Seamus Callanan makes return as Tipperary pile pain on Cork

Tipperary 2-27 Cork 2-15: Seamus Callanan’s arrival at half-time briefly threatened to ignite this lacklustre collision of the old rivals. In case there was any danger his first appearance of the campaign went unnoticed by the 7,251-strong crowd, a welcome-back shemozzle immediately broke out in the Cork goalmouth, and Semple lungs opened in unison for the first time in the afternoon.

Once that dust settled, Tipp immediately set about staging a reprise of Callanan’s one-man show against Galway last August. Finding the Drom-Inch man with ease, Callanan soon had three goal attempts defied — two comfortable Patrick Collins saves and a brave Conor O’Sullivan block.

Gathering a fourth time, Callanan accepted there was rust in the works and took the consolation of a point, before adding a second beauty from wide on the left.