Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Play-Off

CORK 2-15 KILKENNY 1-16

A 71st minute goal from Jamie Coughlan clinched a hard-fought victory for Cork over Kilkenny that ensures they will play in Group A of the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 for 2020.

Group A will now consist of Limerick, Waterford, Tipperary, Galway, Cork, and Westmeath, while Group B will be made up of Clare, Wexford, Dublin, Kilkenny, Carlow and Laois.

It took the Rebels some time to find their rhythm in this match though with Kilkenny the more clinical side in the first-half.

The Cats were already leading by three points when Richie Hogan won his team a penalty that Alan Murphy converted to push the home team 1-7 to 0-4 ahead.

Cork upped their work-rate in the second-half and had the gap closed to just two points by the 50th minute.

They then drew level when rising star Jack O’Connor cracked home a sweet goal to leave the scores reading 1-11 apiece.

In a helter-skelter finish it looked like Kilkenny had a winning momentum when points from Richie Hogan and James Maher pushed them three ahead.

But Cork hit back with two points of their own from Conor Lehane and Mark Coleman before Coughlan struck for what proved to be the decisive score of the match.