Cork hurling top scorers: How 2025 crop compare to best Rebel goalpoachers 

The season didn't end the way we all hoped it would but Patrick Horgan signed off on his 18th championship campaign as Cork's top-scorer once more.

Earlier this year, he overtook Eddie Keher as the leading marksman of all-time in the league and he's 17 points in front of another Kilkenny legend, TJ Reid, in championship terms. Reid turns 38 in November and Horgan hits that milestone next May, so it remains to be seen what roles they'll play in 2026.

While Hoggie, like the majority of his teammates, didn't fully fire on All-Ireland Sunday, he still had some fine displays in league and championship, including the Munster final when he sniped 0-3 from play. 

Darragh Fitzgibbon, who was on the frees at the outset of the year, finished just ahead of Horgan as Cork's top-scorer in the league. Fitzgibbon is a lock for his third All-Star in the coming months with Brian Hayes, Cork's leading light in terms of scores from play with 5-9, another certainty. 

Seán O'Donoghue and Ciarán Joyce were the Rebels' most reliable defenders and could also be recognised. In 2024, Rob and Eoin Downey, Fitzgibbon, Seamus Harnedy and Shane Barrett made the All-Star 15.

Barrett, vice-captain, had a fractured summer and missed the second round in Munster after getting red-carded in Ennis but his best two games were in the Munster and All-Ireland finals, where he shot 2-7 of his 2-13. 

Harnedy, despite not starting three games, still sniped 0-14. Cork's young gun Diarmuid Healy landed 0-8 in three starts and his Munster and All-Ireland finals showings bode well.

Alan Connolly was Cork's third top-scorer and his 4-10 overall took his championship goals haul to 12. He was an impact sub in 2021 and missed 2023 through injury, so that's from three full seasons. More consistency would elevate the Blackrock club man to another level.

Only Horgan, who has raised 32 championship green flags since 2008, has more goals than Connolly, who has scored 12 in the league to go with his 12 in championship. In fact, no Rebel is in double figures in championship goals outside of Horgan and Connolly.

Harnedy has nine, including the 2013 All-Ireland and the '14 and '18 Munster finals, as does Shane Kingston. Brian Hayes is up to eight.

Hayes, Horgan and Connolly started 13 championship games together to the tune of 18-63 from play. Impressive but not quite as deadly as John Fitzgibbon, Ger Fitzgerald and Kevin Hennessy, Cork's 1990 heroes, who combined for 28-42 in their 13 matches.
Cork's All-Ireland winning teams in 2004-'05 didn't hunt goals prolifically, spearheaded by Joe Deane (10 championship goals) and Ben O'Connor (eight).

The county's most prolific goals man per game was a selector in that era, Youghal's Seanie O'Leary. His championship return was a remarkable 30-33 in 36 matches. 

Christy Ring managed 33-208 in 65 games, Jimmy Barry-Murphy fired 23-52 in 40 and Charlie McCarthy 24-149 in 45.

2025 CHAMPIONSHIP SCORERS:

Patrick Horgan 3-54 (1-40 f, 0-1 65);

Brian Hayes 5-9;

Alan Connolly 4-10;

Shane Barrett 2-13;

Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-16 (0-2 f, 0-1 65);

Declan Dalton 1-13 (0-6 f);

Seamus Harnedy 0-14;

Tim O'Mahony 3-5;

Diarmuid Healy 0-8;

Shane Kingston 0-6;

Conor Lehane 0-4;

Mark Coleman 0-2;

Brian Roche 0-2;

Robbie O’Flynn 0-2;

Tommy O’Connell 0-2;

Niall O'Leary 0-1;

Ciarán Joyce 0-1;

Jack O'Connor 0-1;

Damien Cahalane 0-1;

Eoin Downey 0-1;

Cormac O'Brien 0-1;

Rob Downey 0-1.

2025 LEAGUE SCORERS:

Darragh Fitzgibbon 2-34 (0-17 f, 0-1 65);

Patrick Horgan 1-32 (0-21 f, 0-1 65);

Brian Hayes 5-8;

Declan Dalton 3-13 (1-0 pen, 0-5 f, 0-1 65);

Shane Barrett 2-13;

Ethan Twomey 1-9;

Diarmuid Healy 1-8;

Tim O'Mahony 1-6 (0-1 f);

Padraig Power 1-4;

Alan Connolly 1-3;

Brian Roche 0-3;

Cormac O'Brien 0-2;

Shane Kingston 0-2;

Robbie O'Flynn 0-2;

Tommy O'Connell 0-2;

Ciarán Joyce 0-2;

Seamus Harnedy 0-1;

Seán O'Donoghue 0-1;

Luke Meade 0-1;

Seamus Harnedy 0-1;

Jack O'Connor 0-1;

Micheál Mullins 0-1.