Allianz Hurling League Division 1 – Kilkenny 0-14 Cork 1-10

Allianz Hurling League Div 1: Hogan repels Cork comeback

From the GAA.ie web site

Sunday, February 20, 2011

If Kilkenny’s season ends with them recapturing the Liam MacCarthy Cup, their last-gasp 0-14 to 1-10 Allianz Hurling League defeat of Cork in appalling conditions in Nowlan Park on Sunday will be recalled as one of the defining moments of their campaign. Having completely dominated the first three quarters of the game, Brian Cody’s side were leading by 0-12 to 0-4 as late as the 51st minute when Cork, against the odds, staged a remarkable comeback thanks to a late penalty and the sending off of JJ Delaney, to level the game in the final minute. With the momentum firmly in Cork’s favour, it appeared that the only place the league point were going was south, but the Cats showed their steel to change the flow of the game and steal the victory thanks to Richie Hogan’s tenth point of the game two minutes into added time.

For the second week in a row, Hogan struck 0-10 for his side, but it looked like all his hard work in the first half might have been undone by an alarming final quarter collapse. However, Hogan bailed Cody’s side out and the Leinster champions collected their second straight Allianz League win. If Kilkenny had been impressive in beating Tipperary in their Allianz League opener last week, they took their performance up another notch in the first half at Nowlan Park. Despite playing into a stiff breeze, the Cats played aggressive but controlled hurling and brought a far greater intensity to their game than their Leeside opponents.

Having scored 0-10 in Semple Stadium last week, Hogan continued his fine early season form with seven points in the first half, including a gem in the 25th minute when the Danesfort man, probably the smallest player on the pitch, made a stunning catch and swept the ball over the bar. At that stage, Brian Cody’s men were 0-6 to 0-1 to the good having necklaced six points in a row after Pat Horgan had given Cork an early lead. John Mulhall, Michael Rice and Michael Fennelly were Kilkenny’s other scorers in the first half, while Horgan replied with another free for Cork to reduce the gap to 0-9 to 0-2. In added time, Michael Fennelly intercepted a sloppy Cork pass from defence, controlled the sliothar on his hurl and drove a fine score to give the Cats a 0-10 to 0-2 half-time lead.

No doubt Denis Walsh had harsh words with his Cork troops at the break, because it was the Rebels who started the second half with more purpose, with Ben O’Connor landing their first score from play in the 36th minute. But Hogan was a menacing presence in the Kilkenny full forward line and he could have ended the game as a contest when he worked a clear path through on Cork goalkeeper Martin Coleman, but just as he was about to pull the trigger, man of the match John Gardiner swiped the ball from his possession. Hogan won the ball back and quickly flicked over his eighth point.

A minute later, Coleman made a remarkable double save to keep out the Cats, first denying Michael Fennelly and then reacting brilliantly to keep out the rebound. Kilkenny had the sliothar in the back of the net in the next attack, but Eddie Brennan was penalised for fouling Eoin Cadogan before he had flicked the ball past Coleman. Slowly, Cork worked their way back into the game, chipping away at Kilkenny’s lead with five successive points in a nine-minute spell, including a pair of frees from Horgan, while Niall McCarthy (two) and Cian McCarthy added scores from play. Cork’s task was made easier when Kilkenny were reduced to 14 men in the 63rd minute when full back Delaney was sent off for a second yellow card offence.

Things looked even brighter for Cork when, three points down with three minutes left on the clock, they were awarded a penalty when Paudie O’Sulivan was hauled down by James Fitzpatrick and referee James Owens pointed to the penalty spot. Patrick Horgan drove his shot into the ground and the ball skidded past David Herity, the Kilkenny goalkeeper. Kilkenny immediately went up the other end took the lead again thanks to a wonderful effort from Hogan. However, in a madcap finish, Horgan equalised for Cork from a free, bringing his tally from placed balls to 1-6, before Niall McCarthy had a chance to send Cork ahead deep into injury time, but he flashed his shot wide. Inevitably though it was Hogan and Kilkenny who had the final say, when the Danesfort man was fouled by Tom Kenny and stood up to send the last-gasp free over that gave the Cats the narrowest of wins.

Scorers for Kilkenny: R Hogan 0-10 (0-1 ’65, 0-5f), J Mulhall 0-1, M Rice 0-1, M Fennelly 0-1, E Brenan 0-1.

Scorers for Cork: P Horgan 1-6 (0-6f, 1-0 pen), Ben O’Connor 0-1, N McCarthy 0-2, C McCarthy 0-1.