Cork ……………………………………………………………………………………… 2-22
Offaly …………………………………………………………………………..……….3-13
Cork took the All-Ireland Under 20 HC title in Thurles on Sunday when a brilliant second half saw them overcome Offaly before almost 30,000 spectators.
Offaly with a very young side did well for periods. However, Cork had their goal at the start of the second half and they ran riot for a period. Offaly had an outstanding player in Adam Screeney but over the hour the supply to the full forward line dried up as Cork were well on top in midfield. Ben Cunningham had some very good points for the Rebels with Jack Leahy and William Buckley having four points each. Offaly led 0-3 to 0-1 after 6 minutes. Dan Ravenhill with a point opened up a 3-point lead. Ben Cunningham with a free was followed by a Diarmuid Healy goal 1-2 to 0-4. Dan Ravenhill goaled from a penalty with William Buckley levelling 1- 4 each after 15 minutes. By the 20th minute they were level 1-6 each. Adam Screeney with two frees edged Offaly 1-8 to 1-6 clear. Points for Cork by Ben Cunningham and David Cremin tied the game at 1-8 apiece. Both sides exchanged points with Cork ahead at the break 1-11 to 1- 9.
The second half was all so different. Cork had a goal within a minute by Michael Mullins. By the 35th minute they had moved 2-14 to 1-9 ahead. Further pressure yielded points by Ben Cunningham (2) and William Buckley as they opened up a 2- 17 to 1-9 lead. Adam Screeney had the Faithful sides first score 9 minutes into the second half. Conor Doyle followed with a goal 2-17 to 2-10. Healy and Screeney exchanged a point with Cork 2-21 to 2-11 ahead after 52 minutes. Dan Ravenhill pointed a free for Offaly. Shane Rigney had a goal for Offaly in injury time. In the end Cork were six-point winners. William Buckley was named ‘man of the match’. The James Nolan cup was presented to the Cork captain Michael Mullins by GAA President Larry McCarthy. It marked a 3rd All Ireland Under 20 success for Cork in four years.
Scorers for Cork: Ben Cunningham 0-9 (0-5f) Michael Mullins 1-1,
Diarmuid Healy 1-1, Jack Leahy0-4, William Buckley 0-4 Tadhg O’Connell 0-1, Adam O’Sullivan 0-1, David Cremin 0-1.
Offaly: Adam Screeney 0-9 (0-7f. Dan Ravenhill 1-4 (1-0 pen. 0-2f. 0-1 ‘65) Conor Doyle 1-0, Shane Rigney 1-0.
CORK: Bryon Saunderson (Midleton) Darragh O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig) James Dwyer (Ballincollig) Ben O’Connor (St Finbarr’s) Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers) Tadhg O’Connell (Ballincollig) Michael Mullins (Capt) Whitechurch) William Buckley (St Finbarr’s) Ben Cunningham (do) Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold) Ross O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) David Cremin (Midleton) Jack Leahy (Dungourney). Subs : Eoin O’Leary (Glen overs) for Darragh O’Sullivan, Adam O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig) for David Cremin, Colin Walsh (Kanturk) for Jack Leahy, Ciaran Doolan (St Finbarr’s) for James Dwyer, Brian Keating (Ballincollig) for Tadhg O’Connell.
OFFALY: Mark Troy (Durrow) Pat Taaffe (Belmont) James Mahon (Kilcormac-Killoughey) Breack Kavanagh (do) Luke Watkins Shinrone) Sam Burke (Durrow) Terence Guinan (Kilcor-mac-Killoughey) Colin Spain (do) Cathal King (Carrig AND Riverstown) Dan Burke (Durrow) Cormac Egan (Tullamore) Conor Boyle (Clara) Dan Ravenhill (Durrow) Charlie Mitchell (Kil-cormac-Killoughey, Adam Screeney (do).
Subs: Shane Rigney (St Rynagh’s) for Cormac Egan, Barry Egan (Clara) for Charlie Mitchell, Ruairi Kelly (Lusmagh) for Pat Taaffe, Joe Hoctor (Carrig & Riverstown) for Cathal King, Ailbhe Watkins (Birr) for Colin Spain.
Referee: Chris Mooney (Dublin).