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All-Ireland MHC/Cork 2-19 Galway 0-8: Beaten Munster finalists Cork triumphed by 17 points to set up an All-Ireland semi-final…

Mon Jul 30 2007 - 01:00

All-Ireland MHC/Cork 2-19 Galway 0-8:Beaten Munster finalists Cork triumphed by 17 points to set up an All-Ireland semi-final clash with Dublin in a fortnight's time in Croke Park yesterday. Cork, with three games under their belts, were far too good for last year's beaten finalists Galway who were in their first competitive outing of the season.

After bouncing back from their Munster final defeat against Tipperary, Cork will now hope to emulate Tipp's 2006 success by capturing the All-Ireland crown through the back door.

Galway 1-12 to 0-5 at half-time, with just 0-3 tacked on in the second half. Cork manager Don Cronin had made three changes from the Tipperary game, one suspension enforced, and they worked. Donagh Stack's 18th-minute goal handed Cork a 1-8 to 0-3 lead and the game was over as a contest at that point.

Stack took a difficult pass from Luke O'Farrell but kept his composure well and fired home despite huge pressure from a cluster of Galway defenders. Under-worked Cork goalkeeper Darren McCarthy produced a fine save from Gerard Kelly four minutes after the break and Ryan Clifford buried Cork's second goal from close range with six minutes remaining.

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Centre forward Michael Bowles caught the eye for Cork with four fine points and the Rebels racked up 2-14 from play with seven different players on the scoresheet.

CORK: D McCarthy; C Hurley, A Kearney, K Murphy; L McLoughlin, J Herlihy (0-1, 65), C O'Donovan; S Farrell (0-2), D O'Sullivan; P Gould, M Bowles (0-4), M O'Mahony (0-3); L O'Farrell (0-3), D Stack (1-1), R Clifford (1-5, four frees). Subs: R White for Gould (37 mins), C McCarthy for Stack (54 mins), S McDonnell for O'Sullivan (54 mins), G O'Connor for Hurley (55 mins), F Keane for O'Mahony (56 mins).

GALWAY: K Finnegan; N Donohue, M McMahon, S Lambert; D Burke, R Larkin, S Óg Linnane; E Forde (0-3, one 65), E Mahoney (0-1); C Flynn, K Killelea (0-3), B Burke; S Coen, G Kelly, A Dolan. Subs: J Hennelly (0-1, free) for Flynn (18 mins), D Cooney for Larkin (30 mins), R Madden for Dolan (half-time), G Murray for Burke (40 mins), N Quinn for (53 mins).

Referee: J Owens (Wexford).