All-Ireland MHC: Cummins' goal sends Tribesmen into decider
August 17, 2008
Cork's Luke O'Farrell and Ronan Burke of Galway battle it out in the ESB All-Ireland MHC semi-final
Galway 1-18
Cork 0-17
Galway took their place in the ESB All-Ireland MHC final against Kilkenny after seeing off the challenge of Cork by four points at Croke Park on Sunday.
Richard Cummins proved decisive for the Tribesmen on the afternoon, with a tally of 1-5 from play that ultimately sunk any chance for the Rebels after the teams had been level ten times in the opening 40 minutes.
In an inseparable first-half the sides were equal eight times, totalling their tallies for the game's opening half-hour.
Daniel Roche opened the scoring after two minutes for the Rebels when he gathered possession at his centre-field position and lashing over before Niall Burke levelled for Galway a minute later.
Seamus O'Farrell got Cork's noses back in front with a point, but Richard Cummins levelled for the Tribesmen with his first score of the afternoon after dashing through at corner-forward and raising a white flag.
Seamus O'Brien (free) and Donal Fox traded points for both sides before Galway took the lead for the first time in the match just shy of the ten-minute mark, when Niall Burke flighted a fine effort over the black spot.
O'Brien's second free was backed up by Aidan Walsh darting forward from wing-back to put Cork back into the lead on 17 minutes.
A brace of Cummins points was met by Padraig O'Shea levelling the game for the sixth time with a 65 metre for the Munster Champions.
Bernard Burke got his first score for Galway at full-forward thereafter, but it was more tennis between the two sides right up to the half-time whistle, with a Niall Quinn free for the Westerners coming in between singles from Jamie O'Dwyer and O'Brien third free to put the scores at 0-8 each come the interval.
The opening ten minutes of the restart was more of the same with Paul Houinhan, David Glennon, Niall Quinn and Padraig O'Shea (free) all raising umpires' white flags back and forth before David Burke's '65' made way for a break through.
Burke's placed ball was backed both Cummins and Niall Burke firing over quick points to establish a margin of more than one for the first time in the match on 43 minutes, and when Cummins' slick turn inside from the next attack hit the back of the Darragh McCarthy's net Galway on 45 minutes were looking ideal for an All-Ireland final place.
However, the points of David Burke, Cummins and Bernard Burke over the next five minutes would prove to be just as crucial, as Cork rallied in the closing stages with defenders Padraig O'Shea and Aidan Walsh to the fore to cut the deficit to two points with as many minutes remaining.
William Egan's sending off for striking David Burke in the head with his hurley stick was the last thing the Rebels needed as it allowed Burke to dust himself off and send over the resulting free close to the end, but from the resulting kick-out the midfielder still had time to gather and release Niall Quinn, who assured Galway of an All-ireland final date with Kilkenny on September 7.
Galway - F Flannery; D Connolly, D Cooney, G O'Halloran; R Burke, N Donoghue, R Foy; D Burke (0-02, 0-01f), D Fox (0-01); N Burke (0-03), N Quinn (0-03), A Dolan; R Cummins (1-05), D Glennon (0-02, 0-01 '65'), B Burke (0-02). Subs: J Regan for Foy (43 mins), B Flaherty for Fox (47), L Madden for D Glennon (60), M Dolphin for B Burke (60).
Cork - D McCarthy; C Smith, D Rogers, E Moynihan; A Walsh (0-02), P O'Shea (0-05, 0-04f, 0-01 '65'), W Egan; S O'Farrell (0-02), D Roche (0-01); M Collins, C Sheehan, S O'Brien (0-04, 0-03f); J O'Dwyer (0-01), P Honohan (0-01), P Haughney. Subs: J Coughlan (0-01) for Haughney (35 mins), L O'Farrell for Honohan (48), B Collins for Smith (52), M Carroll for O'Dwyer (55).
Ref: A Stapleton (Laois)
Most Read Stories