Tipp on top as Cork fall to three point defeat

By Michael Moynihan, Semple Stadium

Tipperary 1-24 - Cork 1-21: Tipperary had too much for Cork in this NHL 1A clash, winning out by three points after an entertaining game.

Tipp defended the Town End in the first half and led 0-3 to 0-2 when Cork won a penalty, which Patrick Horgan buried. The impressive Jason Forde (two), Billy McCarthy and Sean Curran gave Tipp a two-point lead by the 12th minute, however.

Cork were level soon after through Conor Lehane and the sides swapped the initiative, and lead, for the next ten minutes: at 24 minutes it was 1-7 to 0-10, with Forde, inevitably, then nudging Tipp one ahead, only for Horgan to equalise with a free on 30 minutes.

Cathal Barrett, Forde (free) and Bonnar Maher then pushed Tipp three up; Horgan (free) responded but Alan Flynn restored Tipp’s three-point advantage on the half-time whistle, 0-15 to 1-9.

Forde and Horgan swapped frees on the resumption before Forde pushed Tipp five ahead as the game slackened in intensity. By the three-quarter stage it was 0-20 to 1-13, with Tipp comfortable, and Billy McCarthy’s solo goal on 55 minutes finished the game as a contest.

Both sides continued to exchange scores but though Cork cut Tipp’s lead to three late on, the home side had enough to get over the line.

Scorers for Tipperary: J. Forde (7 frees)(0-12); Patrick Maher (0-3); B. McCarthy (1-1); M. Breen, S. Curran, C. Barrett (0-2 each); A. Flynn, B. Maher (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: P. Horgan (1-0 pen, 8 frees)(1-10); A. Cadogan (0-3); C. Lehane, M. Cahalane, L. Meade (0-2 each); S. Kingston, D. Kearney (0-1 each).

TIPPERARY: B. Hogan, A. Flynn, S. O’Brien, D. Maher, B. Heffernan, Padraic Maher (c), R. Maher, B. Maher, C. Barrett, S. Curran, B. McCarthy, Patrick Maher, M. Breen, J. Forde, J. McGrath.

Subs: M. Russell for McGrath (64); M. Cahill for D. Maher, C. Darcy for McCarthy (both 71).

CORK: A. Nash, D. Browne, C. Spillane, S. O’Donoghue, C. Joyce, T. O’Mahony, M. Coleman, D. Fitzgibbon, B. Cooper (c), S. Kingston, C. Lehane, R. O’Flynn, A. Cadogan, M. Cahalane, P. Horgan.

Subs: B. Lawton for Lehane (blood, 30-32); L. Meade for Kingston (54); B. Lawton for O’Flynn (59); D. Kearney for Cooper (65); J. O’Connor for Fitzgibbon (69); L. McLoughlin for O’Mahony (inj, 71).

Referee: P. O’Dwyer (Carlow).