Gardiner provides grace note

Cork Hurling final/Na Piarsaigh 0-17 Cloyne 0-10: As dusk fell over Páirc Uí Chaoimh and the youngsters wearing the vivid black and amber jerseys of Na Piarsaigh lingered on the field long after the stars had departed, we were all left with a strong impression that the state of the Rebel game is in rude health.

Over 22,000 people turned up at the famous old bowl of a stadium to watch a fascinating close to the local season. At half-time they paraded the silverware and the champions: the Cork intermediate team, the junior camogie team, the All-Ireland senior hurling champions. The crowd applauded politely: just an ordinary October in Cork.

As county finals go, this managed to combine an intensely local atmosphere with some of the biggest names of the summer year. Na Piarsaigh, young and fashionable and laden with Ó hAilpíns, won it at a canter in the last 10 minutes, but Cloyne, the fabled home of Christy Ring, hurled with admirable composure and honesty in their first senior final.

The youth of the opposition team undid them as much as anything. For a brief moment on the 40-minute mark, when the fiery Mike Naughton dispatched a point after a typically powerful canter from Diarmuid O'Sullivan, the celebrated east Cork village seemed fated to win. The score left them up 0-10 to 0-8 and their organisation and muscle was having the effect of countering Na Piarsaigh's sharp, light hurlers.

But Cloyne would not score again as Na Piarsaigh took a furtive lead and then closed the game out in rampant fashion, with Stephen P O'Sullivan giving a glossy performance of score- taking.

The club prepared for this final in sad circumstances: Tomás Gardiner, who had two nephews playing yesterday, passed away suddenly on Friday evening. The display by both Gardiner boys was a fitting epitaph. John, in particular was magnificent in a Na Piarsaigh half-back line that lorded it all through the game.

Although listed at number 34 in the match programme, Setanta Ó hAilpín started the final, displacing Cian O'Mahony from the centre-forward position. After 40 seconds he caught a clean ball, turned, won a free and arose in familiar mood, testing the fabric of his jersey and punching the air. Two minutes later, he floated a beautiful point and looked set for a dream final before departing for Australia tonight.

Three speculative attempts trailed wide afterwards, however during a period of complete domination by Na Piarsaigh. Trailing 0-5 to 0-1, Cloyne looked nervous in defence through the first quarter and might have been overwhelmed early had the city team been more accurate. But they felt their way back into the game, with veteran midfielder Liam O'Driscoll leading the way and Maurice Cahill gradually dimming Setanta's electric presence.

Cloyne's finest period came during the last 10 minutes of the first half when they relaxed and played a clever, measured game. Ian Quinlan tapped a free, Victor Cusack thieved a ball from Richard O'Byrne to tap over a point, Diarmuid O'Sullivan delivered a long free that arose from a mistake by Setanta and Cloyne drew level.

Their first lead was a beautiful score; O'Driscoll supplied a pass to Naughton who spied Phil Cahill standing all alone across the pitch. His pass was perfect and Cahill fired a score that for sheer nerve must have worried Na Piarsaigh.

And there were periods when the Cloyne defence, busy and tiring, lived dangerously. Killian Cronin made a great block on young Aisake Ó hAilpín after he danced clear of the Cloyne defence and set himself up on goal on 46 minutes. Donal Óg Cusack made a fine, reflex save in the same phase of play, Diarmuid O'Sullivan also made a memorable block on Aisake. But all through the defence, leaks were appearing. Midfielder Ronan McGregor broke free to give Na Piarsaigh the lead point in the 47th minute and after Colin O'Sullivan skipped through for another easy score, there was no turning back.

Cloyne simply could not get past the opposition half-back line for the last 10 minutes, the team's full forwards watching the game in frustration. John Gardiner seemed to have a telepathic read on the ball and once in possession, he sought out Stephen P O'Sullivan who decided to end the thing quickly with a string of sweet scores. Gardiner provided the grace note with a brilliant point from the wing after he took a dropping ball on the run.

Na Piarsaigh have just six days to prepare for Toomevara. And so it goes in Cork, on and on.

NA PIARSAIGH: M O'Sullivan; D Mannix, R O'Byrne, D Murphy; J Gardiner (0-1), D Gardiner, S Óg Ó hAilpín; R McGregor, M Prendergast; C O'Sullivan (0-2), S O'hAilpín (0-1), SR O'Sullivan (0-2); A Ó hAilpín (0-5, frees), C Connery, SP O'Sullivan (0-6). Subs: G Shaw for C Connery (43 mins).

CLOYNE: D Óg Cusack: E O'Sullivan, K Cronin, D Motherway; Donal O'Sullivan, M Cahill, Diarmuid O'Sullivan (0-1, free); L O'Driscoll (0-2), M Naughton (0-2); P Cahill (0-1), C O'Sullivan, I Quinlan (0-3, two frees); P O'Sullivan, C Cusack, V Cusack (0-1). Subs: C Lomasney for L O'Driscoll (56 mins).

Referee: D Copps (Ballyhea).