Dunne goal proves decisive for Cork

A FORTUITOUS goal by Con Dunne 10 minutes into the second-half proved the decisive score in this disappointing Munster MFC semi-final at Kilmallock last night.

Dunne had just been introduced to a rather lethargic Cork attack and was in the right place when the ball broke out to him off the Tipp defence to coolly slid the ball home to put his side into a two point they never relinquished.

Cork won’t need any reminding that this performance won’t be good enough in the Munster final in July.

Defensively Cork performed well with goalkeeper Brian Walsh, Rory Buckley and Brian Kelleher the best of the seven. Chris O’Donovan had his moments at midfield, while in a very weak attack only Barry O’Driscoll, Ciarán Sheehan and substitute Eoin Buckley were up to the mark.

Tipperary threatened to inflict a second defeat in a row on Cork, but their two point half time lead was never going to be enough given the strength of the wind. And once the Leesiders got their goal, it was relatively easy from there to the finish.

Donal Lynch, Patrick Lynagh, Sean Carey and Alan Lonergan were their best players, but their cause wasn’t helped by the loss of Ciarán Sheehan with a leg injury in the first-half.

Despite playing into the strong wind in the first-half, Cork threatened. The aerial dominance of Chris O’Donovan at midfield kept Tipp in their own half for the first five minutes, but apart from a Paul Honohan point in the second minute, they could never convert possession into scores.

In contrast, Tipperary made maximum use of limited possession and in their first two attacks scored two points. Cork were doing all the attacking but their finish was woeful before Barry O’Driscoll levelled the scoring with a point in the 10th minute.

Cork’s handling was dreadful, and Tipp, with four games played to just one for Cork, began to exert all lot of pressure which yielded two points in a row, the second one a splendid effort by Conor Sweeney form a line ball.

However, they lost the services of Ciaran Sheehan who had been doing well in attack with an ankle injury and coupled with some dreadful finishing, their two point half time lead – 0-4 to 0-2 – did not look to be enough as they turned to face the wind.

Unhappy with their attack, Cork made two second-half substitutions and they worked well as Barry O’Driscoll pointed three minutes in. The wind was a factor as Cork pinned Tipp in their own half for long periods and when O’Driscoll floated a free deep into the square the ball broke out to Con Dunne who smashed it home.

Eoin Buckley, on for his first game after injury, made his presence felt with two excellent points in a row, and from a position of being two down at half time, the Leesiders found themselves four clear at the three quarter stage.

A superb save by Cork ‘keeper Brian Walsh denied Jonathan Cody as Tipp searched for a goal. It was the closest they got as Cork, without ever playing well, finished the game strongly with a succession of points to run out deserving winners but will be flattered by the size of the margin.

Scorers: Cork: B. O’Driscoll 0-3 (0-1 frees); C. Dunne 1-0; P. Honohan 0-2 (0-1 45); E. Buckley 0-2; C. Sheehan, A. Walsh 0-1 each.

Tipperary: S. Carey (0-1 free), C. Sweeney (frees) 0-2 each; C. Sheehan 0-1.

CORK: B. Walsh; M. Minnis, R. Buckley, L. Long; B. Kelleher, G. Holland, D. O’Sullivan; C. O’Donovan, D. O’Callaghan; A. Walsh, B. O’Driscoll, P. Honohan; L. McLoughlin, C. Sheehan, C. Fleming.

Subs: E. Buckley for McLoughlin; C. Dunne for Fleming; I. Jones for Minnis.

TIPPERARY: K. Kenrick; J. Coughlan, C. McDonald, K. O’Riordan; D. O’Sullivan, D. Lynch, L. Moore; P. Acheson, D. Lynagh; C. Shehan, S. Carey, A. Lonergan; C. Sweeney, P. Horan, K. Walzer.

Subs:J. Moroney for Sheen; J. Cody for Walzer; D. Burke for Horan; E. Kennedy for Moroney.

Result: Munster MHC losers’ qualifier: Clare 1-9 Waterford 1-8