Cork 1-14 (17) Dublin 2-19 (25)
What better tonic for Ger Cunningham and the Dublin Senior Hurling panel after the heavy defeat last weekend? An emphatic victory on the road against Cork tonight in Pair Ui Rinn.
Goals in either half from Ryan O’Dwyer and Eoghan Conroy, plus some outstanding free taking from Donal Burke saw the boys in blue dominate the majority of the game in a complete contrast from last weekend’s events.
Just before throw, the Dublin boss made five changes to his starting team, bringing Conor Dooley, James Madden, Caolan Conway, Eoghan Conroy and Rian McBride into the frey.
Cork had the better fortune in the opening exchanges and were leading by 0-04 to 0-01 by the thirteenth minute. But a Caolan Conway point and a goal helped along by Ryan O’Dwyer saw Dublin take the lead and never relinquish it.
From there, Dublin continued to drive forward, hitting seven scores without reply. Chris Crummey, Fountain Mac Gib, Donal Burke (4) and Rian McBride all doing the damage. Cork managed to pull the deficit back to three scores, with points from Patrick Horgan and a well worked goal and 2 points from Shane Kingston doing damage. But Eoghan Conroy and Rian McBride kept tapping away to keep 0-04 between them at the break on a score of 1-11 to 1-07.
Donal Burke had the opportunity to widen the gap during the half with a penalty opportunity but Cork’s keeper Anthony Nash again proved why he’s one of the best in the country.
With the game still well within Cork’s reach, the second half was expected to be hotly contested and it by no means disappointed. Mark Coleman opened proceedings with the first score, bringing the gap back to 0-03. Donal Burke and Patrick Horgan’s scores cancelled each other out. But When Burke sent a low ball into the path of Eoghan Conroy he was quick to turn and draw blood and sent the ball past Nash into the Cork net.
Despite Luke Meade, Conor Lehane and Patrick Horgan continuing to press, Liam Rushe, Eoghan O’Donnell and Niall McMorrow were cleaning house at the back and not giving away an inch. Even losing Chris Crummey to a second yellow card didn’t dampen the visitors spirits.
Points from Donal Burke (3), Ryan O’Dwyer, Chris Bennett, Eamon Dillon, and Cian O’Sullivan’s additional time score was enough pressure to take the game completely away from Cork with eight points between them. A week makes a huge difference in the League and Ger Cunningham will be leaving his Native Cork tonight feeling better versed to plan for Dublin’s next fixture.
Cork Scorers:
Patrick Horgan 0-07 (5f, 1 65’)
Shane Kingston 1-02
Luke Meade 0-02
Mark Coleman 0-01 (1f)
Alan Cadogan 0-01
Conor Lehane 0-01
Dublin Scorers:
Donal Burke 0-08 (4f 1 65’)
Eoghan Conroy 1-02
Ryan O’Dwyer 1-01
Rian McBride 0-02
Caolan Conway 0-01
Chris Crummey 0-01
Fionntain Mac Gib 0-01
Chris Bennett 0-01
Eamon Dillon 0-01
Cian O’Sullivan 0-01
Cork:
1. Anthony Nash
2. Killian Burke
4. David Griffin
3. Colm Spillane
5. Christopher Joyce
6. Mark Ellis
7. Mark Coleman
8. Bill Cooper
9. Daniel Kearney
11. Luke Meade
12. Shane Kingston
15. Darragh Fitzgibbon
13. Alan Cadogan
14. Patrick Horgan
10. Séamus Harnedy
Subs:
18. Damien Cahalane for Spillane (25)
17. Stephen McDonnell for Griffin (half-time)
26. Conor Lehane for Fitzgibbon (45)
22. Paul Haughney for Kearney (49)
Dublin:
16. Conor Dooley
18. James Madden
3. Eoghan O’Donnell
4. Shane Barrett
8. Ben Quinn
6. Liam Rushe
7. Chris Crummey
21. Caolan Conway
11. Niall McMorrow
25. Eoghan Conroy
22. Rian McBride
10. Eamon Dillon
15. Fiontán Mac Gib
12. Ryan O’Dwyer
14. Donal Burke
Subs:
13. Chris Bennett for Quinn (49)
17. Cian McGowan for Conway (59)
26. Cian O’Sullivan for O’Dwyer (63)
23. Fergal Whitely for Dillon (67)
9. Donie Fox for Burke (70)