Ryan: A lot more depth to Cork panel this year

JOHNNY CAROLAN REPORTS

WHILE it was not enough to gain a place in the semi-finals of Division 1 of the Allianz Hurling League, Cork ensured they finished their Group A schedule with another strong performance.

Having opened with defeats away to Clare and at home to Kilkenny, Cork got back on track by beating Waterford and then Offaly. It left them with a chance of making the last four if they beat Wexford at Chadwicks Wexford Park on Sunday.

They achieved that, in impressive fashion against a Model County side that had been undefeated up to then, with Alan Connolly scoring a hat-trick of goals for the second game in a row. However, Kilkenny’s win over Waterford at Walsh Park meant the Cats took second place behind Clare with Cork in third.

It secures a place in next year’s seven-team Division 1A, while the Cork management might not be all that put out at not having to face Limerick in a league semi-final so close to championship. With a five-week lead-in to the opener away to Waterford, Pat Ryan is happy with the strength of the options available to him.

‘The stand-out positive from the league is that the lads are in great physical shape,’ he said, ‘obviously a lot more depth to our panel this year with Alan Connolly, Mark Coleman, Jack O’Connor back. Robbie O’Flynn and Darragh Fitzgibbon have been around more so there are all huge positives for us that we didn’t have five weeks before championship last year.

‘That makes it competitive. We’ve a hard job to pick the 26, a hard job to pick the 15. Everybody is driving on and it will be competitive for the next five weeks. It’ll be the best 15 standing and the best 26 and it’ll be driving on to Waterford.’

Coming off the back of a 27-point win over Offaly six days previously, Cork again made light work of the challenge in front of them. Ciarán Joyce had them in front within 15 seconds and Connolly’s first goal followed soon after. They were far more efficient in front of the posts than Wexford and by the 20th minute it was 1-6 to 0-2.

While Mark Fanning denied Shane Barrett a goal, Cork continued to have the better of the game and Connolly, set up by Eoin Downey, fired home to make it 2-8 to 0-5. Five more unanswered points followed before half-time, with Cork goalkeeper Patrick Collins taking advantage of the strong wind behind him to land a booming effort from play.

Séamus Casey’s frees did reduce Wexford’s arrears somewhat in the second half but Cork continued to threaten goals, with Fanning saving from Séamus Harnedy and Connolly. The Cork defence remained tight and Connolly did raise a third green flag from a penalty after Shane Barrett had been fouled. Casey scored a late consolation goal for Wexford but a 12-point win didn’t flatter Cork.

‘We will have to go away and get a few challenge matches now to keep fellas fresh and keep driving it on,’ Ryan added.

Scorers

Wexford: Séamus Casey 1-9 (7f); Mark Fanning 0-3f; Darragh Carley 0-2; Conor Foley 0-1.

Cork: Alan Connolly 3-2 (1-0 penalty); Patrick Horgan 0-8 (7f); Brian Hayes 0-2; Ciarán Joyce, Patrick Collins, Tommy O’Connell, Séamus Harnedy, Shane Kingston (1f), Robert Downey, Conor Lehane, Luke Meade, Shane Barrett 0-1 each.

Wexford: Mark Fanning; Darragh Carley, Conor Foley, Eoin Ryan; Simon Donohue, Damien Reck, Matthew O’Hanlon; Conor Hearne, Shane Reck; Charlie McGuckin, Joe O’Connor, Cathal Dunbar; Kevin Foley, Séamus Casey, Cian Byrne.

Subs: Liam Óg McGovern for McGuckin, Mikie Dwyer for Dunbar (both half-time), Conor McDonald for Byrne (49), Tomás Kinsella for O’Connor (54), Niall Murphy for Carley (68).

Cork: Patrick Collins; Eoin Downey, Damien Cahalane, Seán O’Donoghue; Ger Millerick, Ciarán Joyce, Robert Downey; Tommy O’Connell, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Declan Dalton, Séamus Harnedy, Brian Hayes; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Shane Barrett.

Subs: Luke Meade for Fitzgibbon, Brian Roche for Harnedy (both 49), Conor Lehane for Dalton (55), Shane Kingston for Horgan (59), Tim O’Mahony for Downey (66).

Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway).