Determined Cork keep their title hopes alive

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE:  Cork 1-20 Galway 1-17:CORK moved to joint-third in Division One yesterday by inflicting a first loss of the campaign on Galway at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Leading by six points at half-time, the home side did enough in the second half to ensure victory despite a resurgence by the Tribesmen, leaving them still in with a shout of making the final.

“It was obvious that if we were beaten here it was a Galway-Kilkenny final – that’s the way it was heading,” said Cork manager Denis Walsh afterwards.

“By winning we have opened it up for ourselves and for other teams as well. Galway took the initiative at half-time and they are hard to claw back when they get moving like that. The most positive thing I took out of it was we had the hunger, the attitude and the hurling to get out of it. That could easily have slipped into a one-point defeat or a draw.”

While none of the Cork forward line caught fire in terms of scoring they had a greater spread than their opponents, with nine different players finding the target.

In contrast, Galway relied heavily on Ger Farragher to keep them in contention, especially in the second half and other than him and Aongus Callanan, none of their starting forwards scored more than a point, though Joe Gantley did raise two white flags upon his introduction midway through the second half.

Poor shooting in the first half certainly cost Galway – they had 10 wides in the opening 35 minutes – with the loss of Joe Canning, who was on hurley-carrying duties, being keenly felt.

Twice in the opening six minutes they wasted goal chances – first Farragher scuffed a ground shot and then Iarla Tannian, having got past Eoin Cadogan, shot wide with just Dónal Óg Cusack to beat.

The sides combined to shoot seven wides before Cian McCarthy opened the scoring, and though Éanna Ryan and David Burke pointed for Galway after that, it would prove to be the only time they led.

Patrick Horgan levelled at 0-2 apiece before getting on the end of a John Gardiner ball in close proximity to goal. Referee Brian Gavin deemed the efforts of the trio of Galway defenders to stop him illegal, with a penalty the result.

Horgan took the puck himself and a fired home the goal.

Points from Jerry O’Connor, Gardiner and McCarthy then had them six clear but Galway clawed their way back into it when Ryan found Callanan and the corner-forward made no mistake from close range.

With McCarthy and Paudie O’Sullivan impressing though, Cork had regrouped to lead 1-10 to 1-4 by the interval and looked set to coast to a relatively easy win.

Galway introduced Cyril Donnellan to the half-forward line after the break with Farragher moving to midfield and he scored four of the first five points of the half, with Niall McCarthy getting Cork’s only response.

When Andy Smith then notched a good individual point there were two in it and Farragher’s frees helped Galway to find parity in the 53rd minute at 1-13 each.

Farragher hit the upright with a chance to edge Galway ahead and a pair of Patrick Horgan frees gave Cork breathing space again.

With Patrick Cronin making his presence felt at midfield and Farragher having to retire injured, Cork were not going to be denied and sub Cathal Naughton’s two points helped secure the win.

CORK:D Óg Cusack; C O'Sullivan, E Cadogan, S McDonnell; J Gardiner (0-2, frees), W Egan, R Ryan; J O'Connor (0-2), P Cronin (0-1); T Kenny, C McCarthy (0-3), N McCarthy (0-2); P Horgan (1-4, 1-0 pen, 0-4 frees), P O'Sullivan (0-3), L O'Farrell (0-1). Subs:K Murphy for O'Farrell (52 mins), L McLoughlin for O'Connor (54 mins), B Murphy for Ryan (58, injured), C Naughton (0-2) for Kenny (60).

GALWAY:J Grealish; D Collins, J Lee, G O'Halloran; D Hayes, T Óg Regan, A Cullinane; D Burke (0-4, 0-2 frees), D Barry; E Ryan (0-1), A Smith (0-1), G Farragher (0-7, 0-6 frees); A Callanan (1-2), I Tannian, J Coen. Subs:C Donnellan for Hayes (half-time), J Gantley (0-2) for Ryan (57 mins), N Cahalane for Farragher (64, inj).

Referee:B Gavin (Offaly).