All-Ireland SHC Qualifiers Round One/ Cork 3-20 Dublin 0-15:In the big leagues there are no kid gloves and all the lessons are short and sharp. Saturday and Cork came to Parnell Park on a sun-kissed afternoon and gave a brief but stern tutorial in championship hurling.
For 20 minutes, or a little more, they pawed with Dublin and then just as the home boys were permitting themselves a little confidence Cork cut loose, shredding Dublin every which way. Ah, Cork were gorgeous and persuasive and were never really ruffled. Dublin were young.
That's their fault and that will be their salvation. Meanwhile at the turf accountants, there will be a prudent reining in of Cork's price.
On Saturday, Gerald McCarthy said afterwards apropos the recent showtrials and tribulations that motivation for senior hurlers doesn't work that way, that Cork were just as motivated in May as they are now. It's hard to believe. Cork are wounded and angry and have serious competition for places within a panel which has been virtually tamper-proof for five years.
On Saturday, Kieran Murphy, he who is known Leeside as "Hero", scored 2-2, including 1-2 in the space of a couple of second-half minutes to underline his reputation. Pa Cronin continues to impress and his input of 1-2 added to the impression that Cork have discovered a player who can sniff out goals like truffles.
Furthermore, Cork suffered the misfortune to lose both corner backs through injury in the opening 20 minutes. They survived comfortably.
The last time the counties met in summertime was the 1952 All-Ireland final. You have to go back 80 years to find the last time Dublin beat Cork in the championship. Dublin never led but for the first third of the game they were abreast of Cork, driving into their task with an enthusiasm and drive.
Though still level after 20 minutes there were little signs that Cork were merely limbering.
Neil Ronan drove a good shot at the Dublin goal after just four minutes and Gary Maguire produced the first of several fine saves. Joe Deane hit a string of early wides but it was alarming to see the quality of ball he was dining on while Dublin's forwards had to scrap for everything.
As the game wore on Dublin began to resemble a rabbit being slowly digested by a hungry python. You could still see their shape it was just that they were being digested. Cork's half-back line were restored to their imperious selves and it didn't help Dublin's cause that they began to struggle at midfield too after a bright start, the highlight of which was a sumptuous point from Joey Boland, taken under pressure out on the right wing.
That brought the sides to three points apiece but Cork were beginning to look scary. A long ball from Seán Óg Ó hAilpín found Deane and his shot brought another fine save from Maguire, at the cost of a point.
It went that way until the 23rd minute, Cork sneaking ahead, Dublin tagging them. Then pow! pow! pow! A point from Deane, one from Kevin Hartnett, looking comfortable in midfield, another point from Jerry O'Connor and then Kieran "Hero" Murphy latched on to a breaking ball and planted it in the Dublin net. Cork took a five-point lead into the break, Dublin a pocket full of self-doubt.
Several Dublin players commented afterwards on how nimble they found Cork to be in the matter of getting themselves out of trouble while still doing the right thing. A Cork player would be cornered but the work-rate of a colleague in red would save Cork again and again. The observation served as a metaphor for the match. When Dublin drove into Cork, the visitors remained calm and unperturbed. They did what they came to do.
The first two scores of the second half went to Deane from frees and even a fine catch, turn and score from Ross O'Carroll couldn't persuade Dublin they were going to turn things around.
Cork's ability to manufacture space and to improvise escape routes was cruelly evident in their response to O'Carroll's score. A patient series of passes eventually found Ben O'Connor who popped the ball over the bar like a surgeon making an incision after much preparatory work from his assistants.
The game ended midway through the second half when Deane picked out Kieran "Hero" Murphy with a sweet pass. Murphy drove the ball home with a delight that was still evident while he added two more points in the next 70 seconds or so.
From there it was merely a matter of by how much Cork could stretch their lead. Dublin never stopped working but in the end their misfortunes were coming thick and fast. Pádraig O'Driscoll, playing against his native county and getting the odd moment of satisfaction, went off with a dislocated elbow at a time when Dublin had no subs left to use.
Then a moment of carelessness in the Dublin square allowed Pa Cronin his second goal of the game. Dublin were better value than the scoreboard suggested but disinclined to argue.
Gerald McCarthy noted afterwards Cork "responded well any time Dublin came strongly but there are tougher days ahead."
Dublin can still look forward to better days ahead. Their progress is not so assured yet that the absence of players like John McCaffrey, Kevin O'Reilly and Philly Brennan isn't noticeable. On Saturday, though, in Ronan Fallon they had one of the best performers on the field and elsewhere little patches of excellence hinted that the learning curve might not be as drastic as the scoreline suggested.
Frank manager Tommy Naughton said Dublin would just have to take the hammering on the chin: "They opened us up and we rode our luck at times; it's a massive learning job, we have to just pick ourselves up we have another tough match next Saturday."
Tipperary coming to Parnell Park next Saturday. As a crash courses in top grade hurling this summer might be gruelling for Dublin but it should be effective.
CORK: 1 D Óg Cusack; 2 B Murphy, 3 D O'Sullivan, 4 S O'Neill; 5 J Gardiner, 6 R Curran, 7 S Óg Ó hAilpín; 8 K Hartnett (0-2), 9 J O'Connor (0-2); 10 B O'Connor (0-4, three frees), 11 K Murphy (Erin's Own, capt, 2-2), 12 P Cronin (1-2); 13 N Ronan (0-2), 14 K Murphy (Sarsfields), 15 J Deane (0-6, two frees) Subs: C O'Connor for Murphy (9 mins); S Murphy for O'Neill (16 mins); C Naughton for K Murphy (Sars, 53 mins); T McCarthy for B O'Connor (60 mins); G Calnan for J O' Connor (62 mins).
DUBLIN: 1 G Maguire; 7 G O'Meara, 3 S Hiney, 18 K Ryan; 5 M Carton, 6 R Fallon, 4 T Brady; 8 J Boland (0-1), 9 D Qualter (0-1); 10 R O'Carroll (0-2), 11 L Ryan, 12 D Curtin (0-4, frees); 13 J Kelly (0-1), 14 P O'Driscoll (0-1), 15. K Flynn. Subs: K Dunne (0-1)for O'Meara (30 mins); D O'Dwyer for L Ryan (39 mins); A McCrabbe (0-2, one free)for Boland (54 mins); P Carton (0-2)for Curtin (55 mins); G Bennett for Brady (57 mins).
Referee: S Roche(Tipperary)
