Cork 6-22
UCC 0-14
JOHNNY CAROLAN REPORTS
ANY newcomers to the Cork hurling panel will certainly have to earn their spots.
While the Canon O’Brien Cup isn’t ever going to be taken on a tour of the schools of the county and Friday night’s 26-point win over UCC is not necessarily a yardstick for the serious league and championship stuff to come, manager Pat Ryan was pleased with how his players approached the task at hand.
Five second-half goals saw Cork ease away from a UCC side that was short of full-strength and Ryan hailed how the senior players in the squad continue to set an example that prospective additions have to match.
‘There’s plenty of competition there,’ Ryan said.
‘We probably left plenty of goals behind us last year in the championship – we left a good few goals behind us in the first half on Friday night, we were probably a bit more clinical in the second half.
‘We were bringing on very good players, maybe even stronger than those starting; obviously, UCC were short a few like the Sars fellas and Eoin Downey, so they weren’t bringing on the strength that we had.’
Jack Cahalane, who has switched from the county footballers, was given his first start after coming on against Waterford six days previously. While the Castlehaven footballer and St Finbarr’s hurler did not score, he set up his older brother Conor – playing at wing-back – for a well-taken first-half point. UCC, who started their Fitzgibbon Cup campaign against UCD on Wednesday, had Seán Daly performing well in defence before he had to be brought off at half-time.
By the break, the outcome was as good as decided, with Shane Kingston having scored 1-7 as Cork led by 1-11 to 0-5. But for three fine saves by UCC goalkeeper Paudie O’Sullivan, the Rebels could have had even more green flags in the opening period.
‘That’s what we’re looking to do, get the ball inside, we know we’ve dangerous forwards,’ he said.
‘Paudie O’Sullivan is a fantastic goalie, he was in with us a couple of times, he’ll have a great future with Cork seniors going forward, but we’d be disappointed that we gave him the chances to save – above the shoulder or below the ankle, that’s where you need to be hitting the ball.
‘They’re things to be working on – as I said, the attitude is what we’re looking for at this time of year.’
A penalty goal from Kingston early in the second half removed any doubts about the outcome, with Luke Meade impressing as one of a number of Cork substitutes. After Robbie Cotter got Cork’s third goal, three more arrived in a late flurry, courtesy of Brian Hayes, Cotter again and Declan Dalton.
Next up for Cork this weekend is a challenge match against Westmeath, with the league opener away to Wexford coming closer into view.
‘We’re trying to find areas that we need to get stronger in,’ Ryan said, ‘and how we can use our bench, we’ve a very strong bench and it’s about how we can make sure we’re utilising that.
‘They’re two areas and the big thing for ourselves is just that we’re preparing really hard. We’ve a very good S&C, getting fellas as fit as possible.
‘They’re two big games and we want to get off to a good start, obviously away to Wexford will be tough and then we’ve a fantastic game against Limerick at home. There’ll be a huge crowd there that day, so we’re looking forward to that.’
Scorers
Cork: Shane Kingston 2-8 (1-0 penalty, 5f), Robbie Cotter 2-1, Brian Hayes, Declan Dalton 1-0 each, Pádraig Power, Tim O’Mahony (1f, 1 65) 0-2 each, Alan Walsh, Conor Cahalane, Diarmuid Healy, Brian Roche, Eoin Carey, Ger Millerick, Patrick Horgan (1f), Darragh Fitzgibbon, Luke Meade 0-1 each.
UCC: Ben Cunningham 0-5 (4f), Fionn Coleman, Darragh Flynn, William Buckley (1f) 0-2 each, Brian Keating, Eoin O’Leary, Denis McSweeney 0-1 each.
Cork: Brion Saunderson; Seán O’Donoghue, Niall O’Leary, Eoin Roche; Conor Cahalane, Robert Downey, Cormac O’Brien; Tim O’Mahony, Brian Roche; Diarmuid Healy, Shane Barrett, Shane Kingston; Pádraig Power, Alan Walsh, Jack Cahalane.
Subs: Eoin Carey for O’Brien, Luke Meade for Power, Darragh Fitzgibbon for Downey (all half-time), Ger Millerick for Conor Cahalane (35), Brian Hayes for Barrett, Patrick Horgan for Kingston (both 39), Robbie Cotter for Jack Cahalane, Declan Dalton for Walsh (both 42).
UCC (Cork unless stated): Paudie O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neills); Seán Daly (Randal Óg), Ciarán Doolan (St Finbarr’s), Michael Mullaney (Stradbally, Waterford); Eoin Guinane (Valley Rovers), James Dwyer (Ballincollig), Timmy Wilk (Cobh); Ethan Twomey (St Finbarr’s), Darragh Flynn (Ballygiblin); Ben Cunningham (St Finbarr’s), Brian Keating (Ballincollig), Eddie Stokes (Doon, Limerick); David Cremin (Midleton), Fionn Coleman (Blackrock), William Buckley (St Finbarr’s).
Subs: Oran O’Regan (Erin’s Own) for Daly, Cathal McCarthy (Blarney) for Guinane, Eoin O’Leary (Glen Rovers) for Cremin (all half-time), Mark Howell (Douglas) for Dwyer, Denis McSweeney (Blarney) for Flynn (both 42), Eoghan Kirby (Blarney) for Coleman (44), Culann Geary (Youghal) for Mullaney, Cormac O’Mahony (Ballygunner, Waterford) for Stokes (both 47), Jack McCarthy (St Finbarr’s) for O’Sullivan (49), Flynn for Keating, Kevin Lyons (Ballygarvan) for Cunningham (both 51).
Referee: Ciarán O’Regan (Ballyhea).
