, S Twomey; R O’Flynn, P Horgan, S Kingston. Subs: Ger Millerick for Robert Downey (21, injured), Brian Roche for Meade (half-time), Ethan Twomey for O’Callaghan (42), Shane Barrett for O’Flynn (44), Mark Coleman for Eoin Downey (49).

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Tommy Walsh, Huw Lawlor, Mikey Butler; David Blanchfield, Darragh Corcoran, Shane Murphy; Cian Kenny, Mikey Carey; Adrian Mullen, John Donnelly, Conor Heary; Eoin Cody, Luke Hogan, Billy Ryan. Subs: Martin Keoghan for Ryan (half-time), Billy Drennan for Hogan (45), Kevin Blanchfield for Carey (51), Walter Walsh for Heary (55), Peter McDonald for Kenny (64).

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).