Cats toast dramatic win over Cork

Cork 2-14, Kilkenny 2-15

Kilkenny are the 2002 Allianz National Hurling League champions following a one-point win over Cork at Semple Stadium.

In a game which saw Kilkenny dominate the first-half and Cork the second, the introduction of Brian Dowling sealed the win for the Cats.

Kilkenny raced into an early lead - scoring 1-2 in the first five minutes - through forwards Eddie Brennan and Martin Comerford.

Andy Comerford made it 1-3 to no score before Jerry O'Connor got Cork's first in the 10th minute.

Niall McCarthy doubled Cork's tally but Kilkenny responded immediately through a John Hoyne goal after a well-worked Andy Comerford pass left him with only Donal Óg Cusack to beat.

Richie Mullally and Henry Shefflin added further scores and with 16 minutes gone, Cork were 10 points in arrears.

Ben O'Connor scored two in a row but again Kilkenny responded with scores from Martin Comerford and Derek Lyng.

Cork needed a goal to get them into the game and Eamon Collins duly delivered in the 21st minute.

John Gardiner and Jerry O'Connor brought the scoreline to a more respectable 2-8 to 1-6 and Martin Comerford and O'Connor exchanged scores at the end of the half.

Kilkenny led by five at the break but Cork had first blood in the second half through sub Timmy McCarthy.

Cork began to dominate but five wides in the opening seven minutes of the second-half meant that Cork waited 22 minutes before equalising at 2-10 all through an Alan Browne point.

Henry Shefflin put Kilkenny ahead again and Cork shot two further wides before Kevin Murray levelled things for the second time.

With six minutes to go Diarmuid O'Sullivan sailed over a 65 and Cork led for the first time in the game.

However, Kilkenny's Kevin Power went to the sideline to be replaced by Brian Dowling. The substitution proved inspiring. Dowling scored within a minute of coming on, only for Alan Browne to score for Cork. Henry Shefflin then sent over a free, only for Browne to score again.

Dowling responded with a second point to leave matters on a knife-edge in injury-time with the sides level at 2-14 apiece.

Dowling then stepped up and took advantage of a Wayne Sherlock mistake - his first of the game after a stellar performance at corner-back - to put Kilkenny ahead by one and put paid to Cork's league title hopes.