Topsy-turvy league was platform for Cork hurlers' championship run

IT seems like a statistical impossibility, that you could lose less than half of your games and finish second-from-bottom in a league, but that is what happened the Cork hurlers in the 2021 Allianz HL campaign.

A record of two wins, a draw and two defeats left the Rebels tied on six points with Limerick – Westmeath were bottom after five defeats – but the fact that one of the losses had come at the LIT Gaelic Grounds meant that John Kiely’s side took fourth spot on a head-to-head tie-break. Waterford and Tipperary were a point ahead in second and third and while Galway on eight points were two clear at the top, it would not actually have taken much for Cork to finished in first place.

With the early-year lockdown having resulted in more downtime and a later start to the season, there would be a full league group-stage programme of five games but with no time in the calendar for a final – instead, the winners of Group A and Group B were to share the title, unless they met in the championship, in which case the game would double up. That had happened in 2020, as Limerick’s win over Clare in the Munster semi-final earned them the league trophy.

It was the Shannonsiders, the All-Ireland champions, who were to be Cork’s first championship opponents and before that John Kiely’s side would also be in Cork’s company for Group A of the league along with Galway, Tipperary, Waterford and Westmeath.

The Déise visited Páirc Uí Chaoimh for the opener on May 9 and it was clear that Cork had their sights set on goals as they won by 5-22 to 1-27, with newcomer Alan Connolly netting twice while Robbie O’Flynn, Jack O’Connor and Shane Kingston each raised a green flag.

They followed that with a trip to Thurles to take on Tipperary. Again, they outgoaled their opposition, with Jack O’Connor putting the visitors 1-1 to 0-3 ahead early on. However, Jason Forde’s frees helped Tipp to a 0-12 to 1-8 interval advantage and then points from John McGrath and Forde extended that lead on the resumption.

Cork were level when Darragh Fitzgibbon set up Patrick Horgan for a goal in the 44th minute and they seized the upper hand then, with subs Daire Connery and Conor Cahalane on target as they led by 2-12 to 0-15. It was 2-16 to 0-20 in injury time but Cork couldn’t see the game out and Cathal Barrett and Forde had points to ensure a share of the spoils for Liam Sheedy’s team.

SEVEN UP

Any frustrations were burned off the following week as Westmeath were beaten by 7-27 to 0-15 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, with Patrick Horgan scoring 2-4, Alan Cadogan notching 1-4, Connolly adding to his burgeoning reputation with two more goals while another U20 star, Shane Barrett, got 1-3 and Luke Meade netted the other. It left Cork in strong shape heading to the Gaelic Grounds for the championship dress-rehearsal in early June.

With the management opting to shuffle their pack, a stronger Limerick side were able to lay down a marker for the following month. Though Jack O’Connor’s goal brought Cork level at 0-6 to 1-3, Limerick were 0-11 to 1-3 in front at the water break and 0-20 to 1-7 in front by half-time. While captain Horgan scored nine points after coming on at the break and O’Connor got his second goal, the points continued to flow for Limerick, who ran out winners by 0-33 to 2-19.

The result meant that there were plenty of permutations ahead of the last match, at home to Galway on June 13.

Cork led by 1-2 to 0-1 after five minutes, with a Conor Cahalane goal helping them to a fine start, and while Galway improved, O’Connor netted again coming up to half-time to ensure a 2-12 to 0-12 lead. Horgan’s point left seven in it on the restart but Conor Whelan’s goal brought Galway right back into it and Joseph Cooney cut the lead to just three.

While Horgan’s frees kept Cork’s noses in front, Galway were reeling them in and Cathal Mannion sent over two quick points and they were level at 2-17 each when Conor Cooney scored their second goal on 52. Pádraic Mannion put them in front for the first time but Cork came back well with two Horgan frees and Darragh Fitzgibbon’s third point. 

That left it 2-20 to 1-18 – Cork top of the ‘live’ table – but the home side didn’t lead again after Fintan Burke levelled. While Concannon’s point was answered by another from Fitzgibbon, Cathal Mannion’s goal was the score to fully turn the tie in Galway’s favour.

FRUSTRATING

They won by five points, 3-25 to 2-23, and Kieran Kingston was left frustrated.

“We’re disappointed because it was a game we wanted to win and thought we could have won,” he said, “when you’re seven points up in a game, you’d like to think you can win it.

“That was disappointing because, as it turned out, we were playing for top spot in the league and it’s a while since we were in that position. In saying that, there were a lot of positives to take from two-thirds of the game and we’ll take those away.”

Ultimately, the championship featured more of those positives than negatives, albeit without any silverware claimed. Saturday evening’s clash with Clare will see the quest begin again.