Tipp comeback not enough to beat Rebels

Cork 1-21 Tipperary 1-16

Reigning All-Ireland champions Cork staved off a sterling second half comeback from Tipperary to lift their 49th Munster hurling title in today's pulsating decider at Pairc Uí Chaoimh.

John Allen's side looked to be cruising to their second Munster crown in three years - leading 1-13 to 0-5 at the interval - but Tipp mounted a brave comeback in the final half-hour to push Cork right to the wire.

Substitutes John Devane, John Carroll and Ger 'Redser' O'Grady were introduced after the break and made a difference as the Tipp half forward line gradually held sway.

Midfielder Paul Kelly and corner forward Eoin Kelly topped off their points tallies of 0-7 and 0-6 respectively, and former skipper Tommy Dunne scrambled home a 63rd-minute goal to nudge the Premier side right back into contention.

Still, they were 1-14 to 1-19 down at that stage and left counting the cost of 13 wides, Tipp failed to get closer than seven points in arrears as wily Cork wing forward Ben O'Connor (free) and substitute Kieran Murphy rounded out the Rebel scoring.

Cork's victory was founded on an almost effortless first half as Tipp allowed the home side's slick attacking sextet simply too much space.

Tipp did into a 0-2 to no score lead through opening points from Paul Kelly ('65) and Eoin Kelly, and the latter added two more for a 0-4 to 0-2 advantage by the eighth minute.

The Premier men, who lost by a single point to Cork in this year's NHL, then went scoreless for the next 28 minutes as the Rebels, who lost Brian Corcoran to an early shoulder injury, clicked into gear and stormed clear.

The metronome free-taking of skipper O'Connor (0-2), added to two points from Joe Deane and Jerry O'Connor, had Cork in front before Deane seem to get the faintest of touches on a dropping 19th-minute ball to goal for a 1-6 to 0-4 lead.

Ben O'Connor (0-2), Kieran Murphy (Sarsfields), Niall McCarthy, Niall Ronan, on for Corcoran, Deane and Jerry O'Connor all scored subsequent points - with five of the six Cork forwards raising white flags in the first half.

Tipp, who saw Eoin Kelly's 24th-minute penalty shot - earned by Micheal Webster, who had been felled by Diarmuid O'Sullivan - saved by Cork 'keeper Donal Og Cusack, tagged on a late free from Paul Kelly to keep somewhat in touch.

Ronan and Deane swapped initial points with Paul Kelly in the first three minutes of the second half before Ken Hogan's Tipp men went on a points-blitz - hacking over six of the next seven scores to drag themselves back into it.

Deane's fifth point of the afternoon was Cork's sole score as substitute Carroll and the Kellys gradually got on top. Paul Kelly's fifth score on 52 minutes drew Tipp within eight points at 0-11 to 1-16 down, but in truth, they were never to get within real touching distance of Cork.

History was always against Tipp, having not won a championship match on Cork soil since 1922.

Ben O'Connor again helped them push on with well-struck frees on 54 and 58 minutes, and the Newtownshandrum star clocked up his sixth point on 60 minutes to copperfasten Cork's grasp on the title.

Tipp's Tommy Dunne did have another chance at finding the Cork net on 68 minutes but his ground shot, while over-stretching, agonisingly sneaked just to the right of the Cork goal.

Dunne and company can console themselves with an All-Ireland quarter-final tie in four weeks' time as Munster runners-up.