All-Ireland IHC Semi-Final – Cork v Galway

Farrell and O’Sullivan lead way in commanding Cork display

Report from the Irish Independent newspaper

Cork 2-23 Galway 1-10

Monday August 10 2009

A freak 44th-minute goal from Luke Farrell proved to be the turning point as Cork cruised to a comfortable victory over Galway at O’Moore Park. Galway actually led at the interval by a point, 1-7 to 0-9, despite having trailed by a hefty deficit of 0-8 to no score after just 15 minutes. By that stage, Cork already had six different players registering a score and Maurice O’Sullivan almost made it a seventh, but his ground stroke was well stopped by Galway goalkeeper and captain Damien Howe. Senior footballer, Mark Lydon, finally got the Tribesmen off the mark in the 16th minute with a well-taken score. While Leigh Desmond responded with a pointed 65, it was all Galway from there to the end of the half, with Tom Tierney helping himself to five points, four of them frees. Substitute Martin Kelly was only on the field a matter of seconds when he goaled just prior to half-time, surprisingly giving his side the lead.

The Rahoon-Newcastle man skillfully controlled and struck without putting his hand to the sliotar, after Anthony Nash had saved brilliantly from Eamon Hyland. Three points from Desmond (free), Mark O’Sullivan and Lorcan McLoughlan helped Cork restore their lead. Then 19-year-old Farrell entered the fray and thundered into the game, scoring that unexpected goal and three points, while Mark O’Sullivan ensured the the job was finished off by adding a goal and four. Farrell’s pace proved significant throughout and after tearing through the middle, his attempted pass to Eamonn Collins eluded everyone and the sliotar trickled over the line. The points were racked up after that and Mark O’Sullivan put the exclamation mark on a fine personal display in injury time when taking a pass from the unselfish Brian Lawton before burying to the net from close range. The Rebels will now face holders Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final on August 29.

Scorers —

Cork: Mark O’Sullivan 1-5, L Farrell 1-4, L Desmond 0-5 (3f, 1 65), L McLoughlan, E Collins 0-2 each, E Dillon, B Ring, B Lawton, A Mannis(f), W Egan 0-1 each.

Galway: T Tierney 0-6 (5f), M Kelly 1-1, D O’Reilly 0-2, M Lydon 0-1.

Cork — A Nash; B Coleman, D McSweeney, B Murphy; J Carey, R Cashman, J Jordan; E Dillon, L Desmond; R O’Dwyer, Mark O’Sullivan, L McLoughlan; Maurice O’Sullivan, L Farrell, B Ring.

Subs: E Collins for Mark O’Sullivan blood (30-ht); Collins for Maurice O’Sullivan (36); A Mannix for Ring (40); J O’Leary for Dwyer (49); B Lawton for Desmond (55); W Egan for McLoughlan (60).

Galway — D Howe; P Shiel, B Lohan, P Plower; D Dunne, A Keary, M Broderick; B Daly, D McEvoy; M Lydon, T Óg Regan, JP O’Connell; D O’Reilly, T Tierney, E Hyland.

Subs: M Kelly for McEvoy (30); T Madden for Lydon (42); B Lucas for Daly (51); S Duane for O’Connell (56).

Ref — J O’Mahoney (Limerick)