Few crumbs for comfort as Tyrone hammer the Rebels
THERE may be more questions than answers after Cork Senior footballers slumped to yet another big defeat in the Championship this Summer, as their campaign ended with a sixteen-point All-Ireland Round 4 Qualifier defeat to Tyrone in O’Moore Park on Saturday, but there were some positives.
Temperatures reached a high of 26 degrees during the game, and while a big gap was between the sides in the end, the sight of Castlehaven’s Brian Hurley starting in a Cork jersey for the first time since his return from a serious injury, lining up alongside his brother Michael was a plus.
Despite three goals going by him there was a decent display from Cork keeper Mark White, while upfront Luke Connolly and Mark Collins were among those trying hard
If one delves deeper into this game, perhaps the writing was on the walls for Cork early on, falling 0-4 to 0-1 in arrears after 14 minutes, with a Peter Harte goal disallowed during this spell; but eight minutes later the sides were tied at 0-4 each, following Cork’s best spell on the score-board over the course of the game.
A 0-10 to 0-5 interval deficit wasn’t the worse thing either from a Rebels’ perspective, with Ronan McCarthy’s men guilty of five wides at that stage to Tyrone’s two. It was still all to play for.
Inside two minutes of the restart the sides had traded points, but once Conor McAliskey hit the net for the game’s opening goal in the 42nd minute, a 10-point gap had been opened up, and the sense was that Tyrone would go on and win.
Too their credit Cork responded for the first of two occasions in the half with back-to-back points – with Luke Connolly and Mark Collins on target; but Tyrone just had that bit extra, as one of the qualifier experts brought their back door wins tally to 28 wins, from 32 games.
Cork had the opening chance to score in this match, but following a foul on Brian Hurley, Connolly failed to convert from close-range. A minute later a long-range Cathal McShane effort dropped short, but Tyrone opened the scoring in the third minute, when Niall Sludden found the mark.
White had to be alert early on, and from the kick-out Tyrone were back on the attack, but White went low to deny Conor Meyler.
A Connolly free levelled the tie for the first time on seven minutes, but the Red Hands moved 0-4 to 0-1 ahead on 15 minutes, as Frank Burns, Colm Cavanagh and Connor McAliskey added scores.
Tyrone unlucky not to register a 15th minute goal, after Peter Harte had the ball in the Rebels net, but referee Maurice Deegan instead awarded a free in which McAliskey converted.
Tyrone were eager for goals, but wouldn’t find the net until the second half. McShane the latest to be denied in the 16th minute after his final shot was blocked.
Tyrone were called into action at the opposite end to try and halt Connolly’s advances, and although they done so successfully, it was Ruairi Deane who popped up, after an Ian Maguire pass for a much required Cork score at the start of the second quarter.
Tyrone keeper Niall Morgan was called into action a minute later as Cork went for a goal, with Michael Hurley denied. Connolly also tried to find the net, but Morgan smothered his shot, with Cork subsequently awarded a free, and Connolly slots over an equaliser with his second point of the game.
Tyrone wouldn’t trail this contest, and a minute later regained a lead they wouldn’t relinquish with McAliskey popping the ball over, after a good move up-field.
Cork’s search for an equaliser ended in Hurley registering his sides third wide, with Harte, Sludden and McAliskey adding further scores as Tyrone moved 0-8 to 0-4 ahead on 33 minutes.
Connolly responded with Cork’s first point in 13 minutes, but Tyrone finished the half strongly to take a double scores interval lead at 0-10 to 0-5. McShane and Collins traded points early on the restart, before an unanswered
1-2 from Tyrone, including a McAliskey goal, bring his tally to 1-5. Padraig Hampsey making a dashing run, and McAliskey finishing to the net.
Cork responded with scores from Connolly and Collins, but Tyrone stayed in command until the finish. Substitute Ronan O’Neill with their second goal in the 51st minute after a Harte assist.
Cork’s woes compounded eight minutes before the end of normal time with Collins departing following a red card. Mark Bradley adding Tyrone’s third goal in the 69th minute, and although Connolly registered the final two points it was firmly curtains for the Rebels.
TYRONE: Niall Morgan; Cathal McCarron, Ronan McNamee, Michael McKernan; Tiarnan McCann, Mattie Donnelly (0-1), Frank Burns (0-3); Colm Cavanagh (0-1), Padraig Hampsey; Peter Harte (0-1, 1f), Niall Sludden (0-2), Conor Meyler; Cathal McShane (0-3), Richard Donnelly (0-1), Connor McAliskey (1-6, 5f) Subs: Ronan O’Neill (1-2, 2f) for McAliskey (50), Kieran McGeary for McShane (52), Mark Bradley (1-0) for Harte (53), Aidan McCrory for McKernan (55), Hugh Pat McGeary for McNamee (58), Rory Brennan for Burns (59)
CORK: Mark White; James Loughrey, Jamie O’Sullivan, Kevin Crowley; Kevin Flahive, Stephen Cronin, Cian Kiely; Ian Maguire, Brian O’Driscoll; Sean White, Mark Collins (0-2), Ruairi Deane (0-1); Luke Connolly (0-9, 6f, 1 45), Brian Hurley, Michael Hurley (0-1) Subs: Killian O’Hanlon for O’Sullivan (32, BC), Paul Kerrigan for Cronin (40), Donncha O’Connor for B Hurley (47), Matthew Taylor for O’Driscoll (50), Ronan O’Toole for White (53), Sam Ryan for Loughrey
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