Cork see off Galway challenge to claim All-Ireland U20 hurling title

Power struck for 1-5 from play and was also involved in setting up several other scores as the Rebels retained the crown they won just last month in the delayed 2020 decider.

“We got a very good start and went from there,” said the Blarney clubman. “We didn’t panic when Galway came back. We expected that and we knew we just needed to get the next score and go from there.”

Cork laid down a marker early on, winning all the 50-50 collisions and spraying the ball around with confidence, much to the delight of the big crowd of Rebels who travelled in large numbers for the first of their three All-Ireland finals this week.

They led by 2-9 to 0-5 at the break and would have been out of sight had they not shot 13 wides, although Galway were guilty of wastefulness from lesser possession and struck half a dozen wide.

Cork raced into a 1-4 to 0-0 lead after ten minutes with Darragh Flynn firing home a penalty to get them off the mark after three minutes after Galway goalkeeper Paddy Rabbite was penalised for fouling Jack Cahalane.

The Rebels were dominant in most positions and reeled off five points before Donal O’Shea got Galway off the mark with a free after 14 minutes. He followed with another free directly afterwards but then Galway failed to clear their lines and Cahalane pounced to bat the ball home to lead by 2-5 to 0-2 at the first water break.

O’Shea’s third pointed free reduced the margin but Cork’s Pádraig Power took his haul to three points with two rapid efforts and when Greg Thomas pulled back a point for Galway, Daniel Hogan responded to make it 2-8 to 0-4 after 25 minutes.

Robbie Cotter and O’Shea swapped points and it took a superb save from Galway goalkeeper Rabbitte to deny Hogan a third Cork goal as the Rebels went in leading by 2-9 to 0-5 at the interval.

The gap would have been much bigger had Cork not shot 13 wides, although Galway were also wasteful from less possession and hit half a dozen wides.

Galway rallied after the break. John Cooney got them rolling with a point and two more frees from O’Shea gave one from play from Sean McDonagh cut the margin to 2-9 to 0-9 after 35 minutes and the Galway fans began to find their voice.

Then they cut the gap to three when O’Shea turned and got in for a goal for Galway after 37 minutes but almost immediately Cork struck for their third goal with Power blasting home after being set up by Brian Hayes.

Sean McDonagh and Ben Cunningham, son of former Cork goalkeeper Ger, exchanged points for the Rebels to lead by 3-10 to 1-10 after 42 minutes and there were six between them at the second water break when Flynn and Sean McDonagh swapped scores.

But Cork took over from there.

Gavin Lee and O’Shea managed points for Galway but Cork picked off seven and they sealed their 13th win in the grade when Hayes fired home after being set up by Cunningham.

Alex Connaire pulled back a late goal for Galway but their quest for a first title in the grade since 2011, during which time they have won six minor titles, goes on.

Scorers - Cork: P Power 1-5, D Flynn 1-5 (1-0 pen, 4f), B Hayes 1-2, J Cahalane 1-1, B Cunningham 0-2, D Hogan 0-1, S Quirke 0-1, R Cotter 0-1, L Horgan 0-1. Galway: D O’Shea 1-7 (0-7f), A Connaire 1-0, S McDonagh 0-3 (0-1 sideline), G Lee 0-2, J Cooney 0-1, G Thomas 0-1.

Cork: C Wilson; E Downey, E Twomey, C O'Brien; K Moynihan, C Joyce, B O'Sullivan; S Quirke, D Kearney; J Cahalane, D Flynn, B Hayes; R Cotter, P Power, D Hogan. Subs: B Cunningham for Kearney (39), L Horgan for Cotter (48), M Mullins for Hogan (55), C O'Donovan for Moynihan (57), C McCarthy for Quirke (59).

Galway: P Rabbitte; E Lawless, E Geraghty, C Brennan; S Quirke, S Neary, E Duggan; I McGlynn, D Kilcommins; G Thomas, N Collins, J Cooney; S McDonagh, D O’Shea, O Flannery. Subs: J O’Donoghue for McGlynn (29), G Lee for N Collins (ht), L Collins for Flannery (45), O Salmon for Duggan (47), A Connaire for Thomas (47).

Ref: J Murphy (Limerick).