Cummins gets stirring response as clinical Tipp bounce back and see off Cork 

The defending provincial U20 champions began emphatically and had 1-4 without reply on the board in the first five minutes and they went on to excel in a lot of areas.

CRACKING CONTEST: Barry Walsh and Oisin Fitzgerald, 22, of Cork in action against Joe Egan and Jim Ryan of Tipperary during the oneills.com Munster GAA U20 Hurling Championship round two match between Cork and Tipperary at Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile

Munster U20 HC: Cork 2-11 Tipperary 1-20

Brendan Cummins got the response he was looking for from his Tipperary charges when they bounced back from last week’s defeat against Limerick to get the better of Cork by six points in Round 2 of the ONeills.com Munster U20 hurling championship at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Wednesday night.

The defending provincial champions began emphatically and had 1-4 without reply on the board in the first five minutes and they went on to excel in a lot of areas.

The goal in the second minute came from a long free by Darragh McCarthy which was won by Paddy McCormack in front of the posts and the Borris-Ileigh forward fired a blistering shot to the top right corner of the net. It set the tone for what was to come.

By half-time the visitors had opened up an eight-point lead which would later stretch to 10 but Cork fought back in the fourth quarter and goals from Barry O’Flynn and sub Mark O’Brien put a better complexion on the final scoreline.

Cummins made four changes to his starting 15 from the team that lost to Limerick with Jim Ryan, Cathal O’Reilly, Joe Egan and David Costigan in from the start. There were two alterations to the Cork team that drew with Clare - Peter O’Shea and Ross O’Sullivan replaced Johnnie Murphy (Dromina) and Mark O’Brien.

As the action got underway, Eoin Guinnane picked up Tipp danger man Darragh McCarthy. Straight away Tipp looked that bit slicker. Against the wind, they started in stunning fashion.

It took Cathal English just 12 seconds to split the posts after he was set up by Conor Martin. Then we had McCormack’s goal.

McCarthy kept the scoreboard moving converting a pair of frees and in the fifth minute English got his second white flag to put them into a comfortable lead. Meanwhile Cork had to wait until the 10th minute to open their account when O’Flynn found the target from 40 metres out on the right wing.

But Tipp struck again, registering the next three points, two McCarthy frees and one from Conor Martin from play after he surged through the middle leaving the score at 1-7 to 0-1 with 17 minutes on the clock.

The home side were fortunate too that a run from McCormack didn’t yield his second green flag after he was hooked by Guinane as he pulled the trigger and the sliotar took a deflection, however goalkeeper Daniel O’Connell made the save. Tipp were awarded a free though which McCarthy converted.

Cork’s second point in the 19th minute - a Barry Walsh free - was cancelled out by McCarthy. The hosts then were denied by the post when O’Flynn searched for a goal they so badly needed.

With sweepers operating in both defences and Tipperary coming off the better from this, Oisin O’Donoghue’s brilliant effort left the score 1-9 to 0-2 with five minutes to go to the break.

A couple of Walsh frees and one from play from Timmy Wilk saw Cork finish the first 30 minutes 1-10 to 0-5 in arrears, McCarthy grabbing his sixth free in between.

Tipperary’s superiority was also highlighted by the fact they registered their first wide in the 27th minute, while Noel Furlong’s side had six.

Joe Egan grabbed the first point of the second half. They would outhit Cork three points to one. Tipp kept pressing, Costigan got in on goal and Cork captain Denis Cashman had to be at his best to deny him.

By the three-quarter mark, little had changed, Tipperary 1-14 to 0-7 up.

The growing gap forced Walsh to go for goal from a close-in free but Jim Ryan, who had played the role of sweeper for Tipp, saved the shot and it was cleared. A few minutes later O’Reilly blocked Wilk in front of the posts.

There was an improvement from Cork in the fourth quarter. They put together some good moves that resulted in points from Ryan Deasy, Walsh, Daniel Murnane, O’Flynn and a Dylan McCarthy free. Equally, Tipp’s link up play was good and they matched Cork score for score.

O’Flynn then gave Cork a lifeline in the 57th minute, his goal nailed after the sliotar was transferred forward by Deasy and sub McCarthy.

A second goal for Cork in the third minute of stoppage time from sub Mark O’Brien, who was put through by Walsh, reduced the deficit to five points. Oisín O’Donoghue’s third point from play was the final act.

Tipperary travel to play Clare in a fortnight while Cork have a three week break before playing Limerick away.

Scorers for Cork: B Walsh (0-6, 0-5 frees), B O’Flynn (1-1), M O’Brien (1-0), D McCarthy (free), T Wilk, D Murnane and R Deasy (0-1 each).

Scorers for Tipperary: D McCarthy (0-7 frees), P McCormack (1-0), O O’Donoghue (0-3), S O’Farrell, C Martin, C English and J Ormond (0-2 each), J Egan and A Daly (0-1 each).

CORK: D O’Connell (Dromina); D Cashman (Bride Rovers, Capt), J O’Brien (Fermoy), E Guinane (Valley Rovers); Ben Walsh (Killeagh), C O’Callaghan (Dungourney), D Murnane (Carrigtwohill); T Wilk (Cobh), R Deasy (Ballymartle); P O’Shea (Erin’s Own), J Murphy (Mallow), Barry Walsh (Killeagh); J Wigginton Barrett (St Finbarr’s), B O’Flynn (Sarsfields), R O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh).

Subs: O Fitzgerald (St Catherine’s) for P O’Shea (half-time), M O’Brien (Douglas) for R O’Sullivan (40), D McCarthy (Killeagh) for J Murphy (41), Z Biggane (Charleville) for T Wilk (55, D O’Leary (Ballincollig) for D Murnane (57).

TIPPERARY: E Horgan (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams); C O'Reilly (Holycross Ballycahill), A O'Halloran (Carrick Swan), P O'Dwyer (Killenaule); A Ryan (Arravale Rovers), J Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill), S O'Farrell (Nenagh Éire Óg, Capt); J Egan (Moycarkey Borris), A Daly (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams); C English (Fr. Sheehys), C Martin (Cappawhite), D Costigan (Moycarkey Borris); D McCarthy (Toomevara), O O'Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs), P McCormack (Borris-Ileigh).

Subs: S Butler (Kilsheelan Kilcash) for D Costigan (51), J Ormond (JK Brackens) for A Daly (54), S Tobin (Carrick Swan) for P McCormack (58), P Phelan (Upperchurch Drombane) for J Egan (62).

Referee: Nicky O’Toole (Waterford).