Cork 2-17
Galway 0-20
Jason Byrne reports from Pearse Stadium, Galway
THE CORK HURLERS are top of Division 1A on scoring difference as goals from Paudie O’Sullivan in each half made Galway pay for defensive errors at Pearse Stadium.
The Tribesmen thought they had rescued a draw at the death when Jason Flynn flicked in following a blocked Joe Canning free but it was ruled out for a square ball much to the dismay of the home support.
Patrick Horgan fired eight points for the Rebels in an end-to-end game as Cork were almost made pay for ten second half wides with Cathal Mannion and Jason Flynn once again proving a handful in Galway’s attack.
O’Sullivan’s first goal arrived on 19 minutes when a defensive error allowed Stephen Moylan to play him in and he rifled past Colm Callanan to put Cork 1-7 to 0-5 in front.
Scores from Mannion, Flynn and Canning kept Galway in touch as they trailed 1-10 to 0-10 at the break, and after the restart they began to claw themselves back into the game with Aidan Harte notching three points from the bench.
Joe Cooney and Dean Higgins gave Galway a 0-18 to 1-13 lead before a slack handpass proved too high for John Hanbury and O’Sullivan found the net once more to thrust Cork back in front.
Galway tried to force a goal late on as a Canning free was blocked on the line by Stephen McDonnell before a second attempt deep into injury time saw Flynn’s dramatic effort disallowed much to the relief of the Rebels.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-8 (0-2 65, 0-3f), Paudie O’Sullivan 2-1, Conor Lehane 0-3, Seamus Harnedy, Brian Lawton, Rob O’Shea, Daniel Kearney and Aidan Walsh 0-1 each.
Scorers for Galway: Jason Flynn 0-5 (0-4f), Cathal Mannion and Joe Canning 0-4 each, Joseph Cooney and Aidan Harte 0-3 each, Dean Higgins 0-1.
CORK
1. Anthony Nash (Kanturk)
2. Shane O’Neill (Bishopstown)
3. Stephen McDonnell (Glen Rovers)
4. William Kearney (Sarsfields)
5. Lorcan McLoughlin (Kanturk)
6. Mark Ellis (Millstreet)
7. Cormac Murphy (Mallow)
8. Daniel Kearney (Sarsfields)
9. Aidan Walsh (Kanturk)
10. Conor Lehane (Midleton)
11. Seamus Harnedy (St. Ita’s)
12. Brian Lawton (Castlemartyr)
13. Stephen Moylan (Douglas)
14. Paudie O’Sullivan (Cloyne)
15. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers)
Subs
18. Luke Farrell (Midleton) for Moylan (50)
19. Alan Cadogan (Douglas) for Lawton (50)
20. Rob O’Shea (Carrigaline) for Walsh (61)
17. Jamie Coughlan (Newtownshandrum) for Harnedy (70)
GALWAY
1. Colm Callanan (Kinvara)
2. Padraig Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
3. John Hanbury (Rahoon-Newcastle)
4. Johnny Coen (Loughrea)
5. David Collins (Liam Mellows)
6. Greg Lally (Gort)
7. Gearoid McInerney (Oranmore-Maree)
8. Iarla Tannian (Ardrahan)
9. Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields)
10. Andrew Smith (Portumna)
11. Jonathan Glynn (Ardrahan)
12. Joe Canning (Portumna)
13. James Regan (St. Thomas)
14. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
15. Jason Flynn (Tommy Larkins)
Subs
20. Padraig Brehony (Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry) for Regan (28)
17. Dean Higgins (Castlegar) for Brehony (34)
23. Aidan Harte (Gort) for Tannian (43)
22. Kevin Hynes (Sarsfields) for Mannion (67)
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)