Rebels gain sweet revenge over Cats

Paudie O'Sullivan's two injury-time points helped Cork to a 0-18 to 1-13 victory over Allianz GAA Hurling National League champions Kilkenny in a pulsating Division One clash at Páirc Úi Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon.

The sides were level at 0-8 apiece at the break, but the dismissal of Kilkenny's Michael Grace in first-half injury-time proved decisive as the Rebels powered home in the concluding stages to gain sweet revenge for last year's 27-point defeat.

The game started in whirlwind fashion when Kilkenny were awarded a penalty in the third minute after Grace was wrestled to the ground by Cork defender Shane O'Neill and the referee awarded the Cats a penalty. Richie Power struck his effort straight at Dónal Óg Cusack, the Rebels' goalkeeper, while Willie O'Dwyer flicked the rebound wide.

Cork captain Kieran ‘Fraggy’ Murphy nearly had the home side ahead when he fired a great shot towards the top corner, but PJ Ryan made a flying save and deflected the ball out for a '65 which John Gardiner drove over the bar. Tom Kenny added a point before Pa Cronin drove over two impressive efforts from play to give his side an early 0-4 to 0-2 lead.

John Mulhall got Kilkenny off the mark in the ninth minute before Power reduced the gap to two. Cork moved three ahead when Gardiner landed another free, but Power was equally accurate for Kilkenny and his third free of the half prompted Michael Grace to land two fine points from play to level the game at 0-6 apiece in the 33rd minute.

Pa Horgan and Niall McCarthy nudged the Rebels ahead just before the break before an ugly brawl broke out in first-half injury time, leading to Kilkenny's Grace being sent off for a straight red card, while Cork's Niall McCarthy was shown yellow for his part. Kilkenny did manage to knock over a late equalising point as the sides went in level at 0-8 apiece at the short whistle.

The second half failed to ignite in the opening stages, with Gardienr landing three frees for the Rebels after Mulhall had opened the scoring two minutes after the restart with a point for the Cats.

After a laboured opening to the half, Mulhall, a graduate from last year's U21 team, sent Kilkenny into a 1-10 to 0-11 lead with a fine goal after 49 minutes. He found space inside the Cork defence after a clever hand pass and struck a shot straight at the body of Cusack, who failed to prevent the ball from going over the line.

Gardiner pegged one back for the Rebels with yet another free before Cathal Naughton levelled the game at 1-10 to 0-13 with ten minutes left on the clock. The Cats were back in the lead after Richie Power landed a monster point from play.

Cork were not to be denied and they hit three points in a row, with sub Jerry O'Connor, Gardiner and McCarthy all on target to give them a two-point buffer. Again, Power hit back with two frees for Kilkenny.

O'Sullivan was the hero of the hour for the Rebels as his two injury-time points - the second of which proved to be the last play of the game - gave the Rebels a 0-18 to 1-13 victory.