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Details

Date Time Competition Season
27 May 2023 3:00 pm Sam Maguire Cup 2023

Match Report

Hurley Inspires Cork To Opening Sam Maguire Group Win

Brian Hurley marked his Cork return, with a man of the match display, kicking eight points as they had two points to spare in a classic encounter against Louth in Navan this afternoon.

It was an intense energy sapping game, but will go down as a classic encounter between the sides in their first outings in Group 1 of the Sam Maguire.

Cork had brian Hurley and Louth had Sam Mulory, booth captains leading by example finishing with eight points each, as they orchestrated their sides in this pulsating encounter.

Both sides found the net with a degree of fortune, Míchéal Martin made a terrific save early in the opening half to keep Louth out, but in the second half it was hard to call just who would win this tie.

Hurley proved a big addition to the Cork side as he got Cork up and running inside two minutes with a free, Craig Lennon replied three minutes later as Louth got on the board to register their opening score.

Mulory put Louth ahead eight minutes in, their first lead in the tie, he had a 45 strike the post and go wide, but his side turned over possession as Cork went on the offensive charge and he made no mistake from play the second time of asking.

Luke Fahey tried to level for Cork soon after but it drew wide of the upright, their fourth wide inside the opening quarter, Conor Early however made little mistake as he gave Louth a two point lead with a fine finish.

Back came Cork however with scores from Killian O’Hanlon and Hurley, then came the real blow as Cork found the back of the net after 16 minutes, James Califf the Louth keeper punished for over carrying, Hurley took a quick free with the keeper left stranded, Ruari Deane raced in popped a pass to Brian O’Driscoll who finished to the net, Cork ahead 1-3 to 0-3.

Mulory brought it to a two point game with a free, but O’Driscoll soon cancelled it out as he passed off for Colm O’Callaghan to raise the white flag, Mulory again was keeping his side floating above the water, but points from Sean Powter and two Hurley scores had Cork ahead 1-7 to 0-5 after 31 minutes.

Peter Lynch produced a huge score to end a rut of conceding scores for Mickey Harte’s men, a difficult angle for the Louth defender but it restored hope, the sides swapped points in added time, with Cork ahead by four as they went to the dressing rooms, 1-8 to 0-7.

Mulroy added the first score of the second half, but two Hurley points had Cork ahead 1-10 to 0-8 42 minutes in, Chris Óg Jones further stretched the rebels lead as they started brightly in the early exchanges of the second half.

Then almost from nowhere, Louth were right back in the tie, Mulroy landed a monster free, Míchéal Martin made a mistake from the kick-out and Liam Jackson got in to blast to the roof of the net, 1-11 to 1-9 in favour of the visitors with 44 elapsed.

O’Callaghan and Ciaran Downey swapped points soon after as the intensity really picked up, Tommy Durnin made it a one point game with a huge score in the 51st minute as Louth really had hit their stride.

Ian Maguire replied for Cork, a goal looked pn but he fisted over for a two point lead, but for Louth Dylan McKeown kept pressure applied as he curled a beauty off his left boot.

Louth were on top form and afford Leonard Grey levelled matters, Mulroy put them one point ahead after 57 minutes, but after the hour mark Cork stayed in touch never looking like capitulating.

Hurley, O’Driscoll and then Stephen Sherlock pointed in succession putting them back in front with eight minutes of normal time left, 1-16 to 1-14. Murloy dragged Louth just a point behind as we headed for six minutes of stoppage time.

It was the Brian Hurley show in Navan as he was putting in a man of the match display and in the first minute of added time, notched another point to bring his tally to 0-8, as he went off with injury just after.

Advantage was still with Cork as John O’Rourke made an instant impact off the bench to score and give the Rebels a three point lead with half of the allotted added time eaten away.

With one minute left Ciaran Downey thought he had found the back of the net but his effort just dropped over the bar, that score left one between them as Conor Grimes had notched two minutes prior, but from the Cork kick out they won possession and a quick free sent Conor Corbett in and he fired over the bar to wrap up an incredible game of football.

Louth

1James Califf Goalkeeper
2Dermot Campbell 20 Defender
3Peter Lynch Defender 31'
38'
4Donal McKenny Defender
5Leonard Grey Defender 55'
6Niall Sharkey Defender
7Anthony Williams Defender
8Tommy Durnin Midfielder 51'
9Conor Early Midfielder 13'
10Conall McKeever Forward
11Ciaran Downey Forward 48', 70+6'
19Bevan Duffy 25 Midfielder
13Paul Matthews 23 Forward
14Sam Mulroy Forward 8', 19', 24', 35+2', 39', 45', 57', 65'
15Craig Lennon 12 Forward 5'
16Peter McStravick Goalkeeper
12Conor Grimes 15 Forward 70+4'
17Ryan Burns Forward
18Jonathan Commins Forward
20Liam Jackson 2 Defender 45'
21Ciaran Keenan Forward
22Conal McCaul 23
23Daire McConnon 22 Forward
24Oisin McGuinness Forward
25Dylan McKeown 19 Forward 54'
26Ciaran Murphy Defender

Cork

1Míchéal Martin Goalkeeper
2Maurice Shanley Defender
3Daniel O’Mahony Defender
4Tommy Walsh 19 Defender
5Luke Fahy Defender
6Sean Meehan 17 Defender
7Matthew Taylor Defender
8Colm O’Callaghan Midfielder 24', 47'
9Ian Maguire Midfielder 35', 53'
10Brian O’Driscoll Forward 16'
61'
11Ruairi Deane Forward
12Killian O’Hanlon 21 Forward 13'
13Sean Powter 25 Forward 28'
38'
14Brian Hurley 23 Forward 2', 15', 29', 30', 41', 42', 59', 70+1'
15Chris Óg Jones 26 Forward 44'
16Patrick Doyle
17Kevin O’Donovan 6 Forward
18Tom Clancy
19Cian Kiely 4 Midfielder
20Paul Walsh Forward
21Eoghan McSweeney 12
23John O’Rourke 14 Defender 70+4'
22Blake Murphy Forward
24Mark Cronin Forward
25Stephen Sherlock 13 Forward 63'
26Conor Corbett 15 70+6'
  • 76'

    All over in Navan as Cork are two point winners in a breath taking game between the two sides

  • 70'

    SIX ADDED MINUTES JAYSUS

  • 54'

    Nip and tuck in Navan as Dylan McKeown points to make it a one score game

  • 48'

    The sides swap points as Louth trail by 2

  • 45'

    WHAT A REPLY FROM LOUTH, Mulory points a free and then a poor kick out sees Liam Jackson find the net

  • 44'

    Chris Og Jones makes it a six point lead, change for Louth Conor Grimes replaces Craig Lennon

  • 42'

    Two Brian Hurley frees and Cork lead by five

  • 39'

    Looks like a head injury for Dermot Campbell and Liam Jackson replaces him

  • 39'

    Plenty action early on as Peter Lynch and Powter both shown yellow cards

  • 39'

    Sam Mulory gets the opening score of the second half

  • 36'

    Second half underway

  • 36'

    Double change at half time for Louth, Daire McConnon for Paul Mathews and Dylan McKeown for Bevan Duffy

  • 37'

    Mulrory kicks his fourth point and its a four point margin at the break as the referee blows for half time

  • 35'

    Ian Maguire pops up with a score to move five ahead

  • 35'

    Two additional minutes to end this half

  • 31'

    Peter Lynch points to end Cork's streak of scores

  • 30'

    Hurley kicks his fourth point of the day and Cork lead by five

  • 29'

    Sean Powter puts Cork three ahead then Hurley makes it four with a free

  • 23'

    Mulroy has a shot blocked down, some appeals for a penalty in the process, Cork add a score through Colm O'Callaghan but Mulroy gets his third to keep a two point gap between them

  • 20'

    Early change for Cork as Sean Meehan goes off with injury, Kevin O'Donovan replaces him

  • 19'

    Mulroy on the mark again with a free, down to a two point game as a result

  • 16'

    Cork turn the game on its head, Brian Hurly levelled from a free, ball was in the net but the referee never played advantage, then a minute late Brian O'Driscoll finds the net for the Rebels

  • 13'

    Conor Earley points for a two point lead for Louth, but down at the other end Killian O'Hanlon cancels it out with a score

  • 8'

    Sam Mulory misses a 45, ball goes dead, Cork attack, Louth turn it over, Mulory gets a score from play to take the lead

  • 5'

    Louth with their first attack level matters as Craig Lennon scores a point from play

  • 2'

    First score of the day goes to Cork, Brian Hurley slots over a free

  • 1'

    Throw in at Pairc Tailteann

  • Late change for Louth as Bevan Duffy replaces Conor Grimes who drops to the bench, Cork go as selected

Past Meetings

(Round 6)
1-10 0-10
NFL Division 2
Gaelic Grounds (Drogheda)

(Round 1)
2-12 2-8
Sam Maguire Cup
Páirc Uí Chaoimh

(Round 6)
5-19 0-16
NFL Division 3
Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.