Kilkenny v Cork- Main Talking Points

Main Man
Kilkenny had many players stand out during the first half in particular with the likes of Eoin Cody and Billy Ryan performing well in attack while Mikey Butler continued his upward trajectory with another decent outing at corner back. Mikey Carey was the best of all though as his pace and energy caused many issues for Cork. He seemed to be always in the right position and he played a hand in setting up a number of Kilkenny scores.

Talking Point
The first half free count was certainly a bone of contention with Cork winning out in that regard on a 13-2 scoreline and it does seem remarkable that the Cats were awarded only on free in over 35 minutes of hurling with the second one only arriving right on the half-time whistle.

Turning Point
Cork had all the momentum going down the stretch and while it’s highly likely that they may have won the game anyway, Darragh Fitzgibbon’s goal five minutes from the end put an end to any possible Kilkenny fightback.

Highlight
Kilkenny’s first half performance is certainly something they can look to build on and while Brian Cody will be disappointed at the way they faded out of the game, he can be relatively pleased at how the league developed for his side.

What’s Next
Kilkenny can now ramp up their preparations for the Leinster Championship while Cork now go on to face Waterford in the Division 1 League Final in Thurles on Saturday evening.

Attendance
16,910 approx