Cork hurlers look to change Nowlan Park record
Cork's Cathal Casey gathers possession during the win over Kilkenny at Nowlan Park in 1987 as Denis Walsh battles with Christy Heffernan.
There are a few sequences associated with Cork hurling, both good and bad.
We know about the 21 years, of course; an optimistic would take heart that that wait might be ended when they look at current nine-game unbeaten home record, dating back to May 2024.
Related but different is another nine-game run – the last time that Cork lost to a Leinster championship side in league or championship was against Kilkenny in the second round of the 2024 league.
That game, and the 2025 win over the Cats, took place at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh – Cork’s last visit to UPMC Nowlan Park at senior level was the 2023 league semi-final against Derek Lyng’s side.
That finished 2-22 to 0-22 in favour of the home side, who pulled clear of Cork after the 50th-minute dismissal of Eoin Downey following a melee. It was an outcome that has become familiar for red and white visitors to Noreside over the past four decades.
In 1994, 1996, 2000, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2019, the Rebels left the Marble City empty-handed. In the last of those years, the Nowlan Park loss, 2-18 to 0-17, was the opening round and Cork finished level on four points at the bottom of the table with Kilkenny and Tipperary.
Cork and Kilkenny were in the lowest two spots as they had the worst scoring difference of the trio, but that did not bring the usual angst – with a restructuring of the league planned for 2020, all of the counties would be part of the new 12-team, two-section Division 1A.
Strictly speaking, there was no need for the usual relegation play-off to take place, beyond determining which of the two counties would go into Division 1A and which would be in Division 1B.
Unsurprisingly, Kilkenny manager Brian Cody felt that it was a fixture that could have been allowed to lapse.
“All I know is we were asked during the week whether we were happy to let one team go into one group and the other go into the other,” he said, “and I certainly would think that would be the sensible thing to do.
“It would be a futile match really, but whatever happens, happens.”
There was a factor that reduced the futility somewhat, it should be noted – Cork’s Séamus Harnedy and Kilkenny’s Conor Delaney had one-match suspensions that could be burned by the playing of the league match, whereas otherwise the pair would have had to sit out their counties’ respective championship opening ties.
The game went ahead on March 16 and goals from Jack O’Connor and Jamie Coughlan helped Cork to win by 2-15 to 1-16.
If nothing else, it served to remove the Nowlan Park monkey from Cork’s backs. On Sunday, an away win would all but assure Ben O’Connor’s side of a place in the league final.
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