Cork rebel against slights

All Ireland SHC Quarter-final Cork 2-26 Antrim 0-10 Anger Cork hurlers at your peril. In the aftermath of yesterday's massacre Antrim manager Dinny Cahill may have regretted his tempestuous midweek comments about Cork players - Brian Corcoran and Niall McCarthy in particular; the effect of his criticism was akin to waving a red rag on the streets of Pamplona.

Supposedly, Corcoran was finished. Allegedly, McCarthy wasn't up to it at centre forward. Seemingly, the new midfield combination of Tom Kenny and Jerry O'Connor was there to be exploited.

A misjudged stirring of the pot maybe, but the simple fact remains that Cahill's team were unable to deliver on their manager's billing. None of the Cork players earned themselves an All Star nomination yesterday, but they certainly showed the gulf in class from north to south.

Right from the throw-in the Cork tempo was furious. All six forwards eventually found the target, but the first significant blow was Niall McCarthy's early gem of a point. He slipped Karl McKeegan before splitting the uprights from 40 yards.

And yet, it was Corcoran that really warmed the rebel hearts. His second goal, in the 30th minute, ended the game as a contest and smashed the theory that he was washed up as a top-level competitor.

The former player of the year had already calmed his side's nerves with their third point, but his first goal, after 22 minutes, really lit the torch. Ben O'Connor made the initial break; his hand-pass seemed too high, but Corcoran plucked it from the air before firing to the net in style.

The second was even more impressive as he showed the finishing touch of a Joe Deane or (dare one say it?) a Setanta Ó hAilpín to direct the sliotar into the top corner.

Jerry O'Connor also showed up well in midfield to strike 0-4 before being pulled ashore with a hamstring injury.

At 2-13 to 0-3, Antrim were being treated like a bunch of rag dolls. When teams take such a commanding lead into the interval they usually fail to motivate themselves for the next 35 minutes. Not so Cork yesterday. They were ruthless and the introduction by Donal O'Grady of three more eager attackers ensured the raids continued.

Ben O'Connor was also forced off prematurely, but not before he added three scores to the cause. Michael O'Connell and Jonathan O'Callaghan came in and filled the void left by the twins with two points apiece.

Antrim looked a shadow of the team that pushed Wexford so close this time last summer, their first touch letting them down all over the park.

Antrim's main men simply never showed up, but they would have struggled with the intensity of their opponents even on a good day.

They rightfully avoided confrontation with the Cork half-back line, but pushing midfielder Jim Connolly in on Diarmuid O'Sullivan was a failure. The Rock owned every high ball around the square.

In fact, the whole Cork defence excelled, especially Wayne Sherlock, who cleaned up every scrap of loose possession. John Gardiner also added to his reputation at wing back, while Ronan Curran denied Antrim captain Colm McGuckian even the smallest chink of space.

As the Antrim fans prayed for a quick ending, O'Grady launched John Anderson from the bench. The Glen Rovers man outshone the previous replacements by tacking on 0-4 to the Cork tally.

Brian McFall did provide some Antrim grace notes, including two points from sideline cuts, but they arrived far too late.

For Antrim, the task now is to try and recover from such a set-back. The defeat is the most crushing of Cahill's three years in charge, which are now at an end. Decisions need to be made about whether he is to continue in the role.

For Cork, a much tougher challenge lies ahead in the form of a All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford on August 15th. They will not be afforded the same type of latitude and the Leinster champions will almost certainly avoid fanning the flames with any negative public comments. The danger of such rashness was demonstrated by Antrim's fate.

CORK: 1. D Óg Cusack; 2. W Sherlock, 3. D O'Sullivan, 4. B Murphy; 5. J Gardiner (0-1, 65), 6. R Curran, 7. S Óg Ó hAilpín; 8. T Kenny, 9. J O'Connor (0-4); 10. B O'Connor (0-3, 2f), 11. N McCarthy (0-2), 12. T McCarthy; 13. K Murphy (0-1), 14. B Corcoran (2-1), 15. J Deane (0-4, 3f). Subs: 20. M O'Connell (0-2) for J O'Connor (half-time), 22. J O'Callaghan (0-2) for B O'Connor (43 mis), 17. C O'Connor for Ó hAilpí(58 mins), 24. J Anderson (0-4) for N McCarthy (62 mins), 18. J Browne for O'Sullivan (65 mins).

ANTRIM: 1. D Quinn; 2. M Kettle, 3. K Kelly, 4. B Herron; 5. M McCambridge (0-1), 6. K McKeegan, 7. J Campbell; 8. J Connolly, 18. M Maill; 10. M Herron, 11. C McGuckian (0-1), 12. L Richmond; 13. L Watson, 14. P Richmond (0-3), 15. B McCall (0-4, 1f, 2s-l). Subs: 20. D Quinn (0-1) for L Richmond (40 mins), 19. J McIntosh for J Campbell (42 mins), 17. G Cunningham for M McCambridge, 21. M Scullion for J Connolly (both 60 mins).

Referee: A Mac Suibhne (Dublin).