Cork lost because of fundamental failures

Tipperary’s superb first touch, commitment, control of the midfield/halfback area and the slick movement up front of John ‘Bubbles’ Dwyer, John McGrath and Seamus Callanan posed massive challenges for Cork on Sunday.

Cork took the field almost 40 minutes before throw in. All the pre-game activities are timed to get the optimum start but 40 minutes seems excessive to me. From the off, the team lacked the high workrate, intensity and crisp tackling of the Kilkenny game - basic requirements in the championship.

The defining moment arrived almost halfway through the second-half. Cork got a 22 - as we can hardly call them 20m frees any more. Patrick Horgan elected to go for a goal. Tipp led by seven but they hadn’t scored for 15 minutes. The Cork supporters sensed a revival and any score would have kept it going.