Tyrone's pace and power too much for Cork to handle

Tyrone’s Eoin McElholm. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

Tyrone 0-23 Cork 1-6 

Tyrone will play Meath in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor football final after dominating Cork in Tullamore to secure their first final appearance at the grade since 2013.

Ger Donnelly's Ulster champions were at their ease throughout at Bord na Mona O'Connor Park and led from the game's first score until full-time.

Cork struggled with the pace and power of a slick Tyrone outfit that will fancy their chances of a first title since 2010 when they beat, ironically, Cork.

It summed up Cork's difficulties in the midlands that stand-in goalkeeper Daniel Walsh was their Man of the Match, the Douglas netminder pulling off no less than five excellent saves.

One of those saves came in the 20th minute when he blocked brilliantly from Shea O'Hare's penalty kick.

A goal at that stage would have put Tyrone 1-6 to 0-2 ahead but Cork cleared their lines, won a free at the other end and converted it through Hugh O'Connor.

Tyrone’s Hugh Cunningham with Colm Gillespie of Cork. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

Trailing now by just 0-6 to 0-3, it seemed like a potential turning point in the game but Tyrone reapplied the pressure and closed the half with four points in a row to lead 0-10 to 0-3 at half-time.

Cork rolled on four subs by the 40th minute and one of those players, Dylan Crowley, pulled back 1-1 for the Munster champions. Their last sub, Alan Kelleher, pinched a late point but it was all mere consolation as Tyrone dominated.

The northerners reeled off eight points in a row between the 44th and 59th minutes to put the result to rest.

Eoin McElholm kicked five points from play overall for the Red Hands while Conor Owens came on and added four, staking his claim to a starting place against Meath next Saturday, a game that is expected to be played at Croke Park.

Scorers for Tyrone: R Cassidy (3 frees), E McElholm (0-5 each); C Owens (0-4, 3 frees); J Martin (0-3); H Cunningham (2 frees), R Strain (0-2 each), C Devlin, R McHugh (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: D Crowley (1-1); H O'Connor (0-4, 3 frees); A Kelleher (0-1).

TYRONE: N Robinson; R Rafferty, C Kelly, M Mallon; H Cunningham, R Fox, S O'Hare; R Donnelly, R McHugh; R Strain, P McCann, G Potter; R Cassidy, C Devlin, E McElholm.

Subs: C Owens for McCann (h/t); N Grimes for Potter (52); B Hampsey for Fox (54); B Hughes for O'Hare (56); J Martin for Strain (58).

CORK: D Walsh; D Twomey, S O'Connell, P O'Grady; S Copps, C Twomey, D O'Brien; M McSweeney, R O'Shaughnessy; J O'Neill, N Kelly, C Gillespie; L O'Herlihy, J O'Driscoll, H O'Connor.

Subs: F Crowley for McSweeney & J Cunningham for Kelly (h/t); O Corcoran for O'Herlihy & D Crowley for Gillespie (40); A Kelleher for O'Brien (53).

Ref: B Tiernan (Dublin).