Premier promise

TIPPERARY denied Cork a fourth successive Munster MHC title yesterday with a superb exhibition of point-scoring by Shane Hennessy, who accounted for half his side’s tally in a tense final.

Apart from Hennessy’s massive contribution, Noel McGrath, Padraig Maher, John Coghlan, Joe Gallagher and team captain Brendan Maher were excellent in a team that will be very difficult to dethrone in the All-Ireland series.

Cork were hugely disappointing. Defensively they coped very well but midfield was a disaster, while their forwards struggled to make any real impact. Alywin Kearney was outstanding at full back, Chris O’Donovan outside him did all that was asked of him, but in an attack that never really functioned, only Ryan Clifford and Padraig Gould measured up.

Cork played into the wind in the opening half and led after two minutes with a Robert White point, but Tipperary’s response was immediate. Shane Hennessy levelled with a point; Patrick Maher was denied a goal by alert Cork keeper Darren McCarthy before points by John O’Neill and Hennessy had the home side 0-3 to 0-1 in front after seven minutes.

The defending champions were in trouble at midfield where Noel McGrath and Joe Gallagher ruled the roost. It meant the Cork defence was under pressure but Alywin Kearney and Jack Herlihy coped well. However the ability of the Tipp forwards to pick off points at will saw them lead 0-5 to 0-2 after 15 minutes as Cork struggled to get any quality ball into their forwards. When they did manage to penetrate up front their attackers were shooting from too far out and a lot of chances went a begging before they finally began to string passing movements together, and they finally drew level after 25 minutes with excellent points by Ryan Clifford, Donagh Stack and Michael Bowles.

WINDY conditions were clearly a factor; Tipp pinned Cork in their own half for the remainder of the half but could make no real headway against a teak tough defence in which Kearney, Herlihy and Killian Murphy gave nothing away.

Tipp’s corner forward John O’Neill was proving a real live-wire and he restored their lead with a point; slack marking around the middle let Joe Gallaher in for another, but Cork finished well and at the break they were jut a point adrift after Padraig Gould landed an excellent point.

The game still lacked real sparkle on the changeover with both teams dependent on their respective free takers for scores, Shane Hennessy hitting three points for Tipp to two by Ryan Clifford to lead 0-11 to 0-9 after 40 minutes.

The game was badly in need of a goal and it finally came in the 42nd minute when Luke O’Farrell picked out Donagh Stack with a great cross-field pass and the Buttevant youngster blasted the sliotar to the net to give Cork a slender lead.

However the goal failed to ignite the Rebels and their goose was well and truly cooked when they lost corner back Eoin McCarthy to a straight red card after the umpires drew the referee’s attention to an incident off the ball. A penalty resulted but Noel McGrath opted to take his point to stretch his side’s lead.

Tipperary used their numerical advantage perfectly by withdrawing Noel McGrath to a more defensive role and it worked superbly for them. It meant the Cork forwards could make no impression on seven defenders while at the other end the Tipp forwards began to stretch the Cork defence at every opportunity.

Brendan Maher hit over two delightful points, Michael Bowles hit two dreadful wides for Cork and a rampant Tipperary side, with McGrath masterful in defence, finished comfortable winners. Scorers for Tipperary: S Hennessy 0-9 (0-8 frees); B Maher 0-3; J O’Neill, J Gallagher 0-2 each; D O’Brien, N McGrath (pen) 0-1 each.

Cork: R Clifford 0-4 (0-3 frees); D. Stack 1-1; P. Gould 0-2; R. White, M. Bowles, L. O’Farrell, C. Sheehan 0-1 each.

TIPPERARY: J Logue; K O’Gorman, Padraig Maher, S O’Brien; D O’Connor, J Coghlan, M Cahill; N McGrath, J Gallagher; S Hennessy, C Lorigan, B Maher; M Heffernan, Patrick Maher, J O’Neill.

Subs: S Carey for Lorigan; J, Barry for O’Connor; D O’Brien for Heffernan; L Dwan for Hennessy.

CORK: D McCarthy; J Herlihy, A Kearney, E McCarthy; L McLoughlin, C O’Donovan, K Murphy; S McDonnell, D O’Sullivan; R White, M, Bowles, P Gould; L O’Farrell, D Stack, R Clifford.

Subs: M Sexton for McDonnell; C Sheehan for Stack; R O’Driscoll for White.

Referee: P Casey (Waterford).