Tipperary win no shock, insists bullish Liam Kearns

Cork 1-16 Tipperary 3-16: That Liam Kearns wasn’t the least bit surprised by this result says plenty about the changed nature of the Cork-Tipperary relationship. In fact, the Premier boss “couldn’t understand” how pundits had tipped Cork beforehand.

Fair enough, Tipperary opting for experience (10 of the team started last year’s Munster semi-final against the same opposition), allied with the return of Evan Comerford and Steven O’Brien, contrasting sharply with Cork’s experimental outfit which contained six debutants.

Still, it must be remembered this was the visitors’ first league game at a level higher than Division 3 since 2010. Tipperary inflicting defeat on Cork in a competitive fixture is by no means a common occurrence - there was even the suggestion afterwards this was the county’s first league win over the Rebels - and yet no air of upset greeted the final whistle.