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Cork Seniors beat Dublin

All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

CORK 2-26 DUBLIN 0-24

Cork reached the All-Ireland SHC semi-finals for the first time since 2018 as they held off Dublin at Semple Stadium on Saturday night.

First-half goals from Tim O’Mahony and Shane Kingston gave the Rebels an eight-point half-time lead, 2-13 to 0-11, and that was the difference at the end too, but with five minutes remaining Dublin had pulled back to within four points thanks to a burst of scores from Riain McBride, sub Jake Malone, Donal Burke and Danny Sutcliffe.

Cork, who had led since O’Mahony’s goal in the 18th minute, didn’t panic though and their worries were eased as Patrick Horgan sent over a free – his 11th point of the game – with Niall O’Leary, sub Alan Connolly and Horgan on target to ensure they progress to the last four.

Having lost to Limerick in the Munster semi-final at the same venue four weeks previously, Cork have now won back-to-back knockout championship games for the first time since 2015 and will face Kilkenny next Sunday in Croke Park for a place in the decider.

Kieran Kingston and his team can be satisfied with the job done, while knowing that there is still room for improvement.

Dublin led on four different occasions in the opening 12 minutes, with Donal Burke shouldering much of the scoring burden, while they threatened half-chances of goals before a tight Cork full-back line got on top – having only conceded a goal from a penalty against Clare last week, they have not allowed a green flag from open play since the Limerick game.

They had parity at 0-5 each when Horgan levelled in the 17th minute – shortly after a Jack O’Connor goal attempt from a tight angle had hit the post – and they hit the front when Robbie O’Flynn’s lay-off for marauding wing-back Tim O’Mahony allowed him to hare towards the Dublin goal before producing a rasping finish.

Burke replied with a 65 before the water-break but Cork got on top in the second quarter. Conor Cahalane was hardworking in the middle while Séamus Harnedy built on his man-of-the-match performance against Clare while Jack O’Connor used his pace to good effect, winning frees and scoring points.

They moved 1-12 to 0-9 in front when Horgan got his fourth point and though Burke replied to that and another from the Cork captain, the Rebels surged eight clear as Kingston reacted to pull a loose ball to the net after O’Flynn had made a surging run and tried to find Horgan.

It left Cork with a nice cushion at the break and, though Conor Burke and Cian Boland brought Dublin back to six early in the second half, Cork had four of the next five points, Harnedy and O’Mahony with the pick of them, to open up a nine-point advantage and suggest that they would pull further clear.

That they didn’t was down to a doggedness on Dublin’s part with Donal Burke continuing to landed points while Cian O’Sullivan brought his tally to three as he made it 2-18 to 0-17 on 46.

Seven was still the different, 2-20 to 0-19, at the second-half water-break, with Conor Burke’s second cutting the lead further when action resumed. Though Cork replied with Horgan’s tenth and a point from sub Shane Barrett, Dublin’s four-point burst suggested that all was not decided just yet.

Cork might have wavered but they didn’t fall; they did enough to ensure that their season continues.

Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-12 (0-8 frees, 0-1 65), Tim O’Mahony 1-1, Séamus Harnedy 0-4, Jack O’Connor 0-3, Shane Kingston 1-0, Robbie O’Flynn 0-2, Conor Cahalane, Shane Barrett, Niall O’Leary Alan Connolly 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dublin: Donal Burke 0-13 (0-7 frees, 0-1 65), Cian O’Sullivan 0-3, Conor Burke, Danny Sutcliffe 0-2 each, Liam Rushe, Riain McBride, Cian Boland, Jake Malone 0-1 each.

CORK: Patrick Collins; Seán O’Donoghue, Robert Downey, Niall O’Leary; Ger Millerick, Mark Coleman, Tim O’Mahony; Darragh Fitzgibbon, Luke Meade; Robbie O’Flynn, Conor Cahalane, Séamus Harnedy; Jack O’Connor, Patrick Horgan, Shane Kingston.

Subs: Shane Barrett for Kingston (48), Sean O’Leary Hayes for O’Donoghue (48), Alan Connolly for O’Flynn (60), Billy Hennessy for Meade (63), Colm Spillane for O’Leary (70).

DUBLIN: Alan Nolan; Andrew Dunphy, Paddy Smyth, Cian O’Callaghan; Daire Gray, Liam Rushe, James Madden; Riain McBride, Conor Burke; Donal Burke, Chris Crummey, Danny Sutcliffe; Cian O’Sullivan, Rory Hayes, Cian Boland.

Subs: Jake Malone for O’Callaghan (49), Davy Keogh for O’Sullivan (52), Oisín O’Rorke for Boland (63), Paul Crummey for Hayes (69).

Referee: James Owens (Wexford).

Keith Ricken: I’m very proud of a Cork team who never, ever gave up

MARK WOODS via The Echo website

IT’S the minors who are the last Cork football team standing after mixed fortunes in a hectic 24-hour schedule at the weekend.

Their exciting 1-15 to 1-14 Munster semi-final win over champions Kerry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Friday night was followed by the disappointment of the U20s losing their All-Ireland semi-final to Offaly at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise on Saturday.

The Leinster champions deservedly won by 3-10 to 0-14 to deny Cork, who battled back from a wretched first-half display to come within two points approaching injury-time.

But, a third Offaly goal settled matters and, in truth, the winners could have scored six and their wides stretched to 13.

Jack Bryant of Offaly celebrates after scoring the killer late goal against Cork during the 2021 EirGrid GAA All-Ireland Football U20 Championship semi-final. Picture: Matt Browne/SportsfileThe other U20 semi-final is between Roscommon and Down, who defeated Monaghan by 3-15 to 1-14 after extra-time on Friday night.

Yet, manager Keith Ricken was full of praise for his charges and believes the future is encouraging for football in the county.

“I loved the way we kept fighting right to the end and the lads died with their socks on,” he said.

We are all very good, when things are going great, but you judge a person when things are not going great.

“I believe seven or eight of these fellows will be household names in a few years’ time. There is no doubt about that.

“I make that judgement now on what I’ve seen and what I saw was a team who never, ever gave up. I’m very proud of that.”

Ricken was still proud of his players’ second-half efforts.

“We stood up in the second half and tried to answer the problems we created ourselves in the first half,” he said.

“Yes, we left holes at the back which they exploited with a bit of pace and some very good players. I genuinely thought we left it all out there in the second half.

They may not have done it in the first half for whatever reason. I think the crowd may have been a factor and things get to fellows.

“Yet, I thought they settled down and if you’re looking at what the future of Cork football holds in terms of character, there was no crumbling.

“We fell nine points down at the start of the second half and were really under the cosh, but nobody went into hiding.

“There was nobody faking injuries either and we had to pull players off the field when making changes.

“I’m very happy with that side of things and I think from my role in the development of Cork football we’ve done that again.

“I believe we will get a lot of players from this group and the hurt and pain from this evening will be used to their advantage.”

Offaly now march on to the final against either Down or Roscommon.

“I wasn’t surprised by the way they played and I’ve been telling people that because Offaly were my tip to win Leinster.

“I’ve seen these guys play and they have a lot of pace and quite a lot of skilful players, who will punish you inside if they make a mistake.

“We started this campaign without six players who you would have thought would be starting but for injuries.

“So, for us to be still involved at the business end of the championship, I’m very happy with that.

“Of course, there were performances that were below par and the lads know that themselves, but I thought we worked very hard in the second half and I can’t ask for any more than that.”

Cork break Kerry’s eight-year stranglehold on Munster minor football championship

EOGHAN CORMICAN, PAIRC UI CHAOIMH via Irish Examiner Website

Munster MFC semi-final: Cork 1-15 Kerry 1-14

Kerry’s eight-year stranglehold on the Munster minor football championship is no more, Cork scoring a one-point win in this evening’s provincial semi-final to dump out the Kingdom and, in the process, book their place in the decider on Wednesday week.

Kerry, having trailed by five with 10 minutes remaining, came desperately close to forcing extra-time as James Costello’s charges narrowed the gap to the minimum coming down the stretch and were presented with a chance to equalise matters three minutes into second-half stoppages but Dylan Roche missed a close-range free to ensure Cork held on.

Cork will have been disappointed with how they let their opponents back into contention having led by 1-13 to 1-6 at the second water break. Mistakes were plentiful on either side as cheap turnovers and poor passes ruled the hour.

This result means Cork, for the first time since 2013, have beaten Kerry in minor and U20 championship fixtures in the same year.

Cork: M O’Connell (St Michael’s); D Twomey (Ballinascarthy), S O’Connell (Kilshannig), P O’Grady (Killavullen); S Copps (Mallow), C Twomey (Carbery Rangers), D O’Brien (Glanworth); M McSweeney (Knocknagree), R O’Shaughnessy (St Michael’s); J O’Neill (Castlehaven), N Kelly (Newcestown), C Gillespie (Aghabullogue); O Corcoran (St Mary’s), J O’Driscoll (Castlehaven), H O’Connor (Newmarket).

Subs: B Hayes (Nemo Rangers) for Gillespie, D Crowley (Urhan) for McSweeney (both 47); C Cusack (Nemo Rangers) for O’Grady (53, inj); N Daly (Ilen Rovers) for O’Neill (56); A Kelleher (St Colum’s) for Twomey (59).

Kerry: K Mackessy (Finuge); C Lynch (Glenflesk), R Diggin (Laune Rangers), E McCarthy (Churchill); R Colleran (Fossa), D O’Callaghan (Kilcummin), A Segal (Ballyduff); R Monahan (Ardfert), J Clifford (St Michael’s Foilmore); J Kelleher (Glenflesk), E Hassett (Laune Rangers), R Mahony (St Senan’s); C Dillon (Duagh), L Crowley (Glenflesk), D Roche (Glenflesk).

Subs: C Keating (Dr Crokes) for Kelleher (HT); D Conway (Finuge) for Mahoney (43); J Doyle (Na Gaeil) for Colleran, D O’Connor (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Dillons (both 46).

Referee: C Maguire (Clare).