KILKENNY DISMANTLED CORK in the league final on Sunday but what have we learned from it?
That it wasn’t a game of two halves
Cork drew the second half so in that sense it was a little different after the break but there was never any question of a turnaround. The Rebels created just 10 chances in the first half and scored a meagre 0-2 from play; Kilkenny had scored 14 of 22 chances in that time.
After the break, the Cats’ stars went or came off the field and Cork created 21 chances (10 taken, just 0-3 from frees this time) to Kilkenny’s 14 (also 10 taken). Overall, Kilkenny contributed just 0-4 of their 3-21 from placed balls.
That there’s no such thing as a free meal
The free-taking was a big issue for Kilkenny in last year’s league final loss to Dublin. TJ Reid and Richie Hogan fluffed a number of opportunities among them and it gave the Dubs encouragement that they hardly needed.
Paddy Hogan and Eoin Larkin shared the responsibility at Semple Stadium and while four from six is hardly lethal, it was crucial that those first few frees went over.
That Kilkenny didn’t in any way rely on frees was notable as they put up such a big tally. So that’s 3-26 against Galway recently and now 3-21 against Cork – quite a change from 1-07 in last year’s final in which 10 of the same 15 Cats started.
Martin Coleman’s mistake allowed Kilkenny get on top early ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan
That Cork are not the finished article
Galway are the only top-flight team who have not fallen to Cork in the National League at some stage this season. The point being that Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s men clearly have the minerals to survive in the best company.
What Sunday showed is that they have work to do to challenge Kilkenny, which to be fair, most teams do. In reality, every team in contention has been beaten by the Cats by 10 points-plus in the last few years – league and championship.
That includes all the main challengers: Tipperary (albeit 2009), Cork, Galway, Waterford and Dublin. Cork were blown away in the physical stakes on Sunday but the movement of Kilkenny’s forwards gives them plenty to work between now and the championship. A Munster semi-final win and this loss will be forgotten about. One caveat though: this was close to the Rebels’ full army while Kilkenny have a strong cavalry to come. The loss of Donal Óg Cusack was felt on Sunday as Martin Coleman’s mistake – something we would rarely expect from the injured man – was a big moment early on.
That Eoin Larkin is the best number 14 in Ireland
Larkin has been in scintillating form since the start of last season and the switch to full-forward from the 12 position seems to have reinvigorated him. While the James Stephens man sometimes swapped and in and out of the square, he was mostly noted for his play from the wing.
Coming on to breaking ball and bursting through – now his danger has been pushed closer to goal.
Give it into him any which way, it’ll stick. Larks scored 1-4 as he tormented Stephen McDonnell and was responsible for another 1-2. His ability to win primary ball and turn defences on their heels could be key to another All-Ireland – all the more impressive in his leaving cert year.
That Brian Cody will be sweating on Michael Fennelly
It’s probably fair to say that Michael Fennelly has not yet reached in 2012 the heights he hit in 2011 when he was named Hurler of the Year. Even in the semi-final against Clare, it was only late in the game that the Ballyhale Shamrocks man got a couple of points to gloss over an ordinary performance, by his standards that is.
Fennelly was in exceptional form on Sunday until he was carried off with an injury in the second half and, while Paddy Hogan impressed in midfield beside him, their main man from 2011 would be a massive loss .