Cork 0-17  Kilkenny 0-9

CORK were home and dry well before the final whistle, but there was something fitting about their last score when Brian Corcoran arrowed a jewel of a point from the right corner. 

The veteran had come out of retirement to give one last season to Cork and in the absence of the gifted Setanta O hAilpin — who flew back from Australia to watch the game from Hill 16 — Corcoran’s injury-time finish typified an intense rebel hunger that yielded its full reward. 

Kilkenny were chasing an historic three in-a-row, and from the first quarter they looked capable of achieving it. Their half-back line was imperious and they held the advantage at midfield. Furthermore, Donal Og Cusack had problems with the puckout and Cork failed to score from play until Corcoran intervened in the 33rd minute.

However, this All-Ireland will be remembered for an explosive second half performance by Donal O’Grady’s side. Trailing 0-7 to 0-8, Niall McCarthy fired over an equalizer. 

Two Henry Shefflin frees were cancelled out by excellent points from play by Kieran Murphy and McCarthy but Kilkenny somehow failed to score in the remaining 24 minutes. Cork racked up eight points without reply.

How strange to see Kilkenny out of contention before the end. The Cats possess a fearsome reputation for returning from the dead, but on this occasion they had no answers. Cork wanted it more and from Diarmuid O’Sullivan right through to Corcoran, they were not going to be denied. 

Conditions did not favor the game. Light rain made the surface even trickier than usual and a blustery wind made shooting erratic — although Galway and Kilkenny minors adjusted well to serve up a fantastic high-scoring draw (3-12 to 1-18). 

With both counties locked on 28 All-Ireland senior titles, this was a joust for a bigger crown and the game began in high tension with nerves and tempers already frayed.

Incredibly, Kilkenny should have scored a goal inside the first 10 seconds. Straight from the throw-in a ground ball worked upfield right and left. 

Wayne Sherlock slipped and Eddie Brennan found himself clear to face Cusack. Brennan stepped away to his left rather than bear down on goal and his shot flashed wide. It was a bad miss — conspicuously, the corner-forward failed to score all afternoon.

Joe Deane converted the first of five frees to start the action. With the score balanced at 0-2 apiece the Killeagh man shot against the crossbar after ghosting past Michael Kavanagh, and Ben O’Connor thumped the rebound into the side-netting. The Cats nudged ahead and Derek Lyng hit a lovely individual point to extend the lead to three. Despite dominating Cork’s half-forwards they continued to concede frees and only led by a single point at halftime. 

John Browne replaced the injured Brian Murphy but the substitution worked well. Shefflin found the going tough against an inspired Sean Og O hAilpin and Martin Comerford made little headway against O’Sullivan.

Donal O’Grady’s team raised their game massively on the restart. Niall McCarthy’s accuracy was crucial in pegging Kilkenny’s lead and when Kieran Murphy took advantage of a Noel Hickey slip Cork were in front for the first time since Deane’s opener. 

McCarthy and Ben O’Connor extended that to three, but if there was a turning point in the match it came in the 58th minute. Kilkenny had gone 12 minutes without scoring. 

In a quick passing move D.J. Carey put John Hoyne through. The center-forward transferred to Shefflin who doubled on it first time. Cusack parried the shot and cleared upfield where Deane was duly fouled by James Ryall. Deane converted the free and instead of being level, Kilkenny found themselves four behind.

That exchange gave Cork the bit between their teeth while Kilkenny flagged visibly. Conor Phelan replaced Cha Fitzpatrick for the last ten minutes but the supply to the forward line dried up. Kavanagh conceded another free and as the game ticked out, Cork got stronger while Kilkenny tired by the minute. Ronan Curran eclipsed Hoyne and the Rebels opened up their running game with plenty of pace provided by Tom Kenny, Ben O’Connor, McCarthy and Murphy. And when Corcoran iced it with the last score he sank to his knees in blessing to a red and white tide that soon enveloped the pitch.

No complaints from the Kilkenny squad who arrived in Croke Park on the bereavement of Richie Mullally, father of team panelists Paddy and Richard. 

“The fact they were here today is just testament to the spirit in the whole camp,” reflected the ever-gracious Brian Cody. “You don’t buy that kind of loyalty. Their torture is worse than ours and our thoughts are with them.”

“In my opinion the best team always wins the All-Ireland final. They’ve got 70 minutes to do it and today Cork proved themselves the best team. There are no arguments.”

On Monday, O’Grady admitted he is no longer the Cork manager, but the victorious Rebels want him to stay on.

O’Grady’s two year contract ran out at midnight on the day of the final, and he admitted the ball is back in the Cork County Board’s corner as he awaits an inevitable invitation to stay in office. Cork officials, though, are certain to ask O’Grady back. 

Kilkenny also received a hero’s welcome when they returned to the Marble City, but D.J. Carey refused to make any announcement on his future.

“I have thought about what my life would be like without hurling and that’s what gives you the shivers and tells you to keep going. I know retirement has been talked about and who knows, but I certainly won’t be making any decisions immediately after the game. The way the game is going it’s getting harder and harder but it’s not my intention at the moment to give it up,” he said.

Like Carey, Cork hero Corcoran diffused rumors that he is about to quit after a triumphant return to inter-county action.

The veteran full-forward said, “A lot of the Cork lads are now going back into action with their clubs. I have a four-month lay-off and I’m going to enjoy myself. After that, I will then decide on the future