New wave of Cork stars end 22-year title wait
CORK ended a 22-year wait for an All-Ireland U21/U20 hurling title at Nowlan Park last night but not without being asked stern questions by a Dublin side.
Unfortunately for the Leinster champions, who conceded 1-4 without reply in the opening eight minutes, they could only reduce the deficit to four points and Cork held on to claim the silverware.
Back in 2017, the two sides had met in the final of a special one-off All-Ireland U17 competition held to compensate the players who missed out on minor level with the change from U18 to U17. Two points separated the teams on that occasion and, while it looked for periods last year as if this championship might go uncontested, the outcome here was the same, but not without twists and turns.
Cork hadn’t played since beating Tipperary in the Munster final on December 23 while Dublin had a tune-up with their provincial decider against Galway a week and a half ago. However, there were no signs of rustiness from those in red as they slotted over three points inside 90 seconds as Pádraig Power, Alan Connolly and Shane Barrett all scored, and they moved seven ahead when Seán Twomey goaled in the eighth minute.
The same lead was still in place by the water break, though Liam Murphy had got Dublin up and running and they could have reduced Cork’s lead further but for some loose shooting.
By the same token, Cork might have had a second goal on 22 minutes as Eddie Gibbons saved Darragh Flynn’s shot and Dublin were still seven behind at halftime, 1-11 to 0-7, following a Kevin Desmond point.
They had renewed momentum on the restart, a pair of fine Micheál Murphy points in the space of a minute bringing them to within five, 1-12 to 1-10, by the 36th minute. While Cork lacked the fluency of the early stages, they continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over, with an excellent individual point from Barrett making it 1-15 to 0-12 on 42 before Dublin replied with Dara Purcell and Darragh Power, just before and after the second water break respectively.
That four-point gap was as close as they had come but Cork looked to have quelled any comeback talk as Alan Connolly’s free was followed by Power’s goal, created by Brian Roche. When sub Brian Hayes tacked on two points in quick succession, it was 2-18 to 0-14 and they looked home and hosed.
But Dublin came back again. Murphy’s fifth, a long-range free from goalkeeper Gibbons and Purcell’s fourth made it 2-18 to 0-17 and they had that elusive goal when Gibbons’ 20m free was saved and sub Luke McDwyer netted.
It was a testing period for Cork as injury time dawned but Jack Cahalane’s
point settled them. Though Murphy had his sixth in response, Dublin couldn’t come any closer and the wait for the Rebels was over.