Tipp up next for misfiring Marble City men
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Allianz Hurling League Division 1A
Round 5
Cork 1-22
Kilkenny 1-16
SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Referee: Johnny Murphy
On an emotional evening on Leeside, it would be the home side that prevailed and took maximum points, when once again a wasteful Kilkenny came away from SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh empty-handed. Prior to throw-in, a minute’s applause for the late Ray Ryan echoed round the stadium, a fitting mark of respect for Cork manager Pat Ryan’s brother who passed away. The Rebels channeled that emotion and did enough to pick up their second win of this seasons Allianz League campaign.
When play got under way. It would be the visitors that opened the scoring, Emerald’s Killian Doyle passing to Mikey Carey, who struck over a lovely point from distance. The Cats would register two wide’s by the second minute, a sign of things to come on a disappointing visit to Leeside. Cork were level by the 3rd minute, Ger Millerick who had struggled in Thurles a week earlier, showed his nous and used his strength to get the better of a tussle with Harry Shine before launching a pass to Robbie O’Flynn, who picked out Pa Horgan and the Glen Rovers man split the Kilkenny posts.
Billy Ryan edged the Cats back in front on eight minutes after some nice skill but Patrick Horgan levelled matters shortly after from the placed ball after Mikey Butler has harshly adjudged to have fouled the Cork man. O’Loughlin’s Jordan Molloy pointed from the restart having taken a short pass from Cian Kenny but Pat Ryan’s charges then hit three on the trot, Shane Barrett, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Ciaran Joyce before Eoin Cody split the Cork posts from a placed ball. Tim O’Mahony then pointed to join his midfield partner on the scoresheet just ahead of Cody’s second free of the evening.
The first green flag of the game was then raised. A long probing free from Tim O’Mahony saw a clutch of players rise to claim it, but it would be a deflection off Patrick Horgan that saw the sliotar collected by Diarmuid Healy who created the angle to shoot across Eoin Murphy to the back of the visitor’s net. The Rebels now led by four points with almost twenty minutes played. Cork centre forward Shane Barrett then saw his name noted for a high challenge on Mikey Carey. The next score would be a 3-pointer. Niall O’Leary’s attempted hand pass was intercepted by Billy Ryan and the Graigue Ballycallan man raced clear before his one-handed batted effort into the ground deceived Rebel keeper Patrick Collins and nestled in the Cork net, Kilkenny now just one-point in arrears. Pa Horgan popped over his third of the game, and second from frees before the home side were dealt a blow when Ger Millerick was forced off with what was later described as a tightness in the hamstring, Damien Cahalane replacing the Fr O’Neill’s player.
Thomastown’s Stephen Donnelly, captaining the side again in absence of clubmate John Donnelly then notched the Cats second major of the round 5 clash. Some nice play by Harry Shine saw the Dicksboro man’s effort blocked by Cahalane, but as Shine tried to collect the loose ball, Eoin Cody flicked the sliotar towards Donnelly who rifled his effort past Ballinhassig netminder Collins to edge Derek Lyng’s outfit ahead. Lisgoold’s Diarmuid Healy then deadlocked matters again with the first of his 5-point haul on 29 minutes. Shamrocks Ballyhale’s Eoin Cody dispatched another free before Cian Kenny found his radar to give the Cats a two-point lead. four more points were registered before the short whistle, two from each side, Horgan and Healy for Cork, Paddy Deegan and The Village’s Cian Kenny for the black and amber to leave the visitors two points to the good at the interval.
Derek Lyng was forced to make a change at the break, captain and goal scorer, Stephen Donnelly was replaced by O’Loughlin’s Luke Hogan, again the dreaded hamstring to blame. The home side came out of the blocks quickly, Newtownshandrum’s Tim O’Mahoney with his second of the game before Eoin Cody opened the visitors account with another accurate placed ball effort. Patrick Horgan split the posts with a free of his own before Cork were forced into another change, Robbie Flynn departing the action with an elbow injury, the Erin’s Own replaced by Newcestown Luke Meade. Cody then pointed from open play before Blarney’s Shane Barrett and Glen Rovers Horgan registered Cork efforts from play. Jordan Molloy doubled his tally in the 47th minute just before his clubmate Huw Lawlor was forced to leave the action with a suspected dead leg, Dicksboro’s Padraic Moylan replacing the former All-Star full-back.
Pa Horgan sent over a brace of placed balls to edge the home side ahead before Mossy Keoghan notched his only score of the game to tie things up again, with twenty minutes of normal time remaining in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The impressive Diarmuid Healy added to his tally before Kilkenny midfielder, Jordan Molloy hit his third of the evening. Two further changes for the visitors at this point, Fionan Mackessy and Luke Connellan replacing Killian Doyle and Harry Shine respectively. Glen Rovers Horgan popped over another free before Cian Kenny levelled matters once more. Former U20 All-Ireland winner Healy raised another white flag with an hour gone before James Stephen’s Kenny departed to be replaced by the legendary TJ Reid.
Pat Ryan’s side were certainly the more accurate and Horgan’s third of the game from play moved the home side two clear before sub Tommy O’Connell split the posts to the delight of the majority in the crowd of just over 22,000. A fifth point from play courtesy of Lisgoold’s Healy gave the Rebels the cushion they needed as the game entered additional time. The Cats could only find one more point on Leeside, a fourth placed ball from Eoin Cody, their first score since the 58th minute. Johnny Murphy sounded the long whistle, and the long drive home began. Full time score in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork 1-22, Kilkenny 2-16.
Scorers Cork: P Horgan (0-10, 0-6 frees, 0-1 ‘65); D Healy (1-5); T O’Mahony, S Barrett (0-2 each); C Joyce, D Fitzgibbon, T O’Connell (0-1 each).
Scorers Kilkenny: E Cody (0-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65); B Ryan (1-1); J Molloy, C Kenny (0-3 each); S Donnelly (1-0); M Carey, P Deegan, M Keoghan (0-1 each).
CORK: P Collins; G Millerick, N O’Leary, E Downey; M Mullins, R Downey, C Joyce; D Fitzgibbon, T O’Mahony; D Dalton, S Barrett, D Healy; P Horgan, R O’Flynn, B Hayes.
SUBS: D Cahalane for Millerick (26, inj); C O’Brien for Joyce (40-44, temporary); L Meade for O’Flynn (46); J O’Connor for Dalton (48); C O’Brien for Joyce (57, temporary); T O’Connell for Mullins (60) J Cahalane for Hayes (67).
KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; D Blanchfield, M Carey, P Deegan; K Doyle, J Molloy; M Keoghan, C Kenny, B Ryan; S Donnelly, E Cody, H Shine.
SUBS: L Hogan for Shine (8-10 mins, temporary); L Hogan for Donnelly (HT); P Moylan for Lawlor (48, inj); F Mackessy for Doyle (54); L Connellan for Shine (55); TJ Reid for Kenny (61, inj).
REFEREE: J Murphy (Limerick).
Sherry Says…..
Four games gone, 2 wins, 2 defeats. Our shooting on Leeside wasn’t great. Nearly twice as many wide’s as our hosts. I deliberately didn’t mention a rather big turning point in the game review – David Blanchfield blown up by Johnny Murphy after the Limerick whistler adjudged the Bennettsbridge man to have caught the sliotar three times as he powered out of defence. Hoggie nailed the free and the Cats never really shook this off. More shooting practice ahead of the Tipp game this weekend please.
Yes, table toppers Tipp roll into town on Sunday, as do the TG4 cameras. This could be a pivotal moment in the early season fare. Jordan Molloy and Cian Kenny hit 3 points apiece from play against the Rebels. Billy Ryan’s goal a reward for not switching off. Eoin Murphy was back in goals. TJ got about ten minutes or so into his legendary legs. John Donnelly and Adrian Mullen still to return. We need to be better. Mossy had a quiet evening on Leeside, notching one point. It was The Sash man that approached the grieving Pat Ryan to offer sympathies on the passing of his brother Ray. More of his Cat colleagues followed, a lovely touch.
Managers don’t normally pay much attention to the ‘noise’ that surrounds their tenure, but I’d imagine Derek Lyng is quietly aware of the views of some of the Kilkenny faithful. Like I say, we need to be better. Let’s hope Sunday see’s the beginning of green shoots.
