Wily Tipp outfox young pretenders

Not an epic Munster senior hurling championship semi-final in sunny Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday by any means, nothing like the blood-and-thunder slugfests of old between these two great rivals, nor even the high-voltage games of the recent past.

What it lacked in bite, however (the only fireworks took place before the throw-in, Cork’s Cathal Naughton and Tipp’s Padraic Maher earning yellow cards for a harmless bout of hurley-jabbing), it made up for in excitement, an enthralling contest between two evenly-matched and well-balanced teams, thoroughly enjoyed by a shirt-sleeved crowd of 32,568.

Worthy winners too, Tipperary reduced to 14 men in the 48th minute after John O’Brien saw red for a second yellow-card offence but still managing ! to hold back the surging red tide. If the champions had taken all their chances though, had they converted all their goal opportunities especially, they wouldn’t have been left hanging on for dear life in those final minutes.