Gaelic Games

Cork turn on the style to hammer Offaly in five-goal display

Alan Connolly fires a hat-trick for Cork as defeat consigns Offaly to Division 1B next year

Offaly's Charlie Mitchell tackles Robert Downey of Cork. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho

Sun Mar 10 2024 - 15:36
Offaly 0-16 Cork 5-28

Cork turned on the style as they waltzed to an impressive and convincing win over Offaly in Tullamore on Sunday afternoon.

The flying Cork men handed Offaly a severe dose of reality after an encouraging start to the year, but this was always likely to happen as the Munster side could not afford a defeat as they bid to stay in top flight hurling in next year’s restructured league.

Cork played well on the day, getting their intensity levels up and causing consternation in the Offaly defence when they raced forward at pace.

Offaly had performed admirably in the league to date, drawing with Wexford and suffering acceptable defeats to Waterford and Kilkenny. They were shown here, however, how far of a road that lies ahead of them and while they held their own in the opening quarter, there was never the slightest chance of an upset.

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After playing against the wind in the first half, Cork’s victory was assured when they led at the interval by 2-12 to 0-8. Offaly’s cause was not helped by nine poor first half wides and had they been more accurate, they would have hung in for longer. It would, however, not have saved their bacon and they were actually fortunate not to be further behind at half time.

Cork could have had another two goals and Mark Troy made a great 32nd minute save from Alan Connolly while an earlier foul on Shane Barrett was suspiciously close to the penalty area.

Cork could afford those misses. Connolly got their two first half goals to put them in the driving seat. Offaly held their own early on and were level at 0-2 each after seven minutes but the superiority of the winners soon became evident. Connolly’s 19th minute goal made it 1-7 to 0-3 and his 35th one, after less than spectacular Offaly defending made it 2-12 to 0-7.

Offaly's Eimhin Kelly appeals to the referee. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho

It meant that the only issue in the second half was Cork’s winning margin and they showed Offaly no mercy at all. They continued to play with pace and they were in no way weakened as they introduced impressive subs – three, Shane Kingston, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Brian Hayes, contributed 2-6 between them.

In addition Cork had replaced their hat trick hero, Alan Connolly and free-taker Declan Dalton during the second half.

That second half proved to be a long one for Offaly. All eight of their second half points came from David Nally and only one of those were from play – Nally had taken over the free taking duties when Eoghan Cahill went off at half-time.

Cork hit the ground running at the start of the second half and Offaly could not live with them. They will compete in the new Division 1B next year and that was always going to be their fate. This league was all about competing to the best of their ability and despite the scale of this beating, the questions and challenges it raises, they have shown welcome signs of progress.

[ Offaly’s Adam Screeney swimming against the tide of hurling’s modern power game ]

Cork, however, were in a different class to them and this was not a surprise to anyone. They were 2-20 to 0-11 ahead when the clinical Connolly tapped home his third goal in the 52nd minute.

Offaly’s only second half point from play came from Nally in the 55th minute while Cork didn’t have a wide until Darragh Fitzgibbon was off target in the 64th minute. As Offaly’s heads dropped, Brian Hayes and Darragh Fitzgibbon got goals in the 67th and 69th minutes to put the icing on the cake.

Offaly: M Troy; C King, B Conneely, P Cantwell; D King, J Sampson, S Bourke (0-1); E Kelly, D Nally (0-8, six frees, one 65); D Ravenhill (0-1), K Sampson, D Bourke (0-1); E Cahill (0-5, four frees), O Kelly, A Screeney.

Subs: C Mitchell for Ravenhill (13 mins), J Clancy for Cahill (half-time), L Watkins for Screeney (43), D Shirley for Cantwell (50), M Watkins for E Kelly (68).

Cork: P Collins; N O’Leary, D Cahalane, E Downey; G Mellerick, T O’Mahony, R Downey (0-3); B Roche (0-2), L Meade (0-2); D Dalton (0-7, four frees and two 65s), C Lehane (0-2), S Harnedy (0-1); J O’Connor (0-2), A Connolly (3-1), S Barrett (0-2).

Subs: R Cotter for O’Connor (half-time), D Fitzgibbon (1-1) for Harnedy (45 mins), S Kingston (0-4, two frees) for Dalton (54), B Hayes (1-1) for Connolly (57), C O’Brien for R Downey (67).

Referee: Colum Cunning (Antrim).

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