Bitter defeat for U17 hurlers in All-Ireland final

Sun, 6th August 2017

CORK 1-19 DUBLIN 1-17

Dublin under-17 hurlers were narrowly thwarted by Cork in Sunday’s inaugural All-Ireland U17HC final at Croke Park.

Luck deserted the Dubs at times who had Tom Aherne perhaps harshly dismissed on a second yellow card offence in the 12^th minute of the second half leaving the Rebels with a numerical advantage to the finish.

Aherne had started well for Dublin with an early point as Billy Ryan, Kevin Kirwan and Liam Murphy also tacked on scores for Fintan Clandillon’s men to hold a three-point advantage.

Ten minutes before the break Dublin keeper Eddie Gibbons converted a penalty but Cork responded well and Joe Stack’s goal had the Munster champions leading 1-9 to 1-8 at the interval.

Dublin were awarded a second penalty in the 37^th minute following a foul on Liam Murphy but Gibbons’ effort flew over the crossbar, five minutes later Aherne was dismissed.

But Dublin kept working to the limit despite operating with 14 men and they cut the gap on a few occasions with corner-forward Liam Murphy’s free-taking superb while defenders Enda O’Donnell and Lee Gannon also got forward for scores.

Yet the Dubs couldn’t get on level terms and Cork benefited from the contribution of substitute Owen McCarthy as he picked off two important points from play.

Going down the home straight Cork were able to take advantage and points from McCarthy and Daire Connery sealed it for the Rebels.

Dublin will look to avenge this defeat to some degree when they face Cork in the minor semi-final in next weekend’s curtain-raiser in Croke Park.

Many of the U17 panel are also on the minor panel while Cork U17s Daire Connery, Colin O’Brien and Declan Hanlon are all part of their minor squad.

SCORERS– Cork: D Connery 0-6 (0-5f), Colin O’Brien 0-5 (0-3f), D Hanlon 0-3, J Stack 1-0, B Murphy, O McCarthy 0-2 each, Cormac O’Brien 0-1. Dublin: L Murphy 0-7 (0-7f), E Gibbons 1-1 (1-1 pens), B Ryan, L Gannon 0-2 each, E O’Donnell, T Aherne, M Murphy (’65’), M Grogan, K Kirwan 0-1 each.

CORK: E Davis; E Roche, C Nyhan, R Sheehan; Cormac O’Brien, C O’Callaghan, A Walsh Barry; D Connery, S Twomey; B Roche, D Hanlon, T O’Connell; B Murphy, J Stack, Colin O’Brien. Subs: R McCarthy for Cormac O’Brien (23-31, Blood Sub), O McCarthy for O’Connell (35), S Barrett for Murphy (53).

DUBLIN: E Gibbons; A Dunphy, K Burke, T Kinnane; L Gannon, E O’Donnell, S Kinsella; T Aherne, M Murphy; K Kirwan, B Ryan, M Grogan; L McDwyer, L Murphy, K Desmond. Subs: S Clerkin for Desmond (44), L Dunne for M Murphy (52), M Sweeney for Kirwan (54).

REF: J Keane (Galway).