Jack Leahy on song as Cork U20 hurlers get better of Kilkenny at Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Jack Leahy was busy on the forward line for Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins
A good workout for Ben O’Connor’s Cork U20 hurlers as they got the better of Kilkenny in a challenge game at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, ahead of the senior clash between the Rebels and Limerick.
A superb first half set them up for the win and they were well worth their 1-17 to 1-11 half-time lead. With the outstanding Jack Leahy tormenting the Cats defence, backed up by the likes of William Buckley and Adam O’Sullivan, Cork were much the better side for the first 30 minutes.
Defensively Ballinora’s Shane Kingston anchored the defence with Kevin Lyons also impressing. Michael Mullins and Brian Keating were working hard in midfield as they took the game to Kilkenny.
The pace naturally dropped in the second half but even at that O’Connor won’t be too happy with some aspects of their play, when they missed a number of relatively easy chances and could have let the Cats in, were if not for some superb defending at times.
But overall he will be delighted to get a tough competitive game under their belts ahead of the championship as it gave him the chance to use 21 players on the night and get some game time into them all.
Just 10 seconds in and the Rebels were in front when Leahy split the posts and further white flags from David Cremin and Brian Keating had them 0-3 to no score in front after just two minutes. Luke Connellan got the Cats off the mark from a free before Darragh Queally made it a one-point game.
Leahy and Buckley increased Cork’s lead before they had their first goal chance when Niall Holland denied Leahy a green flag.
Adam O’Sullivan increased Cork’s lead before Kilkenny hit back through Connellan and Queally again. With 11 minutes gone, Cork got the opening goal when a long ball in from Ciarmhac Smyth ended up in the back of the net after Holland lost it in flight and dropped the sliotar into the net, to make it 1-6 to 0-4.
Cremin, Eoin O’Leary and Timmy Wilk were amongst the scores as Cork raced into a 1-11 to 0-6 lead, but back came the Cats.
Connellan and James Walsh reduced the deficit and when the latter’s flick from a long free in found the back of the net it was 1-9 to 1-13. Connellan and Paddy Langton put three between the sides but late points from O’Sullivan (2) and Buckley saw the Rebels 1-17 to 1-11 in front at half-time.
Kilkenny were the better side at the start of the second half and had Cork’s lead down to three, thanks to points from Joe Fitzpatrick, James Carroll and Queally, before Buckley made it a four-point game again.
Connellan raised his seventh white flag to make it 1-18 to 1-15 with 40 minutes gone as Cork were finding scores harder to get after half time.
Leahy and O’Leary kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Rebels, before Connellan raised another white flag.
Mikey Finn increased Cork’s lead before Connellan pegged it back again with two minutes to go.
Ross O’Sullivan got the last score of the half to see the Rebels run out deserving winners of an entertaining game.
J Leahy 0-5 (0-1 f), W Buckley, A O’Sullivan 0-4 each, C Smyth 1-0, D Cremin 0-3, E O’Leary 0-2 (0-1 f), B Keating, T Wilk, M Finn, R O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
J Walsh 1-1, L Connellan 0-9 (0-7 f), D Queally 0-3, P Langton 0-2, J Fitzpatrick, J Carroll 0-1 each.
B Saunderson (Midleton); M Howell (Douglas), K Lyons (Ballygarvan), D O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig); C Smyth (Midleton), S Kingston (Ballinora), T Wilk (Cobh); M Mullins (Whitechurch), B Keating (Ballincollig); D Cremin (Midleton), W Buckley (St Finbarr’s), T O’Connell (Ballincollig); A O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig); E O’Leary (Glen Rovers), J Leahy (Dungourney).
O O’Regan (Erin’s Own) for Keating, R O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) for Leahy, M Finn (Midleton) for Cremin (all 42), C Doolin (St Finbarr’s) for Wilk, S Daly (Randal Óg) for Howell (both 49), D McSweeney (Blarney) for O’Sullivan (51).
N Holland; P O’Grady, S Purcell, P Lennon; C Cody, J Fitzpatrick, P Langton; B Reid, C Beirne; Z Bay Hammond, J Carroll, L Connellan; D Queally, J Walsh, E O’Brien.
T Phelan for Bay Hammond (40), R McEvoy for Cody (42), A O’Sullivan for O’Grady (46), S Coogan for Reid (49).
Mark Maher (St Finbarr’s).
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