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Hurling team of the weekend

Published 08:31 15 Jul 2019 BST

Updated 17:06 17 Jul 2019 BST

Niall McIntyre

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Brought to you by Centra #WeAreHurling

And then there were four.

Laois fought the fight of their lives but Tipperary did just enough. Cork looked at times as if they were about to run riot against Kilkenny but as they so often do, Brian Cody's team steadied the ship when it mattered. If the Rebels had gotten enough ball into the dynamite Patrick Horgan, they could well have. But they didn't. Their under-use of their Glen Rovers gem was criminal as was the manner in which they faded out of the game in the second half. The Cats do deserve credit though. They're never ever a beaten docket and when they do get a run on you, they will most definitely make you pay. A huge positive for them was to return to form of both Richie Hogan and Wally Walsh. The Danesfort dynamo picked off a few trademark scores while Wally turned the game upon his introduction. At the back, the restored and revitalised Conor Fogarty was insatiable and he was without a shadow of a doubt Kilkenny's best player. Such an honest, brave and hard-working hurler, what's often underestimated is his economy in possession. Behind him, Paul Murphy was safe as a house. As for Cork, Darragh Fitzgibbon's first half alone earns an inclusion. He was everywhere in 35 manic minutes and he really is one of the country's brightest young hurlers. Horgan meanwhile, his scoring feats are beyond comprehension at this stage. The best forward in the country, one of the best ever in this kind of form. Alongside him, Alan Cadogan caused untold problems for Padraig Walsh. As for Tipp Laois, the Premier didn't do too much, but they did enough. Flynn, Ronan Maher and Noel McGrath were their best performers. For Laois, Ryan Mullaney did as well as he possibly could on Seamus Callanan, another of the game's lethal forwards. Then there was the minor game where Sean McDonagh - from Galway Junior hurling club Mountbellew/Moylough tipped the balance in their favour. He hit 1-6 against Kilkenny in a tremendous display.