All-Ireland MHC: Cork on song as they beat Kilkenny to reach semi-finals

Cork 2-25 Kilkenny 1-16

A place in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland MHC semi-finals awaits Cork following a fine performance to overcome Kilkenny on Saturday.

Having fought back to defeat Wexford in Thurles the previous week, Cork carried their momentum with them and they never trailed at any stage. A big test awaits in the form of Munster champions Tipperary but Cork can be more than satisfied with this performance.

A strong work ethic and tidy short passing characterised the early effort, with Stephen McHugh excellent at midfield while Dave Nolan was a strong presence at centre-back, too.

Bobby Power’s accuracy from play and dead balls helped Cork to establish an advantage of 0-6 to 0-4 after 13 minutes while Ryan Cagney was also among the scores, profiting from good work by Cormac Murphy and Nolan.

While Kilkenny’s scorer-in-chief Joe Dowling cut the gap again, Cork enjoyed a plentiful second quarter. Cagney’s interception of a Kilkenny clearance allowed Callum Coffey to point before Cagney and McHugh combined to set up Seán Riordan the first three-point lead of the game and then McHigh himself pointed, assisted by Sam McCarthy.

Conn O’Neill Pembroke had a long-range Kilkenny point in reply before Cagney allowed Seán Riordan to get his second to make it 0-10 to 0-6 and the goal arrived.

As with so much of Cork’s play, McHugh was central to it as his searching diagonal delivery found Coffey, who got past a challenge and finished coolly.

Coffey’s twin brother Nathan, again so tidy at corner-back, rounded off a lovely team move while a pair of Power frees gave Cork an eight-point advantage, 1-13 to 0-8, as half-time approached, but Kilkenny managed to change the complexion as they struck for a goal just before the break.

Jamie Walsh’s ball in was the catalyst, with Liam Corcoran doing well to break it perfectly for early sub James Kavanagh and he slotted beyond Marley Walsh from close range.

It meant that Kilkenny retired with only a five-point deficit and that contracted further as Dowling landed a pair of frees on the restart.

However, it did not precipitate the kind of comeback that Cork had themselves effected against Wexford. The metronome-like Power settled them again with frees and it was 1-16 to 1-11 when the second goal arrived.

There was some fortune to it as Coffey found Riordan, who went low from between the 13m and 20m lines but, while he didn’t catch the shot perfectly, it slipped from the grasp of the unfortunate goalkeeper Eoin O’Gorman and into the net.

It served to restore the eight-point cushion again and in the middle period of the half Cork were on a roll, with subs Liam O’Regan and Tadhg McCarthy both playing key roles during a run of five straight points that featured two beauties from Sam McCarthy.

In the midst of that, they did need a superb Marley Walsh save from a Dowling free but other than that Kilkenny didn’t look like threatening the goal that became ever more necessary as time ran out and Cork eased clear.

Sub Tom Huggins got on the scoresheet in the closing stages while Power had the final say with his tenth of the game.

Scorers for Cork: B Power 0-10 (0-9 f), S Riordan 1-2, C Coffey 1-1, R Cagney, S McCarthy 0-3 each, S McHugh 0-2, N Coffey, D Nolan, T Huggins, T McCarthy 0-1 each.

Kilkenny: J Dowling 0-10 (0-6 f), J Kavanagh 1-0, P Grace 0-2, J Bolger, C O’Neill Pembroke, J Walsh, R Lacey 0-1 each.

CORK: M Walsh (Youghal); J Batterberry (Castletownroche), F Cahill (Midleton), N Coffey (Na Piarsaigh); E Considine (Sarsfields), D Nolan (Erin’s Own), G Kingston (Mallow); A Hennessy (Midleton), S McHugh (Newtownshandrum); C Murphy (Ballinora), S Riordan (Kilworth), R Cagney (Mallow); C Coffey (Na Piarsaigh), B Power (Ballincollig), S McCarthy (Castlelyons).

Subs: T McCarthy (Watergrasshill) for Murphy (25, injured), L O’Regan (St Finbarr’s) for Kingston (43), C Ronayne (Dungourney) for C Coffey (53), T Murphy (Cloughduv) for McHugh, T Huggins (Sarsfields) for S McCarthy (both 56).

KILKENNY: E O’Gorman; M Meany, S Kavanagh, S Corcoran; P Grace, J Treacy, O Phelan; J Bolger, M Corr; J Dowling, C O’Neill Pembroke, J Walsh; R Power, B Walsh, L Corcoran.

Subs: J Kavanagh for Walsh (14, injured), R Lacey for Corcoran (37), C Franks for Corr (42), D Lawlor for Bolger (58).

Referee: J Judge (Mayo).