Cork 1-24
Dublin 1-19
CORK’S HURLING REVIVAL under Jimmy Barry-Murphy continued in dramatic fashion today with victory in an epic All Ireland semi-final against Dublin.
It was a game which was unbearably tight for over an hour and Cork’s five-point margin of victory was only delivered by the lightening quick reactions of Patrick Horgan to steal the ball from Gary Maguire and guide it to the net in the 67th minute.
By that stage Dublin were already headed for defeat as Ryan O’Dwyer’s red card (for a second yellow) gave Anthony Daly’s men a numerical disadvantage when the scoreboard had them ahead by one after 50 minutes.
The traditional rivals matched up like for like in suitably traditional formations from the off and the 62,092 in Croke Park were treated to an intense contest with the perfect blend of physicality and skill.
Cork took the early advantage as Conor Lehane and Luke O’Farrell got the scoreboard ticking after early frees had been traded. Dublin roared back with frees from Paul Ryan and a fine move rounded off by Conal Keaney.
And from that ninth minute score, the teams found themselves in a blow for blow struggle. When Cork did manage to claim a lead larger than a single point, Dublin hit back with a goal. David Treacy with a smart finish off his right boot after being picked out by Ryan.
Cork pulled level almost instantly and battle their way to a 0-15 to 1-11 half time lead. Deep breaths were needed all over the Jones’ Road venue.
The second half brought more of the same magnificent spectacle. O’Dwyer made the most of a poor Ryan free to level and Cork resumed control with an enormous free from Anthony Nash. The goalkeeper’s bigger role in proceedings was still to come, however.
Shane Durkin and Danny Sutcliffe gave Hill 16 a lead to shout about and the killer instinct of the blue forwards was there for all to see when O’Dwyer fired a rasping shot towards the net at the other end. There stood Nash, raising his hurl above his head to prevent a goal that could have given Cork a mountain to climb.
Dublin were on top. But Ryan and Horgan traded frees and the deadlock was still in effect. Then, suddenly, it all unraveled quite quickly for the Leinster champions. Ryan missed a straightforward free to give his side a three-point cushion and after O’Farrell reduced the gap once more, O’Dwyer careered into Lorcan McLoughlin and picked up a second yellow and a red card.
The 14 men were defiant, but their task was immense and Cork began to use their extra man to exhaust their opponent. From the moment Horgan edged Cork 0-21 to 1-17 ahead in the 60th minute, the Rebels never looked back.
Empty net
And when Horgan raced in to close down Maguire as he collected the sliotar within his large rectangle the Glen Rovers man cleverly left his stick hanging to the right as the ‘keeper changed direction and the ball landed perfectly for him to flick it into the empty net.
Four minutes remained and only the most over optimistic of Dublin fans could image a four-point overhaul from there.
Cork take their place in the All Ireland SHC final and they will wait to be joined another Munster side.
Both Clare and Limerick must see that this team has grown immeasurably since their provincial final defeat. Rebels reborn.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 1-7 (0-5f), Lorcan McLoughlin, Conor Lehane, Anthony Nash (0-3f) 0-3 each, Seamus Harnedy, Luke O’Farrell 0-2 each, Daniel Kearney, Jamie Coughlan, Patrick Cronin, Stephen Moylan 0-1 each.Scorers for Dublin: Paul Ryan 0-5 (0-4f, 0-1 ’65), Danny Sutcliffe 0-4, David Treacy 1-1, Conal Keaney, David O’Callaghan 0-2 each, Ryan O’Dwyer, John McCaffrey, Joseph Boland, Shane Durkin 0-1 each.
CORK: Anthony Nash; Stephen McDonnell, Shane O’Neill, Conor O’Sullivan; Tom Kenny, Christopher Joyce, William Egan; Lorcan McLoughlin, Daniel Kearney; Seamus Harnedy, Jamie Coughlan, Pa Cronin; Luke O’Farrell, Patrick Horgan, Conor Lehane.
Subs: Stephen White for Kenny (45), Stephen Moylan for Lehane (68).
Referee: James Owens (Wexford).
