CORK hurling teams visiting the North don't quite have the attraction of times past.
Less than a thousand hurling fans took in yesterday's clash at Casement Park. The only All Ireland senior winners on view were Cork manager, Jimmy Barry Murphy and selector, Tom Cashman.
But the paying customers went home thinking that Cork may be a team worth watching in the near future. Jimmy Barry Murphy's useful looking line up had too much class for a disappointing Antrim outfit. If anything, the gulf in class between the two sides was even wider than the final 16 point winning margin.
Antrim's two late goals from midfielder turned forward Sean Paul McKillop, came as Cork concentration wavered, the job already done.
The Cork manager said afterwards that he was delighted with the performance of UCC Fitzgibbon Cup star, Joe Deane. The Killeagh youngster scored 2-5, and along with Ronan Dwane and comparative veteran Ger Manley, he represented the most potent Cork attacking threat.
Deane showed his opportunism on 13 minutes when he reacted quickly after Timmy Kelleher's 65 had come off an upright and dropped invitingly in front of the goal.
This goal helped Cork to a 1-10 to a 0-7 interval lead. The comfortable ascendancy of the first half hour became rampant Cork domination in the third quarter, and when the sweet striking Kelleher banged over an 80 metre free in the 43rd minute, it left Cork 1-18 to 0-9 ahead.
This quarter saw Cork halfbacks Kelleher, Brian Corcoran and Sean Og O hAilpin in dominant mood against a fumbling Antrim half forward line.
Deane's second goal on 47 minutes came after a perfectly weighted diagonal pass across the goalmouth from Cork full forward Alan Browne.
Freetaker Ger Manley picked off two goals in the closing stages - one of which came after his own penalty came back off the crossbar.
McKillop, who had moved from midfield to the half forward line early on, notched two scrappy late goals for Antrim. However, the goals added little respectability to an insipid Antrim performance. After this defeat on the back of a embarrassing reverse against Meath Dominic McKinley won't be looking forward to next weekend's trip to Kerry.
