Loughnane Levelled as Galway Gutted

21st Jul 2008

Cork 0-23
Joe Canning 2-15

To sacrifice yourself for your people is the ultimate gesture of loyalty and in Cork's great win over Galway on Saturday in Thurles it cannot be denied that Donal Óg Cusack's sending off was all the motivation Cork needed to send Galway packing.

Clare fans have suggested Cusack is a muslim have been denied.

Sensational and inspirational for ten years in the red and white stripes, Cusack was sent off just seconds from the end of the first half being replaced by Martin Coleman at the expense of Newtown's Cathal Naughton.

The Cork team that emerged in the second half even frightened their own fans with a level of intensity and passion that has not been seen since last year's drawn game with Waterford.

Afterwards Gerald MacCarthy was in buoyant form:

"A bunch of players like them and what they've given to this game, the determination they bring to their training, to everything - someone questioned whether they had lost their love of hurling during the week. The answer to that was out there.

Worshipped: Donal Óg mobbed by smallies after the Dublin game.

Peoples are anxious to see the end of a team after one or two bad results, but the Tipperary game was there for the winning fo us. The way we played in the first twenty minutes of that game, if we sustained that even over sixty minutes we'd be winning most games."

Even Galway manager Ger Loughnane who's native county will have a chance to gain revenge for his defeat when Cork take on Clare this Sunday couldn't deny the significance of his side's slaughtering.

"You have to hand it to Cork - the spirit they have, the drive, the physical power, the quality of their hurling, their support play. Their backs were to the walls and you can imagine what went on there at half time. They didn't play panicky hurling, it was really playing it out from the front, great support play, great scpres and they ran the ball intelligently."

Donal Óg's sacrifice will not be forgotten and on Sunday, The Rebels have a chance not just to quieten any lingering doubters but to hang, draw and quarter them as they face a mediocre banner side. We can expect the usual Clare howls, fire and brimstone and all the other rough tactics used to unsettle superior skilled teams.

Scorers for Cork:
Ben O'Connor (0-12, 10 frees, 1 sideline cut, 1 from play)
Joe Deane (0-4)
John Gardiner (1 free)
Cathal Naughton (0-3)
Niall McCarthy (0-1)
Patrick Horgan (0-1)

Join the sports forum discussion on the match by clicking here or the Cork Vs Clare thread by clicking here


* only three other Galway players scored besides Joe Canning. Hayes, Healy and Murray pulling off one each.