Cork…………………………………………………………………………………………………….….1-37
Kilkenny……………………………………………………………………………………………………1-32
(aet)
Cork Senior hurlers, after a lapse of eight years are back in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling final following their extra time win over Kilkenny on Sunday in Croke Park. The game was close throughout with the lead changing hands many times. Cork finished in a flurry to advance after extra time by a five-point margin.
TJ Reid opened the scoring with an early free. Patrick Horgan levelled from a free. Kilkenny edged ahead and took a nice lead. First Eoin Cody placed Richie Reid for a point. Good defensive play saw Kilkenny add another point by Eoin Cody. Adrian Mullen worked well for Padraigh Walsh who sent over. Robbie O’Flynn kept Cork in touch with Alan Murphy replying for the ‘Cats’ 0-5 to 0-2. Good play by Adrian Mullen led to another Eoin Cody point. Cork came back well. First a foul on Jack O’Connor led to a pointed free by Patrick Horgan. Horgan followed with two more rapid pointed frees. The sides were level in the 14th minute when Niall O’Leary soloed upfield and pointed. Mark Coleman worked well for Patrick Horgan who had Cork ahead at the water break 0-7 to 0-6.
On the restart Kilkenny were level when Billy Ryan after good play by Padraigh Walsh and Conor Fogarty. Ryan then landed a fine lead point for Kilkenny. T J Reid with a free opened up a two-point lead.
Cork came back well – Conor Cahalane worked well for Darragh Fitzgibbon who pointed. They were level again in the 26th minute 0-9 each when Shane Barrett pointed. James Maher and Patrick Horgan swopped points. Michael Carey and Patrick Horgan had them deadlocked 0-12 each. T J Reid pointed a ‘65. Points by Adrian Mullen and T J Reid opened up a lead 0-14 to 0-12. Points were exchanged between Adrian Mullen and Patrick Horgan. By half time Kilkenny led 0-15 to 0-14.
There was a further exchange of points on the resumption between Billy Ryan and Mark Coleman. Kilkenny hit another purple patch.
Points in succession by Adrian Mullen and T J Reid (2) opened up a lead 0-19 to 0-15 by the 42nd minute. Cork regrouped well. They had four points in quick succession by Robbie O’Flynn, Patrick Horgan (2) and Shane Kingston 0-19 each after 49 minutes. Good play by Alan Cadogan to Jack O’Connor saw the latter’s effort come back off the post out to Shane Kingston who pointed. Points by T J Reid and Eoin Cody had Kilkenny in front 0-21 to 0-20. Sean O’Donoghue worked well for Shane Kingston who levelled at 0-21 each at the water break. Robert Downey and Tim O’Mahony were also very impressive for Cork in defence. Jack O’Connor with a superb point put Cork in front again. Alan Cadogan was denied by Eoin Murphy. Conor Fogarty and Jack O’Connor had the sides level 0-22 each for the 10th time. Cork pulled away with their defensive unit very solid. They had six points on the trot by Shane Kingston (2) Alan Cadogan, Robbie O’Flynn Seamie Harnedy and Patrick Horgan as they moved well ahead 0-28 to 0-22. Kilkenny never gave up – T J Reid pointed a ‘65 and a free. Adrian Mullen made it 0-28 to 0-25. Good play by Cillian Buckley led to an Eoin Cody point. Good play for Cork by Seamus Harnedy led to a long-range point by Jack O’Connor. Four minutes of injury time were played. In the dying moments Padraigh Walsh worked well for Adrian Mullen who goaled and forced extra time 0-29 to 1- 26.
One would have felt that the momentum would be with Kilkenny in the second half. However, it was Cork who dominated. Billy Ryan and Patrick Horgan exchanged a point. Shane Kingston edged Cork ahead. James Bergin came close to a Kilkenny goal with his effort going across the face of the goal and wide. Eoin Murphy saved from Alan Cadogan from close range. T J Reid with a pointed free levelled for the 13th and last time 0-31 to 1-28. At the break in extra time Cork led 1-32 to 1-29. Cork dominated the second period adding five more points while T J Reid (2) and Richie Hogan had points for Kilkenny. Jack O’Connor, Shane Kingston, Seamus Harnedy, Alan Cadogan and Declan Dalton were all on target late for the Rebels.
Substitute Shane Kingston with 0-7 was named ‘man of the match’.
Cork now meet Limerick in the final on Sunday week in Croke Park.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-15 (0-9f) Shane Kingston 0-7, Jack O’Connor 1-3, Alan Cadogan 0-3, Robbie O’Flynn 0-2 Seamus Harnedy 0-2, Mark Coleman 0-1, Niall O’Leary 0-1, Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-1, Declan Dalton 0-1, Shane Barrett 0-1.
Kilkenny: T J Reid 0-13 (0-9f. 0-3 ‘65s) Adrian Mullen 1-3, Billy Ryan 0-5, Eoin Cody 0-4, Alan Murphy 0-1, Richie Hogan 0-1, Richie Reid 0-1, Conor Fogarty 0-1, Michael Carey 0-1, Padraigh Walsh 0-1 James Maher 0-1.
Cork Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig) Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons) Robert Downey (Glen Rovers) Sean O’Donoghue (Inniscarra) Tim O’Mahony (Newtown-shandrum) Mark Coleman (Blarney) Ger Millerick (Fr. O’Neill’s) Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville) Luke Meade (Newcestown) Conor Cahalane (St. Finbarr’s) Seamus Harnedy (St. Ita’s) Robbie O’Flynn (Erins Own) Shane Barrett (Blarney) Patrick Horgan (Capt) (Glen Rovers) Jack O’Connor (Sarsfields). Subs: Eoin Cadogan (Douglas) for Ger Millerick (inj) Alan Cadogan (Douglas) for Shane Barrett. Damian Cahalane (St. Finbarr’s) for Robbie O’Flynn, Shane Kingston (Douglas) for Darragh Fitzgibbon, Alan Connolly (Blackrock) for Conor Cahalane, Sean O’Leary-Hayes (Midleton) for Mark Coleman, Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville) for Luke Meade, Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neill’s) for Jack O’Connor.
Kilkenny Eoin Murphy (Glenmore) Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan) Huw Lawlor (O’Loughlan Gaels) Paddy Deegan (do) James Maher (St. Lachten’s Freshford) Padraigh Walsh (Tullaroan) Michael Carey (Young Ireland’s) Conor Fogarty (Erin’s Own) Richie Reid (Ballyhale Shamrock’s) Adrian Mullen (do John Donnelly (Thomastown) Billy Ryan (Graigue-Ballycallan) Eoin Cody (Ballyhale Shamrocks) T J Reid (do) Alan Murphy (Glenmore). Subs: Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan) for John Donnelly, Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro) for Richie Reid, James Bergin (Conahy Shamrocks) for Martin Keoghan, Walter Walsh (Tullogher Rosbercon) Alan Murphy, Richie Hogan (Danesfort) for Eoin Cody, John Donnelly (Thomastown) for Billy Ryan.

Referee Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)