Cork 4-24
Galway 3-22
John Fallon reports from Pearse Stadium
CORK BACKED UP their opening round league win over All-Ireland champions Limerick with another impressive victory when a surge just after the break saw them put Galway to the sword.
The Rebels struck for 2-3 without reply in the opening six minutes after the break, and with Galway defender Oisin Salmon, making his first league start, picking up a second yellow card as he tried to prevent one of the goals, Henry Shefflin’s men were left with a mountain to climb.
They rallied from 11 points adrift in the dying moments to cut the gap to four but never looked like saving the day as an understrength Cork side maintained their perfect start to the league.
Declan Dalton led the way with a powerful display, shooting 0-6 from play in addition to a couple of frees, while Conor Lehane and Sean Twomey both hit two goals apiece.
Galway, who finished with 13 after Cathal Mannion went off with a hamstring injury at a time when all substitutes had been used, were left chasing the game, while the Rebels lost corner-back Eoin Roche to a black card in the closing moments.
The sides were level at 1-13 apiece at the break after an opening half where both had good periods of dominance in perfect conditions in front of a crowd of 8,872 at the Salthill venue.
The sides exchanged points twice in the opening six minutes before two points from Evan Niland and one from debutant Martin McManus pushed Galway in front.
Lehane then blasted to the net for Cork after being set up by the impressive Dalton to tie the sides 0-5 to 1-2 after nine minutes.
Galway hit back and Kevin Cooney batted to the net after a taking a pass from McManus, and they followed up with a string of points to lead 1-9 to 1-4 at the end of the opening quarter.
Cork hit back. Shane Barrett, one of three late replacements which included Patrick Horgan missing out with a shoulder injury, rattled the crossbar with a goal effort.
Dalton, Cormac Beausang and Shane Kingston led the way with scores before Barrett edged them in front for the first time after 26 minutes – 1-10 to 1-9.
Three more points from Niland and one from Kevin Cooney put the Tribesmen in front but Cork rallied and went in level after efforts from Barrett, Kingston and Dalton.
Twomey struck for his first goal within two minutes of the restart and before Galway had a chance to respond, Lahane blasted low to the net. Points from Kingston, Barrett and Lehane pushed Cork 3-16 to 1-13 in front after 41 minutes.
Galway responded with three more before Cork upped the pace again and struck four points in a row.
They continued to respond any time the Tribesmen threatened, before Twomey raced through for his second goal and another point from Lehane fired the Rebels ahead 4-23 to 1-21 after 67 minutes.
Galway finished well with Loughrea’s Martin McManus, notching 1-3 in his first league start, shooting to the net before Brian Concannon increased hopes of a late rally when he also found the net.
But with the clock deep in stoppage time Cork goalkeeper Patrick Collins saved a Kevin Cooney penalty to end any notions of Galway staging a remarkable comeback.
Scorers for Cork: Conor Lehane 2-3, Declan Dalton 0-8 (0-2f), Sean Twomey 2-0, Shane Kingston 0-6 (0-4f), Shane Barrett 0-4, Cormac Beausang, Conor Cahalane, Brian Hayes 0-1 each.
Scorers for Galway: Evan Niland 0-11 (0-8f), Martin McManus 1-3, Kevin Cooney 1-1, Brian Concannon 1-0, Conor Whelan 0-2, Padraic Mannion, Jason Flynn, Liam Collins (0-1f), Cianan Fahy, Cathal Mannion 0-1 each.
Cork
1 Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)
2 Conor O’Callaghan (Dromtarriffe)
3 Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers)
4 Eoin Roche (Bride Rovers)
9 Tommy O’Connell (Midleton)
6 Ciarán Joyce (Castlemartyr)
19 Cormac O’Brien (Newtownshandrum)
21 Sam Quirke (Midleton)
8 Brian Roche (Bride Rovers)
10 Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neill’s)
11 Conor Lehane (Midleton) Captain
12 Sean Twomey (Courcey Rovers)
13 Cormac Beausang (Midleton)
23 Shane Barrett (Blarney)
15 Shane Kingston (Douglas)
Substitutes:
24 Luke Meade (Newcestown) for Qurike (39)
26 Brian Hayes (St Finbarr’s) for Beausang (47)
22 Conor Cahalane (St Finbarr’s) for Barrett (55)
14 Padraig Power (Blarney) for Kingston (60)
25 Colin Walsh (Kanturk) for Roche (68)
Galway
1 Darach Fahy (Ardrahan)
7 Oisin Salmon (Clarinbridge)
3 Gearóid McInerney (Oranmore/Maree)
2 Jack Grealish (Gort)
5 Padraic Mannion (Ahascragh/Fohenagh)
6 Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields)
4 Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields)
10 Gavin Lee (Clarinbridge)
9 Seán Linnane (Turloughmore)
8 Tom Monaghan (Killimordaly)
13 Conor Whelan (Kinvara)
11 Jason Flynn (Tommy Larkins)
12 Evan Niland (Clarinbridge)
14 Kevin Cooney (Sarsfields)
15 Martin McManus (Loughrea)
Substitutes:
21 Cianan Fahy (Ardrahan) for Monaghan (half-time)
25 Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh/Fohenagh) for Lee (44)
20 Ronan Murphy (Tommy Larkins) for Morrissey (54)
26 Brian Concannon (Killimordaly) for Flynn (56)
24 Liam Collins (Cappataggle) for Niland (66)
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).
