Cork 1-25
Dublin 0-22
THE ROAD TO recovery began for the Cork hurlers at the scene of the low point they reached a week previously.
This time their performance was enhanced and that delivered a better outcome, therir superiority in this All-Ireland qualifier reflected in the six points they had put between themselves and Dublin by the final whistle.
The victory preserves their interest in the 2020 championship race and while the quality they will face going forward is guaranteed to be higher, this will do as a starting mark for Kieran Kingston’s charges. Monday morning’s open draw with Clare, Tipperary and Wexford for company will determine their plans for Round 2 next weekend.
Dublin head to the exit door after their first assignment in the All-Ireland series, just like they did in 2019. If they had sustenance beforehand in the form of their spirited second-half fightback against Kilkenny, they never brought that level of fire to this game and their display was pockmarked with errors.
Cork’s meek showing in succumbing to Waterford heaped the pressure on them. They entered this one under a cloud and and after all the criticism this week they seemed to be stung into action.
Kieran Kingston changed a third of his team and got an early response from the forwards brought in. Jack O’Connor careered away from Paddy Smyth in the 9th minute before offloading to Declan Dalton. It took the Fr O’Neill’s man a few moments to create the space but he whipped to the net for his first senior championship goal.
That duo showed up well in the first half yet the major plus was the form of Robbie O’Flynn. Suspended for last Saturday, he hit the ground running and ended with 0-5. That tally was matched by Seamus Harnedy, excellent throughout, while Shane Kingston picked off 0-4 in another strong showing.
Donal Burke did his best to point the way for Dublin with 0-11, Danny Sutcliffe sparkled early on and Chris Crummey knocked over a few late on as they chipped away at Cork’s advantage without ever truly coming close.
Both teams began in a frenetic fashion but Cork’s greater energy was rewarded with that Dalton goal. It left them 1-4 to 0-3 in front and was the strike that provided a constant buffer on the scoreboard. Colm Spillane’s return solidified their defence while Mark Coleman mopped up plenty posesssion to good effect.
Dublin’s service to inside forwards Ronan Hayes and Eamon Dillon was poor which meant they could not exploit that attacking threat. Hayes smashed over a 26th minute point and Burke knocked over a free soon after to cut the gap to three. But the theme of the game was Cork’s greater capacity to mount scoring surges with Kingston, O’Flynn and Patrick Horgan, from a free, knocking over points that left them 1-13 to 0-10 clear at the break.
Cork’s attitude was good after half-time. They were ahead by seven at the second half water break before consolidating their position further in striking five of the next seven points after that juncture. Both teams were thwarted in their search for goals. Dublin’s need was greater, Sutcliffe could not round off a powerful run by batting home in the 36th minute as Anthony Nash sprung to tip away the sliotar.
Later Alan Nolan bravely denied Cork newcomer Jack O’Connor and the covering defence stopped Seamus Harnedy’s follow-up attempt. By the 61st minute Cork were ten clear and comfortably in sight of Round 2. The life had been drained out of the contest with Dublin’s late show of resistance making no significant difference to the end result.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-8 (0-5f, 0-1’65), Seamus Harnedy, Robbie O’Flynn 0-5 each, Shane Kingston 0-4, Declan Dalton 1-1, Jack O’Connor, Luke Meade 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dublin: Donal Burke 0-11 (0-9f), Chris Crummey, Danny Sutcliffe 0-3 each, Cian Boland 0-2, Conor Burke, Ronan Hayes, Davy Keogh 0-1 each.
Cork
1. Anthony Nash (Kanturk)
4. Sean O’ Donoghue (Inniscarra)
6. Robert Downey (Glen Rovers)
3. Colm Spillane (Castlelyons)
2. Damien Cahalane (St Finbarr’s)
7. Mark Coleman (Blarney)
5. Tim O’ Mahony (Newtownshandrum)
8. Bill Cooper (Youghal)
9. Luke Meade (Newcestown)
12. Robbie O’ Flynn (Erins Own)
15. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers – captain)
10. Seamus Harnedy (St Ita’s)
13. Jack O’ Connor (Sarsfields)
14. Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neills)
11. Shane Kingston (Douglas)
Subs
22. Stephen McDonnnell (Glen Rovers) for O’Donoghue (inj) (30)
25. Conor Lehane (Midleton) for Dalton (53)
23. Aidan Walsh (Kanturk) for Harnedy (65)
18. Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons) for Downey (68)
26. Shane Barrett (Blarney) for O’Connor (70)
Dublin
1. Alan Nolan (St. Brigids)
4. James Madden (Ballyboden St. Enda’s)
7. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala)
2. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf)
5. Conor Burke (St. Vincent’s)
3. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
18. Jake Malone (Cuala)
6. Daire Gray (Whitehall Colmcille)
9. Riain McBride (St. Vincent’s)
10. Cian Boland (St. Oliver Plunkett’s Eoghan Ruadh)
13. Donal Burke (Na Fianna)
12. Danny Sutcliffe (St. Jude’s)
14. Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes)
11. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
15. Eamonn Dillon (Naomh Fionbarra)
Subs
22. Davy Keogh (Thomas Davis) for Dillon (47)
8. Seán Moran (Cuala) for Malone (51)
23. Liam Rushe (St Pat’s Palmerstown) for Hayes (52)
21. Mark Schutte (Cuala) for Boland (54)
25. Conal Keaney (Ballyboden St-Enda’s) for McBride (66)
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)
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