Walsh goal seals Cork victory in Kilkenny
The towering Alan Walsh, a 69th minute substitute, was the hero of the hour when he grabbed the vital third goal that all but guaranteed Cork's victory and maintained their unbeaten run in the Allianz Hurling League.
Seconds after his arrival the Kanturk man soared into the air to snatch the ball from the sky with his first touch after Cork goalie Paudie O’Sullilvan drilled a long free out of defence. When he hit the ground, Walsh turned and rifled the ball into the net to push Kilkenny back just after they had dragged themselves back into the running at UPMC Nowlan Park.
The Cats had late points from the promising Darragh Corcoran and free taker Cian Kenny to cut the gap to one big score, but despite a determined late push to bridge the divide they couldn’t make it.
There are many questions surrounding Cork’s wellbeing right now. Few were answered after this less than convincing performance when they created lots of goal chances yet they left the opposition hanging.
After Eoin Cody, in his first meaningful moment of the match, took a pass from Liam Moore and buried the ball in the Cork net to slash the divide to 1-13 (16) to 2-11 (17) in the 63rd minute the match was wide open when the visitors might have been out of sight.
Cork had a point from a free by Alan Connolly to help them draw a breath, but they definitely needed Walsh’s late intervention to see them through, much to the delight of their fans in the 14,206 crowd.
It was largely non-contact hurling during the opening half with plenty of rehearsed short passing and good running off the ball by both teams, but there was little to send a buzz through the large crowd. Busy Cork, however, were good value for their double scores lead of 1-09 to 0-06 at the break.
Indeed, Cork might have been better off because in terms of a goal scoring threat, they looked the more likely to hit green territory.
Kilkenny, who opened against the strong down field wind and driving rain, were hit for a goal after only two minutes. The ball was worked smartly down the field by Cork before Alan Connolly provided a killer pass for full-forward Brian Hayes to score from close range.
Within two minutes Hayes went close to grabbing a second goal, but this time home goalie Aidan Tallis brought off a fine save after the St Finbarr’s man had out-witted the full-back line.
After Cormac O’Brien rifled over a lovely point from a sideline ball for the visitors, the home side pulled back a brace of points through the busy Cian Kenny (frees). A pair of scores from Martin Keoghan and Ed McDermott, at the end of a thrilling solo run by Liam Moore, left the minimum between the sides after 14 minutes (1-02 to 0-04).
Still, Cork always looked to have a bit of a threat about them. After free taker Alan Connolly extended their lead, they again threatened the home goal. This time Eoin Downey sent a vicious shot from left to right across the goal, but the close range touch that was needed to turn the ball into the net wasn’t there.
On 25 minutes Darragh Fitzgibbon ripped through the heart of the home defence, and again ’keeper, Aidan Tallis, brought off a superb save.
Cork’s most rewarding period of the half came between the 27th and 30th minutes when Connolly, Tommy O’Connell, Brian Hayes and William Buckley all threw over points (1-08 to 0-05) to at last reflect their threatening approach.
Kilkenny pulled back a late point through Kenny (free) and Paddy Deegan threatened the visitors’ goal, but Cork weren’t at all flattered by their advantage at the rest.
The pace of the game picked up after the turn, and Kilkenny looked dangerous early on. Cian Kenny forced a good save from goalie Paudie O’Sullilvan in the 39th minute. At the other end Cork missed a penalty when Alan Connolly rifled the ball wide after Barry Walsh had been fouled.
Still, Cork forced the pace and there was always a goal threat about them. They bagged a good goal in the 52nd minute when Barry Walsh raced in from the right and sent a cracking drive to the net to open out a decent lead of 2-11 to 0-10.
The advantage was as much as Cork’s good hurling deserved. Yet the Cats simply wouldn’t go away. After Cian Kenny and Martin Keogh tacked on points for the losers came Cody’s goal out of the blue in the 63rd minute.
It was game on again. Cork held out in the end, but for all their goal scoring threat throughout fans must have been left wondering how it all ended up so close at the finish.
Kilkenny: Aidan Tallis; Mikey Butler, Michael Carey, Ivan Bolger; Killian Doyle, Darragh Corcoran (0-01), Richie Reid; Jordan Molloy, David Blanchfield (0-02); Liam Moore, Cian Kenny (0-08, seven frees, one 65), Paddy Deegan; Ed McDermott (0-01), Eoin Cody (1-00), Martin Keoghan (0-2).
Subs: John Donnelly (0-01) for McDermott 45th min; Tom Phelan for C. Doyle 55th min; Luke Connellan for R. Reid 60th min; Luke Hogan for Keoghan 65th min; David Barcoe for I. Bolger 68th min.
Cork: Paudie O’Sullivan; Niall O’Leary, Dáire O’Leary, Sean O’Donoghue; Eoin Downey, Ciarán Joyce, Cormac O’Brien (0-01); Tim O’Mahony, Tommy O’Connell (0-01); Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-01), William Buckley (0-01), Hugh O’Connor; Barry Walsh (1-00), Brian Hayes (1-01), Alan Connolly (0-0-7, frees).
Subs - Ethan Twomey for C. O’Brien 49th min; Robbie O’Flynn for H. O’Connor 59th min; Ger Mellerick for D. O’Leary 65th min; Alan Walsh (1-00) for B. Walsh 67th min; Michael Mullins for T. O’Mahony 70th min.
Referee: Tomás Walsh (Waterford).
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