CORK REMAIN ON course to retain the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A title following a 24-point triumph over Offaly at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday night.
Though it took the home side time to assert their dominance in the first half, goals from Brian Hayes and Darragh Fitzgibbon coming up to half-time ensured that they retired with a 3-10 to 0-7 advantage before going into overdrive in the second half.
It means that the Rebels – who won the league last year after a 27-year gap – finish with five wins and just one loss from the regular section of the competition; that defeat was away to Limerick and the decider in a fortnight will be a chance to atone for that.
They led from trap to line, but while Barry Walsh’s fifth-minute goal – set up by Tim O’Mahony and Brian Hayes – put them into a 1-2 to 0-0 lead, Offaly reacted well for much of the half, aided by the breeze.
Dan Ravenhill was to the fore for the visitors, though they did need goalkeeper Liam Hoare to keep out efforts from Hayes, Shane Barrett and Darragh Fitzgibbon. It was 1-5 to 0-6 after 22 minutes before Cork pieced together a scoring run, chiefly led by free-taker Alan Connolly, but the goals provided real daylight.
Hayes’s was a lovely flick from an inviting Hugh O’Connor delivery but Offaly will rue the third as the ball squirted out from a ruck to an unmarked Fitzgibbon, who needed no second invitation.
While Offaly broke even in the early stages of the second half, Cork subs William Buckley and Declan Dalton made their presence felt on the scoreboard before the fourth goal came – Mark Coleman with a lovely pass to Hayes, who showed great stickwork and then batted past Hoare.
Again, Fitzgibbon followed a Hayes green flag with one of his own and the sixth goal was scored by the ever-influential O’Mahony.
Cork continued to build their tally, with sub Brian Keating pointing with his first touch while Pádraig Power marked his return to action after 14 months out with a pair of points.
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Adam Screeney and subs Jack Clancy and Sam Bourke were among those on target for Offaly but the Faithful County never looked like getting a goal. Another Cork replacement, Robbie O’Flynn, went close to a seventh for them but Hoare tipped his effort over.
Scorers for Cork: Alan Connolly 0-8 (frees), Darragh Fitzgibbon 2-2 (0-1 free), Brian Hayes 2-1, Mark Coleman 0-3, Barry Walsh, Tim O’Mahony 1-0 each, Shane Barrett, Pádraig Power, Declan Dalton (0-1 free), William Buckley 0-2 each, Eoin Downey, Brian Keating, Hugh O’Connor, Robbie O’Flynn 0-1 each.
Scorers for Offaly: Adam Screeney 0-7 (0-4 f), Dan Ravenhill 0-4, Brian Duignan 0-3, Daniel Bourke 0-2, Sam Bourke, Brecon Kavanagh, Ross Ravenhill, Jack Clancy 0-1 each.
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Hayes and Walsh bag two goals each as Cork cruise into Division 1A final
Cork 6-26
Offaly 0-20
CORK REMAIN ON course to retain the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A title following a 24-point triumph over Offaly at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday night.
Though it took the home side time to assert their dominance in the first half, goals from Brian Hayes and Darragh Fitzgibbon coming up to half-time ensured that they retired with a 3-10 to 0-7 advantage before going into overdrive in the second half.
It means that the Rebels – who won the league last year after a 27-year gap – finish with five wins and just one loss from the regular section of the competition; that defeat was away to Limerick and the decider in a fortnight will be a chance to atone for that.
They led from trap to line, but while Barry Walsh’s fifth-minute goal – set up by Tim O’Mahony and Brian Hayes – put them into a 1-2 to 0-0 lead, Offaly reacted well for much of the half, aided by the breeze.
Dan Ravenhill was to the fore for the visitors, though they did need goalkeeper Liam Hoare to keep out efforts from Hayes, Shane Barrett and Darragh Fitzgibbon. It was 1-5 to 0-6 after 22 minutes before Cork pieced together a scoring run, chiefly led by free-taker Alan Connolly, but the goals provided real daylight.
Hayes’s was a lovely flick from an inviting Hugh O’Connor delivery but Offaly will rue the third as the ball squirted out from a ruck to an unmarked Fitzgibbon, who needed no second invitation.
While Offaly broke even in the early stages of the second half, Cork subs William Buckley and Declan Dalton made their presence felt on the scoreboard before the fourth goal came – Mark Coleman with a lovely pass to Hayes, who showed great stickwork and then batted past Hoare.
Again, Fitzgibbon followed a Hayes green flag with one of his own and the sixth goal was scored by the ever-influential O’Mahony.
Cork continued to build their tally, with sub Brian Keating pointing with his first touch while Pádraig Power marked his return to action after 14 months out with a pair of points.
Adam Screeney and subs Jack Clancy and Sam Bourke were among those on target for Offaly but the Faithful County never looked like getting a goal. Another Cork replacement, Robbie O’Flynn, went close to a seventh for them but Hoare tipped his effort over.
Scorers for Cork: Alan Connolly 0-8 (frees), Darragh Fitzgibbon 2-2 (0-1 free), Brian Hayes 2-1, Mark Coleman 0-3, Barry Walsh, Tim O’Mahony 1-0 each, Shane Barrett, Pádraig Power, Declan Dalton (0-1 free), William Buckley 0-2 each, Eoin Downey, Brian Keating, Hugh O’Connor, Robbie O’Flynn 0-1 each.
Scorers for Offaly: Adam Screeney 0-7 (0-4 f), Dan Ravenhill 0-4, Brian Duignan 0-3, Daniel Bourke 0-2, Sam Bourke, Brecon Kavanagh, Ross Ravenhill, Jack Clancy 0-1 each.
CORK
1. Patrick Collins
2. Niall O’Leary, 3. Ciarán Joyce, 4. Seán O’Donoghue
5. Eoin Downey, 6. Robert Downey, 7. Mark Coleman
8. Tim O’Mahony, 9. Tommy O’Connell
10. Darragh Fitzgibbon, 11. Shane Barrett, 12. Hugh O’Connor
13. Barry Walsh, 14. Alan Connolly, 15. Barry Hayes
Subs:
OFFALY
1. Liam Hoare
2. Cathal King, 3. Ben Conneely, 4. Brecon Kavanagh
5. Ross Ravenhill, 6. Killian Sampson, 7. Donal Shirley
8. Eimhin Kelly, 9. Dan Ravenhill
10. Ter Guinan, 11. Daniel Bourke, 12. Conor Doyle
13. Oisín Kelly, 14. Brian Duignan, 15. Adam Screeney
Subs:
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).
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Cork GAA Division 1A GAA Gaelic Games Goals Galore Hurling Offaly GAA