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 16th August 2004 RTE | |||
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Cork 1-27 Wexford 0-12
Cork were awesome on Sunday as they completely destroyed Wexford in their Guinness All-Ireland hurling semi-final clash in Croke Park, beating the Model County on the enormous scoreline of 1-27 to 0-12 to set up the dream All-Ireland final against current champions Kilkenny, themselves going for three-in-a-row, with the eventual winners taking top spot in the roll of honour.
The game opened at a frenetic pace with both sides playing some very polished hurling and displaying some fine skills. In fact, it looked as if the match was going to be very competitive, with plenty to watch for partisan and neutral alike.
And for six minutes both teams fought hard for every ball and, although there wasn't a score registered, it would prove to be the most competitive phase of the match. Jerry O'Connor took the first of his six scores only to see it cancelled out by a brilliant Eoin Quigley score. Then Ben O'Connor stepped up to register the first of his eight point tally before seeing Tomás Mahon take off on a tremendous solo run, finishing it with a well taken point.
With the scores standing at 0-02 to 0-02, the hurling of a very high quality, and each Cork score matched by an equally good Wexford score, it seemed like this would be an All-Ireland semi-final that would live long in the memory. However, unfortunately for the Model County, it would prove to be one to forget.
Joe Deane took his first point of the game on ten minutes and it was followed by fifteen minutes of complete dominance by the Rebels who took points through Ben O'Connor (0-02), Jerry O'Connor, Tom Kenny and a Timmy McCarthy point that should have been a goal when, after Brian Corcoran put him in on goal, Damien Fitzhenry showed why he is the best goalkeeper in the country, racing out and spreading himself to flick the ball over the bar.
During all this, Cork's backs were completely cleaning up with Diarmuid O'Sullivan and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín being the dominant presences in the back line. However a rare mistake by Seán Óg, who took too many steps out of defence with the ball in his hand, provided Wexford with only their third point in the game as Paul Carley converted the resulting free.
It would be a brief respite as Cork showed their determination to close out the game completely before the half-time whistle was blown.
In the final ten minutes of the half, Cork went on another run of scores: Ben O'Connor's attempt at goal was blocked and went out for a 65, which he converted himself; Timmy McCarthy took the sliotar with acres of space in midfield and took a short run before popping over the bar; Tom Kenny took a fantastic goal when, after yet another run through midfield without one challenge from a Wexford man, he took a shot from way out which even the brilliant Damien Fitzhenry could do nothing about; Ben O'Connor points from a free when Brian Corcoran had been fouled; Jerry O'Connor shows his athleticism, dancing around three Wexford men to point from the sideline; he follows that up with a second in a minute.
With the scores at 1-13 to 0-03 in favour of the rampant Rebels, the game was effectively over and Tomás Mahon's point was some way off putting a respectable look on the scoreline.
Undoubtedly everyone in the stands, and certainly everyone in a Wexford shirt, was hoping for a turn-around in the second half, however improbable a hope that may have been. It was not to come.
A well taken Declan Ruth point was followed by a handful of misses as Wexford displayed the confidence-knocking effects of a 1-09 gap after only one half of a game.
Diarmuid O'Sullivan was immense in the Cork backs and Wexford were having no luck in their attempts to get through.
At the other end, Cork were having no such difficulties. Joe Deane took a sideline cut which dropped short, forcing Fitzhenry to tap it over the bar. Jerry O'Connor took a point from Timmy McCarty's point to leave the score at 1-15 to 0-05. Kieran Murphy eluded David 'Doc' O'Connor to score. Jerry added to it to leave the scoreline at 1-17 to 0-05. Joe Deane took another point, this one a replica of his last.
A Paul Codd point was little in the way of consolation as Cork kept up their relentless attakcs. Niall McCarthy pointed from just in front of the posts. Joe Deane missed a gilt-edged goal chance as he failed to connect properly with a lobbed ball and Fitzhenry took it easily. He made up for the mistake with a point from a Brian Corcoran pass.
Wexford were having absolutely no luck and, when Mitch Jordan found himself in a fantastic position to score and restore some Wexford pride if not actually put them back in the game, Donal Óg Cusack pulled off a save as good as some that were pulled off by his opposite number this season.
A perfect sign of Cork's determination to completely bury Wexford came directly after the goal chance when Cusack's poc out was deemed to quick by the referee, forcing the Rebels keeper to take it again.
Joe Deane was eager to get a goal to show for his efforts and it took the best of Damien Fitzhenry to turn the rocket shot behind the goal. It was to signal a brief upturn in Wexford's fortunes, as Cork found it difficult to sustain the same desire and hunger in a match that was well and truly dead. Points from Paul Carley, Malachy Travers, Michael 'Mitch' Jordan (0-02) and Paul Codd were matched by just the one effort by Niall McCarthy, dragging Wexford to within a goal and nine points of their opponents, yet still well off the pace.
Even though Cork brought on a raft of subs, it did not upset the momentum that they had resumed after Wexford's only serious spell of scoring as Ben O'Connor (0-02), Jonathan O'Callaghan (0-02) and Michael O'Connell finished off a game that, since half-way through the first half, had been little more than a training session for a Cork team intent on overturning the result of last year's final against Kilkenny.
In the earlier minor hurling semi-final, Cork were not as lucky as their seniors as they were beaten 2-15 to 1-13 by Galway.
Filed by Barry J Whyte
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