Cork v Galway: Disappointment as Rebels outclassed in second half

Galway 2-26

Cork 1-18

There will not be a third straight All-Ireland SHC appearance for Cork, well-beaten by Galway in Saturday’s semi-final at Croke Park.

While it was not of the magnitude of the second-half collapse against Tipperary in last year’s final, this was certainly a turnaround that will require cold-headed analysis. Having led by five points on the half-hour, Cork were still a point ahead at the interval but they floundered on the restart – between action resuming and the 53rd minute, they had just a single point as Galway scored 10.

Scores from Brian Hayes and sub William Buckley just after his arrival made things more manageable but then Cork lost captain Darragh Fitzgibbon to a second yellow card following a mistimed challenge.

Though Galway wides were stopping them from moving out of sight, Cork couldn’t make the most of their possession, either crowded out by good defending or guilty of over-playing the ball.

There was one goal chance as Brian Hayes broke a delivery for Shane Barrett but his low shot was kept out by Darach Fahy. Immediately after that, Patrick Collins denied the excellent Jason Rabbitte at the other end, but they didn’t have too long to wait.

They saw out the victory with a series of late points, each bringing a louder cheer from their travelling support as they hailed a first final since 2018, and the coda came as Conor Cooney intercepted Seán O’Donoghue and finished beyond Collins.

A strange first half saw Galway outscore Cork by 1-4 to 0-2 in the opening seven minutes and get five of the last six – in between, the Rebels had 1-10 to their opponents’ three points.

After a four-week break since winning the Leinster title, Galway sought to hit the ground running and they did that: all six of their starting forwards had scored inside the first quarter-hour and the goal served to underline their superiority.

That had come after Shane Barrett and Brian Hayes had had points in response to Galway going 0-3 to 0-0 ahead but the Tribesmen’s set-up meant there were spaces to exploit in the Cork backfield and when Conor Whelan did well on the left flank, he was able to set up Darragh Neary for a good finish.

Five points was the most that the margin expanded to, with Cork settling as the excellent Hayes – he would score six from play in the opening period – captain Darragh Fitzgibbon and Alan Connolly (free) brought the deficit to two.

There was a half-chance of a goal for Diarmuid Healy following nice play from Tommy O’Connell and Hayes but Fahy stood up well to the shot. However, the momentum was with Cork by now.

They had closed to within a point, 1-7 to 0-9, when Eoin Downey sent a sideline cut whizzing to the Galway goalmouth – Alan Walsh did well to collect and swivel before blazing a high shot beyond Fahy.

Two more from Hayes extended the lead; by that stage, Galway had had to take remedial action, moving Cillian Trayers on to him with Daithí Burke taking Walsh. At the other end, Seán O’Donoghue was excelling on Conor Whelan and a wonderful turnover by him led to Darragh Fitzgibbon getting his second: 1-12 to 1-7.

Just as a five-point deficit didn’t last too long, a five-point was soon trimmed again – Niland’s third free sent Galway in down by just one, 1-13 to 1-12.

While Gavin Lee levelled just eight seconds into the second half, Diarmuid Healy assisted Barrett as Cork led again, but it was the last time. Galway took over in the aerial stakes and made that supremacy count with clever use of the ball as Cork struggled in all sectors.

Scorers for Galway: T Monaghan 0-4, C Cooney 1-1, A Niland (0-3 f), C Mannion (0-1 f), R Glennon, J Rabbitte, C Whelan 0-3 each, D Neary, 1-0, G Lee 0-2 each, J Fleming, P Mannion, D Morrissey, T Killeen 0-1 each.

Cork: B Hayes 0-7, A Connolly 0-4 (0-3 f), S Barrett 0-3 (0-1 f), A Walsh 1-0, D Fitzgibbon 0-2, B Walsh (0-1 f), W Buckley 0-1 each.

GALWAY: D Fahy; D Burke, C Trayers, J Ryan; P Mannion, D Morrissey, R Glennon; T Killeen, G Lee; D Neary, C Mannion, T Monaghan; C Whelan, J Rabbitte, A Niland.

Subs: C Daniels for P Mannion (15-16), C Cooney for Niland (47), J Fleming for Killeen (62), B Concannon for Lee (66), S Linnane for Neary (70+1).

CORK: P Collins; N O’Leary, D Cahalane, S O’Donoghue; E Downey, R Downey, M Coleman; T O’Mahony, T O’Connell; D Fitzgibbon, S Barrett, D Healy; A Connolly, A Walsh, B Hayes.

Subs: C O’Brien for Cahalane (half-time), R O’Flynn for O’Connell (48), W Buckley for Connolly (51), B Walsh for A Walsh (52), G Millerick for E Downey (61, injured).

Referee: J Murphy (Limerick).