Goals a disaster for Cork
I wrote on Saturday that Cork would have to keep it air tight at the back if they hoped to win this battle but two goals by Kilkenny in the first half took the game away from them.
Winning a puck-out, Michael Fennelly transferred to Henry Shefflin and Eddie Brennan finished strongly, an indication of how clinical Kilkenny are if given space.
It was expertly created and expertly finished.
The second goal was a disaster for Cork.
There seemed little danger when James Ryall dropped in a high ball, but unfortunately, the otherwise excellent Donal Óg Cusack – who made some brilliant saves – advanced too far and lost the ball after a questionable challenge from Richie Power, presenting a gift to the inrushing Aidan Fogarty.
Goals have always given Kilkenny great impetus and their lead of 13 points at half-time was too much of a gap to bridge, particularly with their dominance in the middle of the field, where early on, Cha Fitzpatrick showed up well, and where Michael Fennelly dominated throughout.
The Leinster champions’ first touch and support play was superb throughout and Cork were unable to match this.
Kilkenny cemented their dominance with a blistering 10 minutes after half-time and were comfortable from there until the end, outclassing Cork with a superb team display.
Cork named a dummy team for the media last Thursday night –
Denis Walsh and his management team promoted the untried Cian McCarthy to the first 15 at right-half-forward instead of his clubmate Michael Cussen.
His father Teddy made his debut for the Cork hurlers in the All-Ireland final against Galway in 1986 and the Cork management were hoping lightning might strike twice, but a move like this is always a gamble and it didn’t look as if Cian was designated to follow a particular plan.
Only three puckouts were stuck down his side of the pitch in the first half and Kilkenny won all three, JJ Delaney winning two and Michael Fennelly winning the break from the third.
McCarthy has pace and I would have thought that he’d have been played further out the field in order to supplement the efforts of Cork’s midfielders and draw out the Kilkenny defence, but the gamble didn’t work, with McCarthy withdrawn at the break.
Obviously the Cork management were hoping for a good display and to inject some pace into the half-forward line they might have troubled Kilkenny’s defence, but Cork were too far behind at half-time as Kilkenny held a stranglehold on proceedings.
They lost Henry Shefflin in the 26th minute but it scarcely mattered, as Martin Comerford made an instant impact; Kilkenny’s forwards were well supplied and Cork had no answer.
Cork began the game well enough and there was little between theteams after the first quarter. John Gardiner set the tone early on with a crunching tackle on Brian Hogan who was attacking on the left hand side and the Cork backs were moving the ball out of defence well, in contrast to the games with Waterford.
The Cork inside forward line looked sharp in this period and were contesting every breakdown fiercely.
Patrick Horgan was on his game and out to show what he could do, but unfortunately for Cork the inside line got no supply and Cork hit too many long-range wides.
I felt Cork’s midfielders should have looked for Horgan inside instead of going for hopeful long-range scores. Horgan had one sniff of goal but Ben O’Connor came back out against him and the chance was lost. Cork varied their puck-outs but lost most of them as a sharper Kilkenny team swarmed out of defence to win the ball.
Cork also attempted to go 15 v 15 with Kilkenny in a traditional, conventional, way with no real apparent plan to keep it tight form midfield back.
They paid the price and on this form Kilkenny look invincible.
Cork improved in the second half and rattled off some good scores but it was academic at that stage.
