Senior hurlers bounce back to defeat Rebels

DUBLIN 2-19 CORK 1-14

Dublin hurlers bounced back in style following their opening night reversal to defeat Cork with eight points to spare in Saturday night's NHL Division 1A clash at Páirc Uí Rinn.

It was victory and a performance that delighted Dublin manager Ger Cunningham in front of an attendance of 6,214.

"All in all, I'm very happy. There was a lot of disappointment in our dressing-room last weekend after the performance against Tipperary. We probably showed them a bit too much respect and we were well beaten.

"We knew that wasn't reflective of what we see in training and we were just trying to get the lads to bring what they were doing in training and bring a serious attitude to it.

"They brought a great work-rate and I think that was the big thing for us. Thankfully it paid off.

"They showed tonight what they're capable of."

Saturday night's display was the previous Saturday in reverse.

The Dubs started slowly and trailed the Rebels by 0-4 to 0-1 inside 12 minutes.

However, Dublin suddenly sparked to life. Caolán Conway struck a point before a long delivery into the danger zone saw Ryan O'Dwyer somehow propel the sliotar to the Cork net.

"It was a bit of a lucky goal but that gave us a lift," said Ger Cunningham. "We were 0-4 to 0-2 down, all of a sudden we went ahead. It was great for the lads and they got some confidence from it."

Dublin were a transformed team in this period and hit a superb 1-8 without reply.

The towering Eoghan Conroy was a regular target for long puckouts from Conor Dooley, Dublin were causing Cork major headaches off the Rebels puckouts while the clever play of Donal Burke had Cork on the back foot.

Burke clipped two points with the forceful Rian McBride adding another.

Dublin might have had a second goal but Burke had his 26th minute penalty stopped by Cork keeper Anthony Nash - but Burke converted the resultant '65'.

Shane Kingston rallied the Rebels before the break and by the interval Dublin were 1-11 to 1-7 clear.

Five minutes into the second half Dublin struck for their decisive score when Burke kept his cool to sweep the ball across the face of the Cork goal from where Conroy had the time to lift and strike to the net.

Dublin didn't look back with the likes of Chris Bennett and Cian O'Sullivan both coming off the bench to add to Dublin's scoring tally.

The Dubs, however, finished the game with 14 men after the influential Chris Crummey as sent off for a second yellow card offence in the 56th minute.

"What was encouraging was that we took it on in the second half, we didn't slacken off, even when Chris (Crummey) was sent off, again for a very harsh second yellow card. We finished it out well," concluded the Dublin manager.

SCORERS - Dublin: D Burke 0-8 (0-4f, 0-1 '65'), E Conroy 1-2, R O'Dwyer 1-1, R McBride 0-2, C Crummey, E Dillon, F Mac Gib, C Bennett, C O'Sullivan 0-1 each. Cork: P Horgan 0-7 (0-5f, 0-1 '65'), S Kingston 1-2, L Meade, M Coleman (0-1 '65'), A Cadogan, C Lehane 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: C Dooley; J Madden, E O’Donnell, S Barrett; B Quinn, L Rushe, C Crummey; C Conway, N McMorrow; E Conroy, R McBride, E Dillon; F Mac Gib, R O’Dwyer, D Burke. Subs: C Bennett for Quinn (49), C Mac Gabhann for Conway (59), C O’Sullivan for O’Dwyer (63), F Whitely for Dillon (67), D Fox for Burke (70).

CORK: A Nash; K Burke, D Griffin, C Spillane; C Joyce, M Ellis, M Coleman; B Cooper, D Kearney; L Meade, S Kingston, D Fitzgibbon; A Cadogan, P Horgan, S Harnedy. Subs: D Cahalane for Spillane (25), S McDonnell for Griffin (ht), C Lehane for Fitzgibbon (45), P Haughney for D Kearney (49).

REF: S Cleere (Kilkenny).