National Hurling League Div 1B

National Hurling League Div 1B

Sun.16th March 2003

Cork 6-19 - DERRY 1-05

This was an exercise in futility as far as Cork were concerned as they romped to a 29-point win over Division 1B whipping boys Derry at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday. It's a game that will have done little for either side. Derry were hopelessly out of their depth, while new Cork manager Donal O'Grady will hardly take anything from a farce of a game, played out before a couple of hundred hardy souls.

True, wing-forward Eoin Fitzgerald hinted at his quality, finishing the game with a personal tally of 2-8, but he got so much space that scoring was akin to shooting fish in a barrel.

Cork used the breeze to devastating effect as they opened up an unassailable half-time lead of 2-14 to 0-3. Goals from Ben O'Connor (8th minute) and Alan Browne (27th) paved the way for the Rebel romp. It was also a good afternoon for the returning Seanie McGrath, who burst into life in the closing minutes of the first half, to rifle over four quick points.

Derry, although hopelessly outclassed, started the second half brightly when their best player Oliver Collins pointed a long-range free. They even managed to hold Cork scoreless for the opening 10 minutes of the half, but then caved in as Browne and substitute Setanta Ó hAilipín - on for the injured O'Connor - hit the back of the net within a minute of each other.

Derry's reply was a scrambled goal from corner-forward Enda Cushnahan, but it hardly lent a scent of respectability to the scoreline. Instead, it was Cork and Fitzgerald that finished with a swagger, with the Cork wing-forward grabbing two goals in the final three minutes.

The win all but assures Cork of their place in the next stage of the league, and confirms that Derry will be playing their hurling at a lower grade next year. After this mauling, demotion will come as a relief to them.

SCORERS:

Cork: E Fitzgerald 2-8 (4f); A Brown 2-1; S McGrath 0-4; B O'Connor and Setanta O hAilpin 1-0 each; M O'Connell 0-3 (1 '65); J Barrett, M Morrissey and N Ronan 0-1 each.

Derry: E Cushnahan 1-0; O Collins 0-3 (2f); P Curtin and S McGlove 0-1 each.

CORK - P Morrissey; W Sherlock, P Mulcahy, B Murphy; A Cummins, R Curran, Sean Og O hAilpin; M O'Connell, J Barrett; N McCarthy, M Morrissey, E Fitzgerald; B O'Connor, A Browne, S McGrath. Subs: S O hAilpin for O'Connor (26, inj), N Ronan for McCarthy (45), K Murphy for McGrath (50, inj), M Prendergast for Sherlock (57), J O'Connor for O'Connell (69).

DERRY - K Stephenson; P McVeigh, G Bruton, K Hemphey; A McCluskey, D Magill, P O'Kane; O Collins, P Murphy; P Curtin, M Conway, R Convery; S McGlove, E Kennedy, E Cushnahan. Subs: A McCrystal for McGlove (ht); M Collins for Curtin (53); C Simpson for Hemphey (68).

REF - P Moore (Waterford).