Cats Claw Cork In Croker Climax

All Ireland Senior Hurling Final
Kilkenny 1-16 Cork 1-13

Once again, in a final between the aristocrats of the game, the laurels went to the underdogs, as Kilkenny upset the odds to take the county's 29th All Ireland title. Of those 29 wins some have gained prominence over others in the minds and hearts of Kilkenny hurling followers. Wins that spring to mind are that of the 1939 'thunder and lightening' final, the all time classic of 1947, the 1967 emotionally charged win of Tipperary and the 1969, 1972 and 1982 wins over Cork. To that list can now be added the 2006 victory.

Kilkenny came to Croke Park on Sunday like bandits. They knew where the swag was, they were aware of the importance that they leave with it and most importantly, they knew how to get their hands on it.

An attendance of 82,234 saw a game played with commendable passion, where the hunger of the winners, which was evident from the first whistle, enabled them to take the spoils. While the game itself played in perfect conditions was not a classic it was nonetheless a marvellous occasion. The roar that greeted the champions when they took the field was deafening as Cork supporters seemed to out number Kilkenny by about 4 to 1. As the game unfolded, however, it was Kilkenny who seemed less intimidated by the demands of the occasion. Cork seemed, for some strange reason weighed down by the prospect of landing a three in a row All Ireland wins.

All Cork's pre-match protestations were that such an achievement was only for the historians, there was nonetheless a lack of urgency and passion about their play. One can only surmise that, perhaps, there was an element of overconfidence about their approach.

This observers pre-match misgivings concerning the ability of the Cork fullback line to meet the challenge was, clearly confirmed by Cork. Team captain, Mulcahy had a torrid afternoon, looking uncertain in possession, he yielded 1-3 to his immediate opponent Fogarty before being replaced in the 48th minute by Sherlock. The surprise was that the move was not made earlier. Fullback, O'Sullivan never really got to grips with any his immediate opponents, particularly Shefflin and Comerford.

The basis of Kilkenny's win was the near manic approach which they adopted, from the first whistle. Deploying the tactic of hooking, blocking and ferocious tackling they laid down a marker that Cork could not match. Kilkenny realised that the main threat from Cork would stem from the hard running, hand passing game that the half back midfielder combination usually adopt. On this occasion the Cork midfield five were never allowed to develop the type of game that has stood them so well and which opponents found almost impossible to counter act. It surely was of concern for Cork the number of times O'Hailpin, Kenny, Gardiner and others were forced to back pedal with the ball, or indeed to hand pass the ball backwards, such was the pressure being exerted on them by the Kilkenny players.

Strangely Cork never once reverted to their traditional game of ground hurling and lengthy clearances. They stuck rigidly to their game plan, which was surprising, to say the least. One incident towards the end of the game illustrates that point.

Seeking a goal to salvage the game Cork began a movement back on their own 14 metre line. Five hand passes later the movement had not even reached midfield.

When it did the player in possession was ambushed by a bevy of Kilkenny players, and the movement broken up. Surely, a more varied approach to the game could have been adopted? While the two teams were evenly merited on the scoreboard for much of the first half, the momentum of the game was decidedly in Kilkenny's favour. Only on a few occasions did Cork's hand passing approach result in points but when it did, Kilkenny immediately responded with points scored in the traditional manner. It was no real surprise when the goal came for Kilkenny in the 30th minute, following a mix up by two Cork defenders. Kilkenny's halftime lead of 1-8 to 0-8 was fully justified. In that period all of Kilkenny's more prominent players were performing, such as Shefflin, Lyng, Hickey, Walsh and Fitzpatrick.

Kilkenny were by far the better team in the second half, the only wonder is that their ultimate winning margin was not considerably more then 3 points. In that period Fitzpatrick became the dominant midfielder on view, to such an extent that his marker, Kenny, one of Cork's big names was actually substituted late in the game.

Also in that period Kilkenny placed Shefflin on Curran, and while the Ballyhale man may had some problems with his shooting, he comfortably contained the Cork centre back.

Cork's goal in the 67th minute from O' Connor made for a tension packed finish to the game. However such was the firm grip that the Kilkenny defence then had on a much changing Cork attack that barring some uncharacteristic mistake the likelihood of an equaliser seemed remote.

The title now rests where it belongs. In the hurling year of 2006, Kilkenny have played 17 matches, winning 16 and drawn one. They have won the All Ireland, the Leinster championship, the National League and the Walsh Cup. How could we ever have doubted them?

Teams & Scorers:
Kilkenny: J McGarry; M Kavanagh, N Hickey, J Tyrell (Capt.); J Ryall, J Tennyson, T Walsh; J Fitzpatrick (0-01), D Lyng (0-01); R Power (0-01), H Shefflin (0-08 (0-05f)), E Larkin; E Brennan (0-01), M Comerford (0-01), A Fogarty (1-03). Subs used: W O' Dwyer for Larkin (46 mins), R Mulally for Fitzpatrick (69)
Cork: D Og Cusack; B Murphy, D O'Sullivan, P Mulcahy (Capt.); J Gardiner (0-01), R Curran, S Og O hAilpin; T Kenny, J O' Connor (0-01); T McCarthy, N McCarthy (0-01), B O' Connor (1-04 (0-01f)); N Ronan, B Corcoran, J Deane (0-06 (0-05f)). Subs used: C O' Connor for O hAilpin (blood sub, 35+1-36 mins), K Murphy (Sarsfields) for Ronan (40), W Sherlock for Mulcahy (47), C Naughton for T McCarthy (59), C O' Connor for Murphy (65), C Cusack for Kenny (70)