Cork hurling 2025 sharpshooters: Brian Hayes and Alan Connolly the top scorers from play

Sun, 20 Jul, 2025 - 14:15

Eamonn Murphy

Patrick Horgan will end the season as Cork's leading marksman once again, whatever happens in Sunday's All-Ireland final with Tipp.

Last summer, he grabbed an astonishing 5-64 in eight games, while this time it's 3-50 in six so far. He remains on top of the all-time championship charts, 17 ahead of TJ Reid, and during the league he passed out another Kilkenny great Eddie Keher as the leading marksman in the secondary competition.

Top-scorer from play for Cork this year will be either Brian Hayes, currently on 5-8 and a leading candidate for Hurler of the Year, and Alan Connolly, whose Man of the Match haul of 3-2 against Dublin brought him up to 4-9.

Darragh Fitzgibbon hasn't been as much of an attacking threat this season. After starting at centre-forward in the opening matches, he's been deployed in more of a defensive midfield role over the last three games.

He has still contributed 0-14. And Tim O'Mahony has thrived alongside him, landing 3-5.

Seamus Harnedy's absence from the starting line-up is a major blow when you consider he's clipped 0-13 this season despite only playing a half of the Munster group game in Limerick and missing the rout of Dublin. He's one of only three Cork forwards who have managed double figures in points from play scored, with Horgan firing 12 and Fitzgibbon 11.

Declan Dalton, who didn't start the league final or the Munster opener in Clare, and then limped in the opening minutes against Limerick has a commendable 1-12, 1-7 from play, from his two full games.

Declan Dalton celebrates after scoring a long-range point. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

He was Man of the Match in the Tipp win and pushed Connolly close for that accolade in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Dalton's long-range shooting was a key feature of last year's semi against Limerick but he never got motoring at all against Clare. He'll be eager to atone for that on Sunday afternoon.

Shane Barrett hasn't reached the All-Star heights of 2024 but he's still arrowed 1-9, having missed the Tipp victory through suspension. His 1-3 and movement in the Munster final was decisive and he still got on a world of ball against Dublin, only to hit four wides.

Newcomer Diarmuid Healy has 0-5 while Shane Kingston is Cork's primary bench threat along with Conor Lehane as they've shared 0-10 over the last three games.

CHAMPIONSHIP SCORERS:

Patrick Horgan 3-50 (1-37 f, 0-1 65);

Brian Hayes 5-8;

Alan Connolly 4-9;

Declan Dalton 1-12 (0-5 f);

Tim O'Mahony 3-5;

Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-14 (0-2 f, 0-1 65);

Seamus Harnedy 0-13;

Shane Barrett 1-9;

Shane Kingston 0-6;

Diarmuid Healy 0-5;

Conor Lehane 0-4;