Cork win in Tullamore

Allianz National Hurling League Division 1A

CORK 5-28 OFFALY 0-16

By Paul Keane at Glenisk O’Connor Park

Alan Connolly sniped a stunning hat-trick of goals as Cork made it back-to-back Allianz NHL wins, leaving the Rebels nicely positioned to secure a top-three finish in the table.

Cork led virtually throughout with Connolly striking two first-half goals and completed his hat-trick in the third quarter as Pat Ryan’s side ran amok in the midlands.

Substitutes Darragh Fitzgibbon and Brian Hayes weighed in with 1-1 each too while free-takers Declan Dalton and Shane Kingston contributed 0-11 between them. Robert Downey, who struck 0-3, stood out in a well drilled defence that denied Offaly their first win of the season and held the hosts to just five points from open play.

It’s Cork’s biggest win of the campaign following losses to Clare and Kilkenny in the opening rounds and leaves them safe in the knowledge that a win over Wexford next Saturday will secure a top-three finish at least in the table and top tier hurling in 2025.

Rock bottom Offaly will host Clare in their final round game in Birr on Saturday.

Cork changed almost two thirds of their team from the narrow Round 3 defeat of Waterford.

There were eight changes in the official lineup with recalls for goalkeeper Patrick Collins, defenders Niall O’Leary, Eoin Downey and Robert Downey, Brian Roche and Luke Meade at midfield and forwards Connolly and Dalton while Tim O’Mahony was a late change to the scheduled team, replacing captain Ciaran Joyce.

Cork’s half-back line immediately took control and with Robert Downey particularly dominant on the left wing, they had a platform to launch attack after attack.

They finished up with 2-12 in all in the first-half though they had five more wides on top of that and two attempts that dropped short.

Connolly racked up 2-1 by the interval and his first goal, in the 20th minute, left Cork with a 1-7 to 0-3 lead and went a long way towards killing the contest even at that early stage.

O’Mahony fetched well and delivered a long ball into the danger zone for the first goal while Conor Lehane helped set up the second. Full-forward Connolly, who made his seasonal return as a sub against Waterford, had plenty to do after receiving the ball in both instances but battled bravely for the three-pointers.

Dalton’s terrific point from the left wing in the 35th minute made it a clean sweep of scores from play for all six starting forwards.

Offaly, meanwhile, with four changes from the team that lost to Kilkenny in Round 3 – Padraig Cantwell, Dan Bourke, Oisin Kelly and David King all came in – struggled for scores and only managed 0-5 from play in the opening half.

Free-taker Eoghan Cahill was their key man with five of their overall eight points as they tried desperately to feed inside forward men like Adam Screeney and Charlie Mitchell when he came on.

Cork went through the motions in the third quarter, extending their lead and taking the opportunity to bring on Darragh Fitzgibbon for his first taste of league action in 2024.

Fitzgibbon beat his man in a foot race along the left sideline in the 49th minute for Cork’s third point in a row, leaving them 2-18 to 0-10 clear at that stage.

Connolly’s third was the pick of the bunch from the Blackrock man as he cut in along the left endline in the 52nd minute, sidestepped an Offaly defender, and planted the ball beyond Stephen Corcoran who’d come on as goalkeeper for the injured Mark Troy.

The visitors weren’t finished there and added on further goals from substitutes Hayes and Fitzgibbon to take their winning margin to a whopping 27 points by full-time.

Cork scorers: Alan Connolly 3-1, Declan Dalton 0-7 (0-4f, 0-2 65), Brian Hayes 1-1, Darragh Fitzgibbon 1-1, Shane Kingston 0-4 (0-2f), Robert Downey 0-3, Jack O’Connor 0-2, Brian Roche 0-2, Conor Lehane 0-2, Shane Barrett 0-2, Luke Meade 0-2, Seamus Harnedy 0-1.

Offaly scorers: David Nally 0-8 (0-6f, 1 65), Eoghan Cahill 0-5 (0-4f), Sam Bourke 0-1, Dan Ravenhill 0-1, Dan Bourke 0-1

CORK: Patrick Collins; Eoin Downey, Damian Cahalane, Niall O’Leary; Ger Millerick, Tim O’Mahony, Robert Downey; Brian Roche, Luke Meade; Declan Dalton, Conor Lehane, Seamus Harnedy; Jack O’Connor, Alan Connolly, Shane Barrett.

Subs: Robbie Cotter for O’Connor h/t, Darragh Fitzgibbon for Harnedy 45, Shane Kingston for Dalton 55, Brian Hayes for Connolly 58, Cormac O’Brien for R Downey 68.

OFFALY: Mark Troy; Padraig Cantwell, Ben Conneely, Cathal King; David King, Jason Sampson, Sam Bourke; Eimhin Kelly, Eoghan Cahill; Dan Ravenhill, Killian Sampson, David Nally; Dan Bourke, Oisin Kelly, Adam Screeney.

Subs: Charlie Mitchell for Ravenhill 14, Jack Clancy for Cahill h/t, Stephen Corcoran for Troy 39-f/t blood, Luke Watkins for Screeney 44, Donal Shirley for Cantwell 50, Morgan Watkins for Kelly 69.

Referee: Colum Cunning (Antrim)

Cork beat Waterford in Hurling League Round 3

 

Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A

CORK 1-21 WATERFORD 1-19

By Stephen Barry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Cork’s inconsistency almost came back to bite them before they held off a Waterford fightback to gain a crucial first Allianz Hurling League victory.

It was all going well as Jack O’Connor nabbed 1-3 for the Rebels to construct a 10-point advantage in front of 10,622 fans at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

But from the 58th minute onwards, the visitors reeled off 10 of the final 12 points as they made Cork sweat down the home straight.

Both teams now lie on two points after three games.

As Pat Ryan sought a response from their loss to Kilkenny, he handed League debuts to All-Ireland U20-winning goalkeeper Brion Saunderson and corner-back Cathal McCarthy among 11 changes. Some wise heads returned, too, with Damien Cahalane and Seamus Harnedy in for their first involvements of 2024.

Davy Fitzgerald made four changes for Waterford, with returns for Calum and Darragh Lyons, Kevin Mahony, and goalkeeper-turned-outfielder Billy Nolan.

There was a niggle in this game from the off. O’Connor had earned a booking within five seconds of the throw-in and five more yellow cards would follow before half-time, four for off-the-ball scuffles.

Cork had given Clare and Kilkenny six- and nine-point head starts in their opening losses but even against the wind, they were the faster out of the blocks here.

Cork struck four in a row to take a 0-6 to 0-2 lead, with fine off-the-hurley points from blood sub Rob Downey and Brian Hayes, both created by O’Connor.

Long-range points from Patrick Curran and Calum Lyons kept the Déise in touch and they were level in the 26th minute when Seán Walsh added his third goal in three consecutive games. After good work by Jack Prendergast and Neil Montgomery, Walsh whipped the ball to the net. 0-8 to 1-5.

A Prendergast free gave them their only lead in the 34th minute but Conor Lehane won two frees for Patrick Horgan to send Cork in ahead, 0-11 to 1-7.

They added another four in a row on the restart via Horgan, O’Connor, Harnedy, and Hayes. It could’ve been more but O’Connor was half-hooked by Conor Ryan when in on goal and Shaun O’Brien saved.

They kept coming for that goal. Horgan had a shot bravely blocked by Nolan after Hayes was cynically wrapped up by PJ Fanning.

They returned a minute later. Mark Coleman, in his first start since 2022, won the puck-out and fed O’Connor. He was on his own 65 but his lightning pace parted the Déise defence and his early shot from outside the 21 bounced into the bottom corner.

When Eoin Downey added a point from inside his own half, Cork had outscored their opponents by 1-7 to 0-1 since half-time to take their lead to 10.

Waterford were plagued by wides but belatedly found their radar to thread seven points in a row.

Calum Lyons hit three, including two long-range frees, while their subs accounted for three more via Conor Sheahan, Jamie Barron, and Mikey Kiely, who had Saunderson at full stretch for a shot that whistled over the bar.

That brought it back to a one-score game, 1-19 to 1-16, but Cork found the impetus from their half-back line. Ciarán Joyce won a free for Alan Connolly to convert and Ger Mellerick surged forward to point.

Waterford came again with three points in the three added minutes from Nolan, Paddy Leavey with his third, and Sheahan but it wasn’t enough.

Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-7 (6f); Jack O’Connor 1-3; Brian Hayes 0-3; Seamus Harnedy 0-2; Ger Mellerick, Ciarán Joyce, Tommy O’Connell, Rob Downey, Eoin Downey, Alan Connolly (f) 0-1 each.

Scorers for Waterford: Jack Prendergast 0-5 (4f); Calum Lyons 0-4 (2f); Seán Walsh 1-0; Paddy Leavey 0-3; Conor Sheahan 0-2; Tom Barron, Billy Nolan, Patrick Curran, Jamie Barron, Mikey Kiely 0-1 each.

CORK: Brion Saunderson; Cathal McCarthy, Damien Cahalane, Seán O’Donoghue; Ger Mellerick, Ciarán Joyce, Mark Coleman; Ethan Twomey, Tommy O’Connell; Shane Barrett, Conor Lehane, Seamus Harnedy; Brian Hayes, Patrick Horgan, Jack O’Connor. Subs: B Roche for Twomey (9, inj), R Downey for Joyce (10-18, blood), E Downey for O’Donoghue (29, inj), S Kingston for Lehane (50), A Connolly for Horgan (58), L Meade for Harnedy (69).

WATERFORD: Shaun O’Brien; Conor Ryan, Mark Fitzgerald, PJ Fanning; Billy Nolan, Tom Barron, Darragh Lyons; Paddy Leavey, Patrick Curran; Calum Lyons, Jack Prendergast, Neil Montgomery; Kevin Mahony, Seán Walsh, Pádraig Fitzgerald. Subs: P Hogan for Walsh (35-35+1, blood), Hogan for P Fitzgerald (46), J Barron for Curran (46), M Kiely for Mahony (57), C Sheahan for Montgomery (61), M Power for D Lyons (61).

Referee: James Owens (Wexford).

Allianz Hurling League | Round 3 | Cork v Waterford

Join us at Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh this Sunday, February 25th, as Cork prepares to host Waterford in Round 3 of the 2024 Allianz Hurling League. The action throws in at 3:45pm, but make sure to arrive early to catch an exciting challenge match between the Cork and Galway U20 teams at 1:45pm.

Match Details:

Where: Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh When: Sunday, February 25th; game throw-in at 3:45pm Match Referee: James Owens , Askamore  Wexford

Team News: Cork Team will be published later this week on www.gaacork.ie

Waterford Team| will be posted later this week

Ticket Information: This is a ticketed event. Secure your seats by purchasing tickets below.

Buy Match Tickets

Competition Recap: Cork are still looking for their opening win in the league while Waterford have two points with a win and a loss so far in the league.

Kilkenny beat Cork in Allianz Hurling League Rd 2

 

Allianz Hurling League Division One Group A

Kilkenny 0-21 Cork 1-17

By Stephen Barry at Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

John Donnelly struck the 71st-minute winner as Kilkenny condemned Cork to back-to-back Allianz League losses despite a stirring comeback in front of 16,274 fans at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The Cats led by nine early in the first half as Cork failed to get into gear, but the hosts could’ve won it only for some wasteful shooting and bad decisions in front of goal.

Led by Conor Lehane, the sides were level five times in the final quarter before Donnelly gave Kilkenny their first League win after last week’s draw with Wexford.

Derek Lyng welcomed back Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, John Donnelly, debutant Luke Hogan, and Walter Walsh from their All-Ireland Club Championship exploits with O’Loughlin Gaels, Thomastown, and Tullogher-Rosbercon in a strengthened away team.

Pat Ryan, meanwhile, gave first involvements of the year to Eoin Downey and Tim O’Mahony in defence among five changes.

The opening half-hour saw Cork woefully off the pace. The home crowd grew restless as they fell nine points behind within 23 minutes.

Kilkenny were bringing all the urgency, while Ballyhale Shamrocks teammates Eoin Cody and Adrian Mullen provided the touches of class. Cody slotted a spectacular early pair from play, while Mullen was left wide open for his trio. He ended with 0-5 to his name.

Cody could’ve added a goal in the fourth minute, but Patrick Collins trapped the low shot under his body.

The Rebels totted up just two points in the first 20 minutes, a Patrick Horgan free and another from Lehane, by which time Kilkenny had 0-10 on the board.

Cork did give the crowd something to cheer late on by finishing the half with a 1-3 streak. Tommy O’Connell, O’Mahony, and a Horgan free were followed by a goal in the second minute of stoppage time.

Seán Twomey picked up the puck-out and his super reverse pass sent Conor O’Callaghan in on goal. The Dromtarriffe man is more known as a defender but he sniped a low shot to the back of the net.

The gap was just three at half-time, 0-13 to 1-7.

They almost look another bite out of the deficit on the restart. Horgan’s overhead pull bounced wide but Twomey, once again the supplier, might have been better to take on the shot himself.

Shane Kingston twice got a run on goal in the space of a minute but the first pass didn’t go to hand and the second was saved by Eoin Murphy.

They still clipped five points on the trot and when Lehane fizzed a low shot over the crossbar, the sides were level for the first time all day. The cheers from the crowd grew even louder when Mark Coleman made his return from injury after missing the entire 2023 season.

Lehane’s fourth after a searing run gave Cork their first lead, but it didn’t last long in a nip-and-tuck finish.

Walter Walsh could’ve sealed it for the Cats after Billy Drennan steered the sliotar into his path, but he didn’t make a clean connection and Collins saved.

After Donnelly put Kilkenny back ahead, Cork could’ve won it. Kingston raced clear, but twice failed to rise the sliotar, while a Horgan flick rolled across the goalmouth.

Scorers for Kilkenny: Eoin Cody 0-7 (5fs), A Mullen 0-5, B Drennan 0-3 (2fs), C Kenny, J Donnelly 0-2 each, Shane Murphy, M Carey 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-9 (9fs), C Lehane 0-4, C O’Callaghan 1-0, T O’Mahony, T O’Connell, R O’Flynn, S Barrett 0-1 each.

Cork: Patrick Collins; Eoin Downey, Eoin Roche, Seán O’Donoghue; Tim O’Mahony, Niall O’Leary, Rob Downey; Tommy O’Connell, Conor O’Callaghan; Luke Meade, Conor Lehane, Seán Twomey; Robbie O’Flynn, Patrick Horgan, Shane Kingston.

Subs: Ger Mellerick for R Downey (21, inj), Brian Roche for Meade (HT), Ethan Twomey for O’Callaghan (43), Shane Barrett for O’Flynn (44), Mark Coleman for E Downey (49, inj).

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Darragh Corcoran, Shane Murphy; Cian Kenny, Mikey Carey; Conor Heary, John Donnelly, Adrian Mullen; Billy Ryan, Luke Hogan, Eoin Cody.

Subs: Martin Keoghan for Ryan (HT), Billy Drennan for Hogan (46), Kevin Blanchfield for Carey (51), Walter Walsh for Heary (55), Peter McDonald for Kenny (64).

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).

Allianz Hurling League  | Round 2 | Cork v Kilkenny

Join us at Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh this Saturday, February 10th, as Cork prepares to
face off against Kilkenny in Round 2 of the 2024 Allianz Hurling League. The action throws in at 7:30pm, but make sure to arrive early to catch an exciting challenge match
between the Cork and Kilkenny minor teams at 5:30pm.

Match Details:


Where: Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
When: Saturday, February 10th, starting at 7:30pm
Match Referee: Johnny Murphy from Ballylanders, Limerick


Team News:
Cork Team

Kilkenny Team


Ticket Information:
This is a ticketed event. Secure your seats by purchasing tickets below.

Buy Match Tickets


Competition Recap:
Cork lost against Clare in their recent league game in Ennis, while Kilkenny and Wexford battled to a draw in their league opener.