Cork v Kilkenny: Diarmuid Healy shines as Rebels finish well to take the points
Cork's Diarmuid Healy celebrates his goal against Kilkenny during the Allianz NHL Division 1 game at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Diarmuid Healy scored 1-5 on his first start as Cork got back to winning ways in the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A with victory over Kilkenny on Saturday evening.
After a draw with Limerick was followed by defeat to Tipperary, victory was vital for Cork’s hopes of reaching the final and the Rebels powered on in the closing stages at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Before a crowd of 22,193, the sides were level five times during the second half after Kilkenny had led by two points at half-time, 2-9 to 1-10, despite trailing by four at one stage in the opening period. However, Cork had the stronger finish.
With Shane Barrett beginning to wield his influence at centre-forward and Patrick Horgan punishing most Kilkenny fouls by converting the resultant frees, Cork had the greater impetus as the half wore on, though Kilkenny were still able to find spaces in defence. Midfielder Jordan Molloy was twice able to add points for them, the second of them tying the match at 1-17 to 2-14 in the 55th minute.
The Cats were also wasteful, though, and Cork profited. After Horgan and Cian Kenny exchanged points, Barrett set up Healy to bring his tally to 1-4 and it was also Barrett, and the ever-forceful Tim O’Mahony, who set up Horgan’s tenth, making it 1-20 to 2-15.
A second goal almost resulted late on, with Darragh Fitzgibbon’s point attempt dropping short and almost catching out Eoin Murphy and Brian Hayes unable to bundle the loose ball home. Even so, sub Tommy O’Connell was on hand to leave three in it as the end neared.
That was almost wiped out as TJ Reid, on as a sub, played a one-two with Paddy Deegan but found himself crowded out before he could shoot. A 65 resulted but Eoin Cody could not convert and, with the next play, the Barrett-to-Healy avenue yielded another point, making the game safe.
Prior to the game, tribute was paid to former Cork hurler Ray Ryan, brother of manager Pat, who died earlier this week. In conditions far more hospitable than the previous home outing against Limerick, the early stages were tit-for-tat. Brian Hayes did well to create an early goal chance after a turnover but he didn’t catch his shot perfectly and Eoin Murphy was able to save.
A surge from Cork, with points from Shane Barrett, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Ciarán Joyce – following a good interception – made it 0-5 to 0-3. While a pair of Eoin Cody frees sandwiched a lovely Tim O’Mahony point from Cork to leave it 0-6 to 0-5 by the 16th minute, Cork struck for a goal after that.
When O’Mahony’s free broke inside, the ball briefly lay unclaimed before Healy latched on to it and gave Murphy no chance with a lovely finish. Unfortunately for Cork, the four-point advantage was only momentary as Kilkenny immediately replied in kind, with the otherwise excellent Niall O’Leary’s loose pass in defence intercepted by Billy Ryan, who was able to send a bouncing shot past Patrick Collins.
Though Patrick Horgan’s third point of the night left it 1-7 to 1-5, another Kilkenny goal followed on 29 minutes. Again, Cork failed to properly clear danger and, while Damien Cahalane – on early for the injured Ger Millerick – did get a block on Harry Shine’s effort, Eoin Cody was able to set up Stephen Donnelly to fire home.
From there to half-time, the sides more or less matched each other for scores, with Kilkenny doing very well on breaks from their own puckouts. Declan Dalton did have another half-chance of a goal, but his effort from a tight angle needed more to beat Murphy.
The visitors retired with a 2-9 to 1-10 advantage after Huw Lawlor and Paddy Deegan had linked to set up Cian Kenny for a nice score, but Tim O’Mahony levelled straight from the throw-in at the start of the second half.
P Horgan 0-10 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), D Healy 1-5, T O’Mahony, S Barrett 0-2 each, C Joyce, D Fitzgibbon, T O’Connell 0-1 each.
E Cody 0-6 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), B Ryan 1-1, C Kenny, J Molloy 0-3 each, S Donnelly 1-0, M Keoghan, P Deegan, M Carey 0-1 each.
P Collins; G Millerick, E Downey, N O’Leary; M Mullins, R Downey, C Joyce; D Fitzgibbon, T O’Mahony; D Dalton, S Barrett, D Healy; P Horgan, R O’Flynn, B Hayes.
D Cahalane for Millerick (26, injured), C O’Brien for Joyce (41-44, temporary), L Meade for O’Flynn (46), J O’Connor for Dalton (49), O’Brien for Joyce (58, temporary), T O’Connell for Mullins (61), J Cahalane for Hayes (68).
E Murphy; T Walsh, H Lawlor, M Butler; D Blanchfield, M Carey, P Deegan; K Doyle, J Molloy; M Keoghan, C Kenny, B Ryan; E Cody, S Donnelly, H Shine.
L Hogan for Shine (8-11, temporary), Hogan for Donnelly (half-time), P Moylan for Lawlor (49, injured), F Mackessy for Doyle (54), L Connellan for Shine (56), TJ Reid for Kenny (61).
J Murphy (Limerick).
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