Kilkenny 1-15

Cork 3-12

JOHNNY CAROLAN REPORTS

A PLACE in a second successive Division 1A hurling league final is within touching distance for Cork, with squad depth to the fore in Sunday’s win over Kilkenny.

Having won their opening three fixtures prior to a three-week break since beating Tipperary, the Rebels picked up where they left off with victory at UPMC Nowlan Park.

One point from their last two games, away to Limerick and at home to Offaly, will guarantee a spot in the decider and a chance to retain the title. What made Sunday’s win more impressive was the fact that the team featured only six starters from the victory over Tipp – not that manager Ben O’Connor was aware of that.

‘I didn't even realise we had made nine changes, I'll tell you the truth,’ he said.

‘I know we had a couple of injuries, but I didn't realise we had nine changes from the last day until someone said it today.

‘That's just the way we pick teams – we pick a team and we don't look at who played the last day or whatever. We pick fellas on training during the week and that's the way it is.’

It’s a method that has served the new management well so far and on Noreside they led throughout, set on their way by Brian Hayes’s opening goal, set up by Alan Connolly.

It was the first of a number of green-flag opportunities – playing into the stiff wind, Cork worked the ball well and, but for some good saves by Kilkenny goalkeeper Aidan Tallis to deny Connolly and Darragh Fitzgibbon, they would have been further ahead at half-time than the 1-9 to 0-6 lead they held.

Tommy O’Connell’s tireless energy at midfield gave Cork a platform, while Niall O’Leary and Seán O’Donoghue were excellent in defence, with Kilkenny not given a chance to create much in the opening period.

On the restart, there were chances for more goals. Hugh O’Connor – one of three making his first league start, along with goalkeeper Paudie O’Sullivan and Barry Walsh – went close while Hayes would have netted but for a great Mikey Carey block.

At the other end, O’Sullivan denied Cian Kenny and then Walsh claimed a Connolly delivery and would have had a clear-cut chance but he was hauled down by Ivan Bolger, at the expense of a penalty and a black card.

However, Connolly sent his penalty low and wide and Kenny’s frees helped Kilkenny to reduce the gap, despite being a man down.

They were back to within four when Cork made a move again, Walsh doing well to generate a chance of his own and mark his debut with a goal, but the home side bounced back again. They hit 1-3 without reply, with Liam Moore setting up Eoin Cody for a goal on 63 minutes to leave them within two points, 2-11 to 1-13.

Without so many injured big names and the suspended Shane Barrett, Cork might have wilted but they kept their composure. Connolly’s seventh point gave them breathing space again and then Alan Walsh, just on for his namesake Barry, rose to the skies and claimed an O’Sullivan free before blasting to the net.

Points from Darragh Corcoran and Kenny left Kilkenny within a goal in injury time, but Cork were not going to be denied.

It leaves them well-placed ahead of what should be a big challenge away to second-placed Limerick on Saturday night.

‘I'd like to be playing myself!’ O’Connor laughed.

‘So if I'd like to be playing, I'm sure all the fellas inside there would like to be playing. It's just the competition in the group. Good healthy competition in the group at the moment.

‘We'll maybe have a few fellas back from injury this week now, which will add more pressure to get on the 26 for match day. But that's a great place to be.’

Scorers

Kilkenny: Cian Kenny 0-8 (7f, 1 65); Eoin Cody 1-0; Martin Keoghan, David Blanchfield 0-2 each; Ed McDermott, Darragh Corcoran, John Donnelly 0-1 each.

Cork: Alan Connolly 0-7 (6f, 1 65); Brian Hayes 1-1; Barry Walsh, Alan Walsh 1-0 each; Cormac O’Brien (sl), Tommy O’Connell, William Buckley, Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-1 each.

Kilkenny: Aidan Tallis; Ivan Bolger, Mikey Carey, Mikey Butler; Killian Doyle, Darragh Corcoran, Jordan Molloy; Richie Reid, David Blanchfield; Liam Moore, Cian Kenny, Paddy Deegan; Eoin Cody, Ed McDermott, Martin Keoghan.

Subs: John Donnelly for McDermott (46, injured), Tom Phelan for Doyle (55), Luke Connellan for Reid (61), Luke Hogan for Keoghan (65), David Barcoe for Bolger (69).

Cork: Paudie O’Sullivan; Niall O’Leary, Dáire O’Leary, Seán O’Donoghue; Eoin Downey, Ciarán Joyce, Cormac O’Brien; Tim O’Mahony, Tommy O’Connell; Darragh Fitzgibbon, William Buckley, Hugh O’Connor; Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes, Barry Walsh.

Subs: Ethan Twomey for O’Brien (50), Robbie O’Flynn for O’Connor (60), Ger Millerick for Dáire O’Leary (66), Alan Walsh for Barry Walsh (68), Micheál Mullins for O’Mahony (70+1).

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).