Stephen Barry: Goals remain critical at all levels of hurling

After Cork’s six-goal Canon O’Brien Cup success over UCC, Pat Ryan spoke about their emphasis on creating and cashing in goal chances.

The Rebels ticked both boxes last Friday, finding the net six times against the Students and manufacturing five more chances, two of which cracked the crossbar.

“We probably left plenty of goals behind us last year in the championship,” said Ryan.

“That’s what we’re looking to do, get the ball inside, we know we’ve dangerous forwards.

“Paudie O’Sullivan is a fantastic goalie, he’ll have a great future with Cork seniors going forward, but we’d be disappointed that we gave him the chances to save.

Above the shoulder or below the ankle, that’s where you need to be hitting the ball.” 

The same principles applied to Sunday’s All-Ireland Intermediate and Junior Club hurling finals at Croke Park. Watergrasshill are the pride of Cork this week after Seán Desmond’s last-gasp goal snatched an enthralling 2-15 to 0-18 victory over Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry.

Cork’s run of three defeats in Intermediate finals was snapped as the Hill joined Kanturk, Ballymartle, and Blarney on the roll of honour. They did it in similar fashion to Ballymartle, too. Back in 2011, Darren McCarthy’s major handed them the national title with the very last play. American football fans would call it a walk-off goal.

While this final perched on a knife edge until Desmond tipped the balance, it was notable that all six goal chances were earned by Watergrasshill.

Adam Murphy almost profited from an early long ball that ran behind the cover. It proved a blueprint and a premonition for the match-deciding moment. A brilliant and brave block denied Brendan Lehane soon after but Murphy would punish Tynagh’s failure to clear another long ball in the aftermath.

Most players would’ve chosen to tap over from the acute angle but his shot was, as Ryan advised, angled below the ankle as it ricocheted past the keeper.

Brendan Lynch hardly had a minute to recover before he was called into action again, saving a Lehane rasper after Dáire O’Leary’s surging run.

All that within 10 minutes. The Hill certainly signposted the right ambition and instincts from the start.

It verged on overambition in the second half when a floated Desmond pass across goal was picked off. In that moment, with the gap back to one, the point was the better option.

As the Hill were forced to chase the game, a cynical foul halted Murphy and a Desmond flick wasn’t far from crossing the line.

They trailed into added time but it was level when the ball came to Desmond. Again, two Tynagh players were drawn to the sliotar and the full-forward showed a poacher’s instinct to gamble in behind and shoot low to the net.

While nerves infected their finishing at times, converting just half of their 34 chances, those green flags pulled them through.

Their 50% success rate compared unfavourably to Tynagh’s 72% but the Hill were superior in the volume of chances created (34 to 25).

That was based upon a solid foundation of puck-outs. The Hill mixed short and long restarts and retained 71%. Tynagh were forced long and held onto just 39% of those.

The Galway champions’ third-quarter charge looked to have tilted the balance their way but in those final 10 minutes, the Hill defence were defiant and the waves of attack were all red. As were the celebrations.

HEARTBREAK

Earlier, Russell Rovers suffered another All-Ireland JHC heartbreak at the hands of St Lachtain’s, 1-18 to 0-16.

Both sides had three clearcut chances but it was the Freshford side who got the goal that Rovers so badly desired.

In the end, it was another direct ball that paid off. Shane Donnelly’s rapid reflexes secured the break and his lightning finish gave the keeper no time to react. James Maher had a further chance in either half but James Kennefick’s superb tackle knocked him off balance in the first and Ross Walsh saved in the second.

At the other end, Josh Beausang went for broke with an early close-range free but the defender on the line was alert to his intentions.

On the restart, Luke Duggan Murray unleashed a rocket but it was deflected just the wrong side of the post. Then, Darren Brennan showed his reflexes to keep out Brian Hartnett’s kicked attempt.

It was a compliment to Rovers that the Kilkenny shot-stopper was named the Man of the Match at the end of the hour.

While Cork clubs had once won four of their first five Juniors finals played against Kilkenny opposition, the Cats have now prevailed in their last four Croke Park encounters.