Kilkenny rolled up their sleeves to record an impressive 1-22 to 2-17 victory over Cork at Pairc Ui Rinn tonight.

The winners controlled the third quarter to roar into an eight-point lead but the Rebels finally awoke from their slumber to get back into contention with goals from Luke O'Farrell and Conor Lehane (in injury time). The former even had a chance to nick it at the death but his effort whizzed past the post as the visitors held on for a deserved win.

Cork went into this match as hot favourites but they were taught a lesson by the county that has won the last three national league titles. Even when missing a slew of first-team starters, the reigning league and All-Ireland champions are still a formidable proposition!

With 8,773 watching on. the Cats led by 1-11 to 0-12 at the break, thanks largely to seven points from the on-song Richie Hogan, who finished the night with 0-11 in brackets after his name. At the other end, Patrick Horgan slotted five first-half frees for the Rebels.

Jonjo Farrell hit the Kilkenny goal from a few feet out in the eleventh minute, latching onto the loose ball after Walter Walsh's initial effort had been saved by Anthony Nash.

Brian Cody's charges could have had a second major inside the opening quarter, but Anthony Nash saved a Hogan penalty on 15 minutes, with the latter stroking over the resultant '65' to make it double scores, 1-3 to 0-3. Lehane had opened the scoring for the hosts before points from Hogan (free) and Matthew Ruth edged the holders ahead.

Paudie O'Sullivan and Alan Cadogan briefly restored the Rebel County's lead before Farrell's three-pointer had the Black & Amber in the ascendancy. Horgan and Hogan shared most of the remainder of the first-half scores, although we also witnessed some tidy finishing from Kilkenny's Mark Kelly and in-form Rebel Lehane, while Bill Cooper also got his name on the scoresheet.

Kieran Joyce and Seamus Harnedy exchanged scores upon the restart before a run of points from Walter Walsh (2), Lester Ryan and Hogan (2) made it 1-17 to 0-13. It was 1-19 to 0-14 when Kelly nailed his third point but a couple of Horgan frees kept the Rebels just about in touch.

O'Farrell's nonchalant finish nine minutes from the end gave the Rebels hope but further points from Padraig Walsh, Hogan and Kelly ensured that the Cats would not be beaten. Lehane's injury-time three-pointer potentially set up a dramatic denouement but Jimmy Barry Murphy's charges ran out of time.

Kilkenny - E Murphy; T Keogh, P Murphy, J Tyrrell; B Kennedy, K Joyce (0-1), C Buckley; C Fogarty, L Ryan (0-1); P Walsh (0-1), W Walsh (0-3), M Ruth (0-1); M Kelly (0-4), J Farrell (1-0), R Hogan (0-11, 7f, 1'65). Sub: G Brennan for C Fogarty.

Cork - A Nash; D Cahalane, C Joyce, C O'Sullivan; C Murphy, M Ellis, Aidan Walsh; D Kearney (0-1), P Cronin; S Harnedy (0-1), B Cooper (0-1), C Lehane (1-2); A Cadogan (0-2), P O'Sullivan (0-1), P Horgan (0-9, 8f). Subs: L McLoughlin for P Cronin, L O'Farrell (1-0) for P O'Sullivan, C McCarthy for B Cooper, S O'Neill for D Cahalane, S Moylan for A Cadogan.

Referee - J Owens.

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