Stone’s last-gasp free saves Tipperary

Cork 2-11 Tipperary 2-11 (after extra-time)

At one stage in normal time it looked as if Tipperary would win the title for the first time when they opened up a five-point gap. But Cork bravely fought back to keep their three-in-a-row hopes alive.

Lightning fast points from Ronan McCarthy and Shane Dromey gave Cork the perfect start. But, with splendid centre-back Simon Kelly and roving full-forward Daryl Darcy settling into their stride, Tipperary steadied the ship.

After Tipp were denied a goal in the ninth minute, when Cork goalkeeper Donal O’Leary brilliantly saved a Paul Stone shot from point-blank range, Cork maintained their two-point advantage throughout a very lively and entertaining first-half.

But disaster struck for the champions in the 29th minute when O’Leary fumbled a drive from corner-forward Damien McCormack and allowed the ball to drop over the line to give Tipperary a 1-3 to 0-5 interval lead.

When the talented pretenders stretched their lead to five points seven minutes after the resumption with a superb goal by McCormack, Cork looked in dire trouble.

But champions die hard and Cork showed their mettle by courageously battling back. A fisted goal from corner-forward Dave Scannell in the 54th minute reduced the deficit to the bare minimum.

With Nicky Flanagan doing trojan work on the left flank of attack, Cork powered their way into a two-point lead a minute later when Chris O’Donovan set up wing-back John McLoughlin for a peach of a goal.

Now it was shell-shocked Tipp’s turn to display their fighting qualities and they did so with two late points from their marksman-in-chief Paul Stone to force extra-time.

With Stone scoring two points from frees and Dromey and Scanell replying for Cork, the sides were deadlocked at 2-10 apiece following the first 10 minutes of additional time. Dromey, Cork’s top scorer with six points, edged the holders a point ahead in the 75th minute and it looked as if Tipp would bite the dust when Stone, scorer of seven points, was for once off-target with a close-range free. But the Roscrea student atoned in the grand manner by scoring the equaliser from another free, seconds from the end.

Scorers: Cork: D. Scannell 1-2; J. McLoughlin 1-0; S. Dromey 0-6 (0-4 from frees); R. McCarthy, B. Daly and N. Flanagan 0-1 each. Tipperary: D. McCormack 2-1; P. Stone 0-7 (0-5 from frees); D. Burns 0-2; D. Darcy 0-1.

CORK: D. O’Leary; C. Hayes, G. Sheehy, J. McCarthy; J. McLoughlin, S. Kelleher, G. Holland; C. O’Donovan, S. O Cuill; R. McCarthy, S. Dromey, N. Flanagan; D. Scannell, C. Callanan, B. Daly. Subs: D. Lynch for McCarthy; A. J. O’Connor for Hayes; N. O’Riordan for Callanan; S. McCarthy for O’Cuill.

TIPPERARY: G. Harding; D. Buckley, A. Byrne, C. Dooley; B. Fox, S. Kelly, J. Fletcher; S. Fitzgerald, P. Codd; M. Hogan, K. McMahon, D. Burns; P. Stone, D. Darcy, D. McCormack. Subs: N. Lowry for Hogan; C. Grant for Darcy; C. Kirby for Fletcher.

Referee: M. Meade (Limerick).