2004 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final

2004 All-Ireland Hurling Final

Event	2004 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Cork Kilkenny 0–17 0–09
Date	12 September 2004
Venue	Croke Park,Dublin
Man of the Match	Niall McCarthy(Cork)
Referee	Aodán Mac Suibhne(Dublin)
Attendance	78,212

The2004 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Finalwas ahurlingmatch played atCroke Parkon 12 September 2004 to determine the winners of the2004 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship,the 118th season of theAll-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship,a tournament organised by theGaelic Athletic Associationfor the champions of the fourprovinces of Ireland.The final was contested byKilkennyof Leinster andCorkof Munster, with Cork winning by 0–17 to 0–9.

The game

The game got off to a flying start as Kilkenny missed three early opportunities, includingEddie Brennanputting a great goal chance wide within seconds of the throw in. Cork went ahead through aJoe Deanefree from 20 metres. Cork had a couple of refereeing decisions in their favour to go with that and give them the slight advantage through the first ten minutes.

Henry Shefflingot Kilkenny back on track with a point from out on the left andCha Fitzpatrickfollowed up soon after with another well taken score as Cork's short puck out strategy misfired. Joe Deane was again reliable from the placed ball at short range, pointing after aJames Ryallfoul. Deane was also dangerous in open play with the crossbar denying him a goal, whileBen O'Connor's smashed the follow-up into the side netting. Kilkenny got the next score withMartin Comerfordputting Kilkenny back into the lead and went further ahead after Shefflin pointed a free.

Cork'sBrian Murphyreceived attention with double vision brought on by migraine, which forced him out of the game. Kilkenny got back on top after that stoppage with a Martin Comerford point. Another Deane free ended a nine-minute scoreless sequence for Cork. An exchange of wides followed as Kilkenny continued to foul at around fifty metres from their goal. Ben O'Connor got his first point as a result of one foul.Brian Corcorangot Cork's first score from play to put them within a point. Shefflin pointed the next long free for Kilkenny, replacingD. J. Careywho had been wayward.Jerry O'Connorreplied for Cork.

Cork had a great start after the interval andNiall McCarthyrefused what looked a good goal chance within seconds of the restart, taking a simple point instead. An exchange of points followed. Niall McCarthy's purple patch continued as he scored the point of the game from a puck out, fielding well before turning, running and striking to score.Kieran Murphymade up for a missed Ben O'Connor free by pointing a simple chance. Niall McCarthy put Cork two in front before Kieran Murphy won another free 45 metres out with Ben O'Connor taking the chance this time.

Kilkenny's response was immediate. Shefflin showed terrific skill to get a shot on target on the volley from Carey's hand pass but his effort was saved byDonal Óg Cusackin the Cork goal and from his clearance James Ryall fouled Deane on the forty, yielding another free chance. Deane pointed the free to put Cork in a commanding position. Subsequent frees from Ben O'Connor and Deane as well as aTom Kennypoint put Cork well clear. Cork conceded a '65 to Kilkenny which they defended successfully before Brian Corcoran putt the final nail in Kilkenny's coffin, grabbing a fine point from a tight angle just before the final whistle.

Cork's All-Ireland victory was their first since1999.The win gave them their 29th All-Ireland title over all and put them as outright leaders on the all-time roll of honour.

Match details

Statistics

12 September 2004
15:30UCT+1

Cork	0–17 – 0–9	Kilkenny
J. Deane0–5 N. McCarthy0–3 B. O'Connor0–3 K. Murphy0–2 B. Corcoran0–2 T. Kenny0–1 J. O'Connor0–1	(report)	H. Shefflin0–5 M. Comerford0–2 J. Fitzpatrick0–1 D. Lyng0–1

Croke Park,Dublin

Attendance: 78,212

Referee:A. Mac Suibhne(Dublin)

Cork

Kilkenny

CORK: GK 1 Donal Óg Cusack RCB 2 Wayne Sherlock FB 3 Diarmuid O'Sullivan LCB 4 Brian Murphy25' RWB 5 John Gardiner CB 6 Ronan Curran LWB 7 Seán Óg Ó hAilpín MD 8 Tom Kenny MD 9 Jerry O'Connor RWF 10 Ben O'Connor(c) CF 11 Niall McCarthy LWF 12 Timmy McCarthy RCF 13 Kieran 'Fraggy' Murphy FF 14 Brian Corcoran LCF 15 Joe Deane Substitutes used: LCB John Browne25'

KILKENNY: GK 1 James McGarry RCB 2 Michael Kavanagh FB 3 Noel Hickey LCB 4 James Ryall RWB 5 Tommy Walsh CB 6 Peter Barry LWB 7 J. J. Delaney MD 8 Derek Lyng MD 9 Ken Coogan69' RWF 10 Henry Shefflin CF 11 John Hoyne LWF 12 D. J. Carey RCF 13 James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick62' FF 14 Martin Comerford(c) LCF 15 Eddie Brennan Substitutes used: MD Conor Phelan62' RWF Seán Dowling69'

MATCH RULES

• 70 minutes.
• Replay if scores level.
• Five substitutes allowed.