Kilkenny survive comeback to claim 28th All-Ireland
Filed at: Sunday , September 14 2003 16
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Kilkenny pulled level with Cork on 28 All-Ireland SHC titles with a stunning 1-14 to 1-11 victory over Cork with a performance that epitomised their position as kings of the modern era. In front of 79, 383 on a perfect day at Croke Park, Brian Cody's men lead by six points (0-09 to 0-03) after a forgetful first half, and then survived an almighty second half Cork onslaught to claim the doube 'double' of National League and All-Ireland titles, having won both last year too.
Martin Comerford's opportunist goal five minutes from time proved the difference between the sides as the Rebels threatened to snatch the glory with a goal from Setanta O hAilpín on 53 minutes. However, Cork's inaccuracy in front of the posts came back to haunt them as Kilkenny's experience told in the end, with perennial talisman DJ Carey presented with the fifth Liam McCarthy Cup of his illustrious career.
Kilkenny started the game with real purpose, opening the scoring after ten seconds when Tommy Walsh escaped the attention of Tom Kenny to point from the 45 metre line. Joe Deane registered Cork's first score with a free after Setanta O'hAilpín was fouled by James Ryall on four minutes, but Henry Shefflin sent over a free of his own from the right to restore Kilkenny's advantage three minutes later.
The lively Martin Comerford then turned Wayne Sherlock and pointed from distance on the left to give the Cats a two-point cushion, and at this stage Cork were already guilty of squandering several chances with John Gardiner, Niall and Timmy McCarthy all failing to find their range when scores looked on.
Walsh, proving he had fully recovered from the recent hip injury which had threatened to sideline him, added an excellent second point and a further free from Shefflin saw Kilkenny open up a four point advantage (0-05 to 0-01). Walsh added another with 15 minutes on the clock when he latched on to a breaking ball to slot over, while Comerford lost his marker Diarmuid O'Sullivan to stretch Kilkenny's lead even further.
Noel Hickey, who produced an outstanding defensive display from start to finish, then denied Timmy McCarthy a shot on goal with a textbook hook, and such was Cork's luck at this point that a goal-kick was awarded to Kilkenny. Shefflin then added another point from a central free, while Setanta took Cork's tally of wides to eight at the other end with yet another narrow miss.
On 24 minutes, Cats goalkeeper James McGarry denied Setanta a goal with a fine block after being fed through on goal by the industrious Deane, but despite Cork enjoying the greater number of chances, Kilkenny were winning more possession in key areas and looking very comfortable. Time and again the Kilkenny rearguard, in which Hickey, JJ Delaney and Michael Kavanagh were superb, combined to repel Cork's blunt attacks.
Just past the half hour Deane added a second close range free to reduce the deficit to six points (0-08 to 0-02), but Shefflin added another point to restore his side's supremacy. Resolute defending from James Ryall and Hickey saw Deane denied another goal-scoring opportunity on 34 minutes, but a Timmy McCarthy point just before the break gave Cork a glimmer of hope of making a game of it in the second half.
However, Kilkenny opened the scoring after the break with a point from Comerford, but within a minute, Gardiner found Niall McCarthy who pointed from almost halfway to give Cork the boost they needed. Deane then converted a 20m free following a foul on Setanta to halve the deficit (0-10 to 0-05), and Setanta had a point ruled wide on 40 minutes despite one of the scoreboard's suggesting otherwise.
Referee Pat Ahern added to the confusion three minutes later when he appeared to award a penalty for a foul on Setanta, but play somehow continued and the danger passed. Deane then reduced the deficit to four with a free from a central position, but the highly effective Derek Lyng won the ball in midfield and sent over a booming point to restore his side's five point cushion (0-11 to 0-06).
However, Cork, visibly stirred by the half-time words of manager Donal O'Grady, responded when a great block by Wayne Sherlock set Setanta away on the right and he played the ball inside to Deane to send over a great point. Ben O'Connor then registered his first point of the match on 52 minutes from the right to reduce the gap to just three points (0-11 to 0-08) and then Setanta turned the game on its head with a superbly taken goal a minute later to level the match. After escaping the clutches of his marker Ryall, the Australian born star bore down on goal and smashed the ball past the helpless McGarry to set up a pulsating climax to a contest that was finally living up to its pre-match billing.
A minute later Niall McCarthy put Cork in front for the first time with a superb point from distance, but Kilkenny responded when Comerford restored parity with a point from an acute angle on the left. Gardiner then missed his eighth attempt on goal from eight and Cody, sensing his side needed a lift, sent on the experienced Andy Comerford for Ryall and Richie Mullally for namesake Paddy on the hour.
Their introduction seemed to stem the tide and Shefflin added his fifth of the afternoon, this time from play, to restore Kilkenny's one point advantage. Then Martin Comerford struck for the crucial goal five minutes from time when the Cork defence, in which Diarmuid O'Sullivan had a typically commanding game, was prised open to leave him with the task of finding the net from four metres.
Cork, threw everything forward in the dying minutes, but despite a late point from Niall McCarthy, Shefflin and substitute Seanie McGrath exchanged points in injury time as Kilkenny held out for a famous win. The victory takes the Cats level with Cork on 28 Senior All-Ireland hurling titles and confirms their status as the game's modern masters.
Filed by Shane Murray
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