Farrell strike kills off Galway challenge
A 16-point winning margin expresses vividly the majesty of Cork’s hurling, but what made this success most noteworthy was how well they recovered from a turbulent first-half. The first quarter unfolded like a procession, Cork chalking up nine points and only shipping one at the other end to hold a convincing lead. Yet by half-time Galway, emboldened by some astute positional switches, had retrieved that eight point deficit and moved ahead by one, 1-7 to 0-9. It marked a stunning turnaround and Cork entered the interval under a cloud of uncertainty, with their dressing-room containing plenty harsh words at the break.
“They were told a few home truths at half-time”, revealed Cork boss Johnny Keane afterwards. “They were showboating and they weren’t winning the dirty ball. They’re fierce honest lads and they admitted they were hiding. We were very concerned at half-time as a lot of our players seemed tired. But they were all outstanding in the second-half.”
