Cork under-20s land their part of the bargain in hunt for hurling treble

Cork 4-19 Galway 2-14

Cork registered the first of what they hope will be a superb All-Ireland treble this week when they produced a powerful performance to retain their under-20 crown with an impressive win over a Galway side who were always chasing the game at Semple Stadium.

It took Cork 23 years to bridge the gap to their 1998 success in this grade but now they have garnered two in less than seven weeks, having captured the delayed 2020 crown last month.

And they were full value for their win and will now hope to complete the second part of the treble when these counties meet in the All-Ireland minor final back in Thurles on Saturday before the senior team head for Croke Park and the showdown with Limerick.

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A good start to that treble was on the cards when they raced into 1-4 to 0-0 lead after 10 minutes with Darragh Flynn firing home a penalty to get them off the mark on three minutes after Galway goalkeeper Paddy Rabbite was penalised for fouling Jack Cahalane.

They led by 2-9 to 0-5 at the break and would have been out of sight had they not shot 13 wides, although Galway were guilty of wastefulness from lesser possession and struck half a dozen wide.

The Rebels were dominant in most positions and reeled off five points before Donal O’Shea got Galway off the mark with a free after 14 minutes. He followed with another free directly afterwards but then Galway failed to clear their lines and Cahalane pounced to bat the ball home to lead by 2-5 to 0-2 at the first water break.

O'Shea's third pointed free reduced the margin but Cork's Pádraig Power took his haul to three points with two rapid efforts and when Greg Thomas pulled back a point for Galway, Daniel Hogan responded to make it 2-8 to 0-4 after 25 minutes.

Robbie Cotter and O'Shea swapped points and it took a superb save from Galway goalkeeper Rabbitte to deny Hogan a third Cork goal as the Rebels went in leading by 2-9 to 0-5 at the interval.

Galway rallied after the break. John Cooney got them rolling with a point and two more frees from O'Shea gave one from play from Seán McDonagh cut the margin to 2-9 to 0-9 after 35 minutes and the Galway fans began to find their voice.

Then they cut the gap to three when O’Shea turned and got in for a goal for Galway after 37 minutes but almost immediately Cork struck for their third goal with Power blasting home after being set up by Brian Hayes.

McDonagh and Ben Cunningham, son of former Cork goalkeeper Ger, exchanged points for the Rebels to lead by 3-10 to 1-10 after 42 minutes and there were six between them at the second water break when Flynn and McDonagh swapped scores.

But Cork took over from there. Gavin Lee and O'Shea managed points for Galway but Cork picked off seven and they sealed their 13th win in the grade when Hayes fired home after being set up by Cunningham, before Alex Connaire scored a late Galway goal.

CORK: C Wilson; E Downey, E Twomey, C O'Brien; K Moynihan, C Joyce, B O'Sullivan; S Quirke (0-1), D Kearney; J Cahalane (1-1), D Flynn (1-5, 1-0 pen, four frees), B Hayes (1-2); R Cotter (0-1), P Power (1-5), D Hogan (0-1).

Subs: B Cunningham (0-2) for Kearney (39), L Horgan (0-1) for Cotter (48), M Mullins for Hogan (55), C O'Donovan for Moynihan (57), C McCarthy for Quirke (59).

GALWAY: P Rabbitte; E Lawless, E Geraghty, C Brennan; S Quirke, S Neary, E Duggan; I McGlynn, D Kilcommins; G Thomas (0-1), N Collins, J Cooney (0-1); S McDonagh (0-3, one s/l), D O'Shea (1-7, seven frees), O Flannery.

Subs: J O'Donoghue for McGlynn (29), G Lee (0-2) for N Collins (h/t), L Collins for Flannery (45), O Salmon for Duggan (47), A Connaire (1-0) for Thomas (47).

Referee: J Murphy (Limerick).