Cork 0-16, Kildare 1-12
Cork inflicted a first defeat of 2014 on Kildare in a far more convincing manner than their one-point winning margin suggests in front of a crowd of 2,648 at Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday. Indeed, many in the large travelling contingent had exited the grounds before Cathal McNally punched home the only goal in the final act two minutes into injury-time. It was the first Cork goal conceded in their McGrath Cup triumph and the league.
Cork could have had three goals in the opening period, when playing into the strong wind, but James Loughrey, Donncha O’Connor and John O’Rourke couldn’t provide the finishing touches from promising positions. An O’Connor point before the break was their lone return.
Then in the second half Daniel Goulding blazed wildly over the crossbar when sent racing through in the 49th minute. But Cork manager Brian Cuthbert was thrilled with the result given he picked three new starters and handed debuts to four others as well.
"I thought we played some fantastic football in the second half and got some great scores at the end of some lovely moves," he said.
Cork charge
Kildare struggled to build up enough of a lead to cushion themselves for the expected Cork charge in the second-half and their meagre 0-8 to 0-7 interval lead looked ominous. The visitors enjoyed a three-point lead after 28 minutes, when Seán Hurley and McNally found the target to shove Kildare 0-8 to 0-5 in front, but instead of driving on it was Cork who finished the stronger.
Goalkeeper Ken O’Halloran had a major part to play in the closing score of the half, when soloing out from goal up to half-way before O’Connor completed the move by scoring his second point in quick succession.
The teams were level twice in the opening stages of the second half, Kildare’s Darroch Mulhall equalising with a glorious free from close to the right touchline in the 40th minute for 0-9 apiece.
After O’Rourke and Paddy Brophy exchanged points, Cork took a grip on the proceedings, helped by Ruairi Deane’s influence in midfield, and they enjoyed their best spell by scoring four of the next five points.
Their swift movement of the ball into Brian Hurley and Donal Óg Hodnett in particular and runners supporting the man in possession spread-eagled the under-pressure Kildare defence.
Hurley began the sequence by completing one of the most exciting passages of the game with Cork’s 11th point in the 43rd minute and they added three more in a decisive 10-minute burst. Loughrey popped up to claim one and Goulding and Mark Collins bagged the others, with Mulhall responding for Kildare.
With Cork now leading by 0-14 to 0-11, Kildare sub James Gately slipped at an inopportune time close to goal and it was left to Cork sub Cathal Vaughan to close out the tie with a couple of fine points.
CORK: K O'Halloran; J McLoughlin, C Dorman, T Clancy; B O'Driscoll, F Goold, J Loughrey (0-1); A O'Sullivan, R Deane; M Collins (0-2), D O'Connor (0-2), J O'Rourke (0-3); D Goulding (0-2, one free), B Hurley (0-2), D og Hodnett (0-2). Subs: A Cronin for McLoughlin (21 mins), N Galvin for Clancy (inj, 34 mins), C O'Driscoll for O'Sullivan (55 mins), J Hayes for Goulding (59 mins), C Vaughan (0-2) for O'Connor (64 mins).
KILDARE: M Donnelly; M O'Grady, K Murnaghan (0-1), M Foley; E Bolton, F Conway, P Cribbin; T Moolick, G White; C McNally (1-2), E O'Flaherty (0-2, 0-1 free), J Hurley (0-1); P Brophy (0-1), T O'Connor (0-1), D Mulhall (0-4, 0-1 free). Subs: D Hyland for Bolton (inj, half-time), H McGrillen for Conway (42 mins), J Gately for Hurley (55 mins), F Dowling for Mulhall (59 ), P O'Neill for White (64), M Conway for O'Flaherty (67).
Referee: E Kinsella (Laois).
