Just ‘a coincidence’ as Rebels concede run of late scores

CORK made it an unwelcome hat-trick on Wednesday night, when their U21 hurlers became the third team from the county in-a-row to concede a last-minute equalising goal after a 21-metre free.

On June 26, in the Munster minor hurling semi-final, Cork led Waterford deep in stoppage time by three points, but they conceded a late, late free.

From 20 metres out, at a difficult enough angle, Waterford’s star forward Pauric Mahony got the equalising goal that took the game into extra-time. Cork lost.

Last Sunday in the Munster senior hurling final, deep in stoppage time Cork led by three points, but they conceded a late, late free allowed Waterford.

From 21 metres out Waterford’s star forward Eoin Kelly drilled a free that was saved before Tony Browne hit the rebound for an equalising goal that set up tomorrow night’s replay.

On Wednesday night, in the Munster U21 hurling semi-final, Cork led Tipperary deep in stoppage time by three points, but they conceded a late, late free.

From 21 metres out, Tipperary’s Seamus Hennessy got the equalising goal that took the game into extra-time. Cork lost.

Evidence of a new weakness on Leeside? “I wouldn’t think so,” says Cork goalkeeping legend Ger Cunningham. “It looks to me more like a coincidence than anything else.”

“I wasn’t at the minor or U21 games, I couldn’t comment on those games, but I don’t think it’s a matter of it being some particular weakness of Cork teams or anything, defending 21-metre frees.”

Cunningham pointed out that in the Munster final last weekend, for instance, that Cork had saved Eoin Kelly’s initial shot.

“Eoin did well, he was the man in form and he kept his shot down, which was important.

“When you’re facing a free like that you’d half-expect the taker to hit it low because he’s going for goal and can’t take a chance on lifting his shot too high — it might fly over the bar or be deflected over by someone on the line. Eoin kept his shot down and got good power into it, but Cork saved it.

“That’s where the experience of Tony Browne came in — he knew the game was almost up so he probably took a chance and decided to stay up front just in case there was a chance, and he got to the rebound.”

Cunningham added that while all teams prepare to face penalties, sometimes the opposition come up with a shot that can’t be stopped.“Defenders go through what to do when they’re facing penalties, but sometimes the shot is just too good. The main thing is to have a system where everybody knows what they have to do — in 2005 in the Munster final Donal Óg Cusack saved a penalty and Cork worked it down to Fraggy Murphy for a point, which was a pre-planned move.

“If Cork had saved one of the three penalties in those games we wouldn’t be having this conversation. It’s an unusual run of scores, that’s all.”

True enough. Though you can expect Cork supporters to be nervous enough if their side is three points up with time running out this weekend.