Diarmuid Healy, Cork, and Killian Doyle, Kilkenny, in Allianz Hurling League Division 1A action. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Allianz Hurling League Division 1A
Cork 1-22 Kilkenny 2-16
By Stephen Barry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Diarmuid Healy’s dream first start led Cork to an emotional Division 1A victory over Kilkenny in front of 22,193 fans at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
The U20 All-Ireland winner reeled off 1-5 as the Rebels recovered from defeat in Tipperary to leapfrog Kilkenny into third place.
Before throw-in, the entire Cork panel and backroom team lined up across the 45 for a minute's applause in tribute to former Cork and Sarsfields hurler Ray Ryan, who died suddenly on Tuesday. His brother, Rebel boss Pat, stood among them wearing a black armband in Ray’s honour.
Cork made four changes to welcome in captain Robert Downey, Patrick Horgan, Healy, and Declan Dalton after serving his suspension. Their line-up featured 11 of last year’s All-Ireland final team.
Downey was excellent at centre-back, his metronomic clubmate Horgan ended with 0-10, while Healy took to this level like a duck to water.
Derek Lyng named the same Kilkenny team as he did for their postponed encounter with Limerick last weekend, although TJ Reid was added onto the bench for his first involvement of 2025.
Both sides were wasteful in the opening quarter.
Ryan had highlighted Cork’s need to be clinical with their goal chances, but Eoin Murphy saved from Brian Hayes and Dalton, while Healy and Horgan were hooked by Mikey Carey and Huw Lawlor when eyeing the net. Healy could’ve gone for broke from another opening, but opted to tap over.
Kilkenny offered up a few quickfire wides and Cork took advantage to jump four clear when Horgan broke Tim O’Mahony’s long free into Healy’s path. He had no hesitation this time to rifle into the far corner.
Kilkenny responded within two minutes. Billy Ryan intercepted Niall O’Leary’s fluffed handpass and his bouncing shot tricked Patrick Collins in goal.
They leapfrogged 2-5 to 1-7 ahead in the 29th minute. Substitute Damien Cahalane did well to block Harry Shine but Eoin Cody met the loose sliotar with a one-handed pull into Stephen Donnelly’s path and the captain did the rest.
They finished stronger with a pair of Cian Kenny points to lead 2-9 to 1-10 at half-time.
The second half, like the first, was slow to warm up.
Shane Barrett was the third Cork player to be hooked while bearing down on goal, with Tommy Walsh getting the hurl in.
That was called back for a free and the hosts moved back ahead, 1-17 to 2-13, through O’Mahony, Healy, and a couple of Horgan frees.
Jordan Molloy and Kenny brought their tallies to 0-3, with Kenny pulling up injured before splitting the posts and being replaced by TJ Reid.
Hayes got a hurley to Darragh Fitzgibbon’s dropping shot, but the sliotar rolled along rather than across the line. At the other end, Reid broke through, but Cahalane blocked his batted effort at goal.
In the end, four points in a row from Healy (two), Horgan, and Tommy O’Connell ensured Cork’s victory.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-10 (6fs, 1 65), Diarmuid Healy 1-5, Tim O’Mahony, Shane Barrett 0-2 each, Ciarán Joyce, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Tommy O’Connell 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kilkenny: Eoin Cody 0-7 (4fs, 1 65), B Ryan 1-1, S Donnelly 1-0, J Molloy, C Kenny 0-3 each; M Carey, P Deegan 0-1 each.
Cork: Patrick Collins; Ger Millerick, Niall O’Leary, Eoin Downey; Ciarán Joyce, Robert Downey, Micheál Mullins; Darragh Fitzgibbon, Tim O’Mahony; Declan Dalton, Shane Barrett, Diarmuid Healy; Brian Hayes, Robbie O’Flynn, Patrick Horgan.
Subs: Damien Cahalane for Millerick (27, inj), Cormac O’Brien for Joyce (41-44, temp), Luke Meade for O’Flynn (46), Jack O’Connor for Dalton (49), O’Brien for Joyce (58-f-t, temp), Tommy O’Connell for Mullins (61), Jack Cahalane for Hayes (68).
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Mikey Carey, Paddy Deegan; Killian Doyle, Jordan Molloy; Martin Keoghan, Cian Kenny, Billy Ryan; Stephen Donnelly, Eoin Cody, Harry Shine.
Subs: Luke Hogan for Shine (8-11, temp), Hogan for Donnelly (h-t), Pádraic Moylan for Lawlor (49, inj), Fionán Mackessy for Doyle (54), Luke Connellan for Shine (55), TJ Reid for Kenny (61, inj).
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).
