Hurling Boner: Our 7 Favourite Moments From Cork v The Blaas

20th Jun 2017

The steam coming from the heads of Cork players as they unclipped their helmets after their resounding defeat of Waterford on Sunday showed the crazy conditions the Rebels had to grind their opponents down in.

Here are seven of our favourite moments from the game that sent Cork fans into ecstasy…

The Lámh of Lehane
Facing his goalkeeper Lehane stretched high and caught an inch perfect Nash puck out with his right hand then spun 180 degrees to power up the side line like a leopard. With the sly skills of a street magician he suddenly appeared to be holding his hurley with the hand he had just caught the ball in. Where could the sliotar be now? Surprise! It’s sitting on the bas of his stick!
 

Lehane catches an inch perfect Nash puck out. Click here to watch it over and over.

Given that he was now being pursued and assaulted by two blaas in blue and white a neat pass into his inside forwards would have earned him top marks but there was more magic to come. Still running at full pace he brushed off the Deise challenge, took aim and pulled the trigger - sending the ball 70 yards between the posts at the Killinan End….and us Cork fans into a frenzy of delight.

Frenetic Fitzy
On 41 minutes the Charleville chopper whipped up a loose ball after ferociously harassing a Deise player. He mesmerisingly darted through the challenges of four hapless Blaas before lobbing the ball out to Damien Cahalane in space who weights a beautiful diagonal ball into the corner of the pitch on the main stand side. Hoggy spins, scoops up the fallen sliotar and splits the posts.

How can any Not Cork midfielder compete with a 20 year old who, despite the Sahara Desert like conditions, keep up this insane level of energy and skill right to the final whistle? Every time he powered out of defence it made the hairs on the back of our necks stand up.

The Great Wall of Cahalane
Even though he was more than 50 yards out from his own goal as Stephen Bennet tried to make a pass Damien Cahalane put his entire body in the way of the sliotar causing it to bounce off his rib cage. Seemingly feeling no pain he powered on.

Frustrated, the snippy Bennet then grabbed the Togher club man’s face guard and dangerously yanked Cahalane to the ground - about the distance of an eye test away from the linesman. Every game needs a perceived injustice to pour fuel on an already burning fire – this one created a bonfire as the inaction of the officials spurred the crowd to roar Cahalane’s name in unison driving the team home. We love it.

Don’t Spillane the Beans
Wiser commentators than us have marked Colm Spillane down in their ratings for committing two yellow card fouls and getting sent off with 9 minutes to go but allow the fans’ perspective:

Pulling down an opponent who is in on goal and then crucifying Tommy Ryan under a dropping ball might have put some pressure on his overheating Cork colleagues to finish the game without him but in the long term his merciless butchering of Deise players sends a strong message to other teams looking on – you had better watch your back because the Rebels are going to get you..in your vertebrae.

 It’s not politically correct to say it but all top teams need a few ‘enforcers’ like Spillane willing to take a hit for the team…by giving out a few. Roy Keane always believed that if you were going to get sent off you should make it count – once telling reporters that it is “better to be hung for a sheep than a lamb”. Spillane’s willingness to sacrifice himself for Cork has been well noted by fans.

Bill The Bruiser
52 minutes into Sunday’s game Kevin Moran looked like a flailing feather weight just after he received a pass and clearly thought he was going to make his way towards the Cork half of the field unimpeded.

You’d nearly have sympathy for Moran as the Youghal man hit him like a crazed Perk’s bumper car travelling at 100mph. He collapsed to the canvas like a man paralysed by a huge overhead electric spark – no doubt a fair ground tune immediately started playing in his head as the stars circled. As he looked up perhaps Cooper looked like Perky Bear for a moment until he gathered his senses.

To complete the humiliating knock-out blow Cooper stood over Moran, dispossessed him and hand passed to Luke Meade who sent it on to Lehane. The resulting point completed the sacking of any Waterford morale and sent the Town End wild.

The Blarney Stone
Mark Coleman is more solid than the stone used to build the castle in his village. Not only an expert defender the 19 year old man of the match turned every potted pass into gold.

Just when you’re thinking he has run down a cul-de-sac made of a sideline and a sea of opponents he seems to find a way to dart and wiggle his way into space and dispatch the ball to safety  – even Waterford fans were ooing and ahhing every time he touched the ball.

The Rebel Roar
Nasher in his post-match interview commented on the “unbelievable support” in Semple Stadium – it was as intense as the effort on the pitch with players and supporters feeding off each other. The Town End was wedged tight with roasted Rebels who had a significant influence on the game – particularly roaring on Cork immediately after Maurice Shanahan’s goal.

With two back-to-back wins against top teams fans knew the buzz was finally back and the pitch invasion was just a physical manifestation of the bursting of the bubble of disappointment we have lived with for so long.

The pubs and chippers of Thurles are thanking the heavens that ‘Stade de Frank’ will not be ready for the Munster Final. Thirty thousand Rebels are likely to descend on the capital of fried food on Sunday July 9^th instead and to be honest we just can’t wait!