Galway: 2-19 Cork: 1-21
The first goal came after 15 seconds and straightaway Galway had the wind to their sails. Except there wasn’t any wind, the stillness around Semple Stadium eventually disturbed by a game which brewed up a storm on its own.
Galway just about survived as winners, and that it finished with Cork scoring the last three points from play as time spilled into the five minutes of added time is some evidence of how valuable that goal proved. Because in the end Galway were hanging on by well-bitten fingertips, one-point as close as it can ever appear.
The reaction of Henry Shefflin on the sideline said it all – the Galway manager a wildly energetic contrast after the withering loss to Kilkenny in the Leinster final a fortnight ago. It had worked up into a properly hectic battle worthy of the quarter-final stage, the reward for Galway a semi-final spot in July against defending All-Ireland champions Limerick.
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Cork can feel duly gutted their season ends here and especially in this manner, given they only played their best hurling in the second half and might well have grabbed it had they taken more of their opportunities.
Still, with 11 different scores, Galway certainly got a lot more of their mojo working, Conor Whelan in brilliant acute-angle scoring form with his 1-2, Cathal Mannion also finishing with four monster points from play and right around when Galway needed them most.
That first goal after 15 seconds got Galway in front and after that Cork couldn’t once draw level. From the throw-in, the ball spilled out to Tom Monaghan, worked back another line to corner back Jack Grealish, who sent a visibly tentative shot from 70 metres out in towards the Cork goal, which appeared well within the grasp of Patrick Collins.
Instead, somehow taking his eye off the ball, it dropped to his right an into the goal.
The second goal came on 17 minutes, Whelan winning a hard ball close to the left of the Cork goal and despite the close attention of Sean O’Donoghue, he snuck back inside and sent the ball into the bottom left corner.
Shooting 17 wides was bad enough for Cork, they also hit the bottom of the post in injury time after a long-range free from Patrick Horgan which might have brought them even closer; Padraic Mannion then came to the rescue, forcing the ball off Shane Kingston and the wide rather than the chance for a 65-metre free.
Éanna Murphy was keeping Galway’s advantage intact in the first half, making three superb saves, the first from Robbie Flynn on six minutes just when Cork could have done with the lift. The Tommy Larkin’s man was in the right spot again to save from Darragh Fitzgibbon on 23 minutes, again when Cork were in bad need of something.
Galway’s advantage at the break was five, 2-6 to 0-7, only that wouldn’t last for long. In Cork’s first attack of the second half, Horgan picked up a loose ball and passed off to Shane Kingston, who immediately charged at the Galway goal with a trio of defenders for company before unleashing a vicious shot that went straight into the net.
Then on 55 minutes Cork got it back to a one-point game, 2-13 to 1-15, after hitting three points in succession, the best from Robbie O’Flynn, only for Galway to respond immediately through substitute Johnny Coen.
Joseph and Conor Cooney and David Burke too produced telling scores when Galway’s early momentum looked to be slipping fast, Tom Monaghan adding one late from play too.
With none of Cork’s full forward line scoring from play and all replaced, Alan Cadogan was called in on 58 minutes and sparked more life into Cork. He scored three super points from play, including two of those last three for Cork, which begs the question why he wasn’t on earlier.
Cork manager Kieran Kingston was equally animated in the end game, particularly in the 62nd minute when a heavy hit on Seamus Harnedy by Daithi Burke somehow let go by referee Paud O’Dwyer.
The so-called battle for the middle third was every bit as tight as expected, Galway playing wider were possible, Padraic Mannion getting an increasing hold as the game progressed. Darragh Fitzgibbon hit three from play from midfield in the second half, Luke Meade adding one too.
Considering Cork came in after winning three games on the bounce, confidence flowing, their first half-display of seven points will duly haunt them. Galway move on however, wind back in their sails.
GALWAY: E Murphy; J Grealish (1-0), Daithi Burke (capt), D Morrissey; P Mannion, G McInerney, F Burke; David Burke (0-2), R Glennon (0-1); T Monaghan (0-1), C Cooney (0-4, three frees, one 65), J Cooney (0-2); C Fahy, C Whelan (1-2), C Mannion (0-4).
Subs: B Concannon (0-1) for Fahy (30 mins), J Flynn (0-1) for McInerney (34 mins, inj), J Coen (0-1) for Glennon (45 mins), E Niland for David Burke (69 mins), G Lee for Monaghan (75 mins).
CORK: P Collins; N O’Leary, R Downey, S O’Donoghue; D Cahalane (0-1), C Joyce, M Coleman (0-3, two frees, one 65); D Fitzgibbon (0-3), L Meade (0-1); R O’Flynn (0-3), S Harnedy, S Kingston (1-2, one free); T O’Mahony, A Connolly, C Lehane (0-1).
Subs: P Horgan (0-4, two frees, one 65) for Lehane (half-time), J O’Connor for Connolly (47 mins), G Millerick for Downey (51 mins), A Cadogan (0-3) for O’Mahony (58 mins), T O’Connell for Harnedy (67 mins).
Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow)
