Cork finish strongly to claim league success over Kilkenny

Kilkenny suffered their second loss of this year's Division 1A league campaign when losing out to Cork in a hugely competitive affair in Supervalu Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Opening half goals from Billy Ryan and Stephen Donnelly had given the Cats a two point half-time advantage but buoyed by a 1-5 tally from Diramuid Healy and a scoring four of the last five points, the Rebels went home with the points.

Over 22,000 spectators turned out for the round 4 clash and while it was slow to hit it's stride, the crowd soon found their feet when newcomer Diarmuid Healy blasted a shot into the city end net of the Leeside venue as his side opened up a 1-6 to 0-5 advantage.

Kilkenny produced an impressive response though with Billy Ryan and Stephen Donnelly both netting before the end of the half and they would have been the happier side going into the dressing rooms.

While Cian Kenny, Eoin Cody, Mossy Keoghan and Jordan Molloy kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Cats in the early part of the second period, the final quarter belonged to the home side with Kilkenny only scoring once in the final 10 minutes.

The Noresiders can count themselves someway unlucky however as one of Patrick Horgan's six frees arrived on the back of David Blanchfield rather harshly being adjudged to have caught the ball on three occasions and it was from there that Cork pulled into overdrive with late scores from Healy, Horgan and sub Tommy O'Connell putting them in a match winning position.

Even the introduction of TJ Reid as a sub for his first appearance of the season couldn't turn the tide as Cork held on to claim a 1-22 to 2-16 success.

This was the first of three weekend's on the bounce for Kilkenny and they will quickly turn attention to facing Tipperary next Sunday in UPMC Nowlan Park where victory would be most welcome.

Teams and Scorers

Cork- Patrick Horgan (0-10, 0-6fs and 0-1 '65); Diarmuid Healy (1-5); Tim O'Mahony, Shane Barrett (0-2 each); Ciaran Joyce, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Tommy O'Connell (0-1 each)

Kilkenny- Eoin Cody (0-6, 0-5fs); Billy Ryan (1-1); Stephen Donnelly (1-0); Jordan Molloy, Cian Kenny (0-3 each); Mikey Carey, Paddy Deegan, Martin Keoghan (0-1 each)

Cork- Patrick Collins; Niall O'Leary, Eoin Downey, Ger Millerick; Ciaran Joyce, Robert Downey, Michael Mullins; Darragh Fitzgibbon, Tim O'Mahony; Declan Dalton, Shane Barrett, Diarmuid Healy; Brian Hayes, Robbie O'Flynn, Patrick Horgan.

Subs- Damien Cahalane for Millerick, 27 mins; Luke Meade for O'Flynn, 46 mins; Jack O'Connor for Dalton, 49 mins; Tommy O'Connell for Mullins, 62 mins; Jack Cahalane for Hayes, 68 mins.

Kilkenny- Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Mikey Carey, Paddy Deegan; Killian Doyle, Jordan Molloy; Martin Keoghan, Cian Kenny, Billy Ryan; Stephen Donnelly, Eoin Cody, Harry Shine. 

Subs- Luke Hogan for Donnelly, h-t; Padraic Moylan for Lawlor, 49 mins; Fionan Mackessy for Doyle, 54 mins; Luke Connellan for Shine, 56 mins; TJ Reid for Kenny, 61 mins.

Referee- Johnny Murphy (Limerick)