Gaelic Games

Cork’s strength in depth sees them past Offaly

Offaly battled hard but Rebels top-scorer Michael Hurley changed it off the bench

Cork’s Michael Hurley scored five points from the bench in their win over Offaly. Photo: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Cork’s Michael Hurley scored five points from the bench in their win over Offaly. Photo: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Sun Jan 26 2020 - 12:13

Cork 0-20 Offaly 0-13

Cork’s bench contributed significantly to the county’s first win at revamped Pairc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday night.

Led by top-scorer Michael Hurley, who was introduced at half-time, Cork made a winning start to their Division 3 promotion drive, though Offaly battled well.

Inspired by Bernard Allen, Anton Sullivan and Ruairí McNamee, the visitors led by 0-7 to 0-3 after 23 minutes, but Cork whittled it down to the minimum, 0-9 to 0-8 by the interval.

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Referee Derek O’Mahony had a busy end to the first-half, overturning an umpire’s decision to wave a Cathail O’Mahony wide, when it was at least a foot inside the upright.

Then he dispatched Cork coach, Cian O’Neill, to the stands for dissent before Allen entered the sin-bin for a cynical foul on Sean Powter.

Cork made good use of their numerical advantage on the resumption, kicking three points without reply to take a firm grip as Offaly went 19 scoreless minutes before Allen’s 52nd minute free.

There were few goal-scoring chances though Offaly keeper Paddy Dunican denied Cork captain Ian Maguire a second time mid-way through.

And then at the other end home custodian Micheal Aodh Martin made a timely double save from McNamee with four points between the teams.

It was down to three, 0-14 to 0-11, on the hour but another substitute John O’Rourke kicked two points either side of a Hurley free.

The new surface came in for favourable mention. “I should have brought my slippers instead of the ‘wellies’,” quipped Offaly boss John Maughan.

Cork: MA Martin; S Powter, S Ryan, P Ring; K Crowley (0-1), L O'Donovan, M Taylor; I Maguire, captain, T Clancy; B Hartnett (0-1), S White (0-2), R Deane (0-1); D Gore, C Sheehan (0-3, one free), C O'Mahony (0-3, two frees).

Subs: M Hurley (0-5, one free) for Gore, half-time, J O'Rourke (0-2) for Clancy, 50 mins, C O'Callaghan (0-1) for O'Mahony, 55 mins, T Corkery (0-1) for O'Donovan, 58 mins, P Murphy for Sheehan, 67 mins.

Offaly: P Dunican; D Hogan, E Rigney, N Darby, captain; E Carroll, D Dempsey, J Hayes; C Mangan, M Brazil; S Horan, R McNamee (0-4, two frees), C McNamee; A Sullivan (0-4), B Allen (0-4, one free), C Johnson (0-1).

Subs: R McEvoy for C McNamee, 16 mins, C Donohue for McEvoy, 48 mins, M Abbott for Johnson, 56 mins, J Dempsey for Brazil, 60 mins, C Donnelly for Horan, 65 mins.

Referee: D O'Mahony (Tipperary).