Late Kilkenny point quells Cork comeback

Kilkenny 0-14 Cork 1-10

Richie Hogan landed a late free to decide this heavyweight Allianz NHL Division 1 tie at Nowlan Park this afternoon.

The 22-year-old forward scored 0-10 in all, with his final point rescuing the win for Kilkenny after Cork had fought back in the second half.

Free-taker Pat Horgan was Cork’s only scorer in the first period, as they trailed by 0-10 to 0-2 at half-time.

The Rebels recovered well and after JJ Delaney’s dismissal, Horgan netted a penalty to take his tally to 1-6.

But Hogan clawed it back for the Cats, who are tucked in behind free-scoring Galway at the top of the table.

Hogan tallied up 10 points for the second week running, with today’s haul including five frees and a single ‘65’. John Mulhall, Michael Rice, Michael Fennelly and Eddie Brennan accounted for Kilkenny’s other scores.

Goal scorer Horgan landed six successful frees for Cork, who also had points from Niall McCarthy (0-2), Ben O’Connor (0-1) and substitute Cian McCarthy (0-1).

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody brought defender Michael Kavanagh and midfielder Pat Hartley into his starting line-up.

There was a further change before the throw-in as Conor Fogarty came in for John Dalton due to a family bereavement.

Cork boss Denis Walsh also made a late alteration to his side, with William Egan drafted in for Mark Ellis in an attacking sextet that included Niall McCarthy and Michael Cussen.

Horgan opened the scoring for wind-backed Cork from a third minute free, but it quickly became apparent that Kilkenny had an extra gear or two on the visitors.

The Cats’ striking was crisper than Cork’s, they were aggressive in defence and attack and played at an intensity that Cork failed to match for much of the first half.

Hogan grabbed a brace of points to move Cody’s men ahead by the 12th minute. There were plenty of interesting duels around the pitch, none more so than the tussle between John Gardiner and Aidan Fogarty.

Although Gardiner was arguably Cork’s best player in the opening exchanges, all the scoring was coming at the Rebels’ end. Hogan, Mulhall and Rice moved the Cats clear at 0-8 to 0-1 by half hour mark.

Jackie Tyrrell and Tommy Walsh were marshalling the Kilkenny defence, giving the Cork forwards precious little space and time on the ball.

Hogan scored 0-7 by the break, with his best effort coming in the 26th minute. He launched himself at a high ball, caught it and showed great accuracy to turn and point.

Horgan pointed a free in the closing minutes of the half, before Cork’s performance was summed up in injury-time when Fennelly intercepted a pass and moved the margin to eight points.

Cork, no doubt fired up after Walsh’s half-time words, made gradual headway as the second half began. Ben O’Connor registered their first point from play, two minutes in.

But Kilkenny again bared their teeth in attack. The advancing Hogan was foiled by a brilliant intervention from man-of-the-match Gardiner, before the Danesfort clubman swung over his eighth point.

The hosts beat a path towards the Cork goal again, just moments later. It took a top class save from goalkeeper Martin Coleman to deny Fennelly a certain goal, and he also blocked the rebound.

The influential Eddie Brennan also had a goal ruled out for a foul on defender Eoin Cadogan. Soon after, Cork began to find their rhythm in difficult playing conditions.

They hit five points over a nine-minute period, with substitutes Jerry O’Connor, Cian McCarthy and Tom Kenny making an impact. The scores came from Horgan (0-2), Niall McCarthy (0-2) and Cian McCarthy.

The pressure was now on Kilkenny to respond and they suffered a real setback when their full-back JJ Delaney was sent off for his second bookable offence in the 63rd minute.

Cork looked more fluid in possession and suddenly sensed they could get something out of the game. With two minutes left on the clock, Horgan sent his penalty to the net to tie up the sides at 1-9 to 0-12.

Paudie O’Sullivan was brought down by substitute James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick for the penalty, which Horgan drilled low past Kilkenny stopper David Herity.

It set up a grandstand finish and Kilkenny somehow managed to hold their nerve. Hogan immediately replied with a point from an acute angle, before Horgan tapped over a free at the other end.

Niall McCarthy was put under just enough pressure as his shot went wide of the Kilkenny posts.

The final change fell to the Cats and the in-form Hogan. In the dying seconds, Kenny was adjudged to have fouled Hogan and the diminutive forward stepped up to point the free and close out a memorable win.