Hat-trick for Alan Connolly as Cork far too strong for Offaly

Offaly 0-16 Cork 5-28

ALAN Connolly marked his first Cork start in a year and a half with three goals as the Rebels eased past Offaly in Division 1 Group A of the Allianz Hurling League at Glenisk O’Connor Park on Sunday afternoon.

On top throughout, Cork led by 0-7 to 0-3 when the Blackrock man struck for his first green flag and he netted again coming up to half-time, ensuring a 2-12 to 0-8 interval advantage.

The lead had swelled to 3-20 to 0-11 when Connolly got his third goal and a rampant closing period saw subs Brian Hayes and Darragh Fitzgibbon also netting.

The result keeps alive Cork’s slim hopes of a semi-final spot but also does much to aid their quest to be in Division 1 of the revamped competition for 2025.

Cork – for whom Tim O’Mahony was a late replacement at centre-back for Ciarán Joyce – began with points from Jack O’Connor and Conor Lehane and, while Dan Ravenhill and Eoghan Cahill had Offaly level, it was the only time that parity pertained.

Robert Downey, excellent at left half-back, made it 0-3 to 0-2 before Shane Barrett’s puckout win led to a free, converted by Declan Dalton, and Alan Connolly added another despite being fouled.

Offaly’s Sam Bourke pulled one back but too often their shooting was off-target – in the first half, they had nine wides and left one effort short. Séamus Harnedy made it 0-6 to 0-3 after Dalton claimed a puckout and set him up and a great catch by Eoin Downey in the Cork goalmouth led to a Shane Barrett point, Dalton providing the link-up play.

On 20 minutes, Cork had their first goal. O’Mahony did well to win an Offaly puckout and he sent an early ball to Alan Connolly. Despite seeming to be crowded out, he held possession and got his shot away, with Mark Troy unable to keep it out.

The scores continued to come, with Robert Downey sending a nice ball up the line to allow Jack O’Connor show his pace and fire over while Luke Meade profited by good play by Conor Lehane and Harnedy.

When Dalton got his fourth point of the game from out left on halfway in the 34th minute, all of the starting forward had scored from play and there was time for a second goal before half-time.
Lehane was the creator on this occasion, having had a puckout arrowed to him by Patrick Collins. He found Connolly inside and, as with the first goal, he managed to hold off a series of challenges before depositing the ball in the net.

Eoghan Cahill did get his fifth point for Offaly to leave it 2-12 to 0-8 at half-time but Brian Roche increased Cork’s tally within ten seconds of the restart and it would take until the ninth minute of the second period for the home side to have their first shot.

Cork’s scoring rate dropped too, though Luke Meade did go close to another goal, denied by a save from Mark Troy, who injured himself keeping out Conor Lehane’s follow-up effort.

Dalton remained accurate from dead balls, Darragh Fitzgibbon marked his return to action with a well-taken score from the left and Robert Downey added a pair of fine points to leave it 2-20 to 0-11 with 19 minutes left.

A minute later, Dalton was the provider for Connolly to grab his third goal, a nicely disguised finish. As the game petered out, Offaly’s David Nally, who had taken over free-taking duties from the departed Cahill, did stem the flow with a series of frees.

Fitzgibbon might have had a late goal, substitute goalkeeper Stephen Corcoran saving, but Hayes did find the net, set up by Shane Barrett’s run, and there was a late goal for Fitzgibbon after Meade and Barrett linked. Sub Shane Kingston finished with four points as Cork pushed on in the closing stages.

Scorers for Offaly: D Nally 0-8 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), E Cahill 0-5 (0-4 f), S Bourke, D Bourke, D Ravenhill 0-1 each.

Cork: A Connolly 3-1, D Dalton 0-7 (0-4 f, 0-2 65), B Hayes, D Fitzgibbon 1-1 each, S Kingston (0-2 f) 0-4, R Downey, 0-3, B Roche, C Lehane, J O’Connor, L Meade, S Barrett 0-2 each, S Harnedy 0-1.

OFFALY: M Troy; C King, B Conneely, P Cantwell; D King, J Sampson, S Bourke; E Kelly, E Cahill; D Ravenhill, K Sampson, D Nally; D Bourke, O Kelly, A Screeney.

Subs: C Mitchell for Ravenhill (14, injured), J Clancy for Cahill (half-time), S Corcoran for Troy (39, injured), L Watkins for Screeney (44), D Shirley for Cantwell (50), M Watkins for E Kelly (70, injured).

CORK: P Collins; N O’Leary, D Cahalane, E Downey; G Millerick, T O’Mahony, R Downey; B Roche, L Meade; D Dalton, C Lehane, S Harnedy; J O’Connor, A Connolly, S Barrett.

Subs: R Cotter for O’Connor (half-time), D Fitzgibbon for Harnedy (45), S Kingston for Dalton (55), B Hayes for Connolly (58), C O’Brien for R Downey (69).

Referee: C Cunning (Antrim).