Páirc party as Cork cruise past Tipperary to claim first Hurling League title since 1998

The contest never lived up to its billing although those in the giant attendance anticipating a home coronation left satisfied.

FIRST BLOOD: Cork captain Robert Downey lifts the trophy. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

Allianz HL Division 1A final: Cork 3-24 Tipperary 0-23 

In his ninth senior national final, Patrick Horgan is at last a winner as Cork’s explosive first-half exhibition delivered their first Allianz League title since 1998.

To the delight of most of the 43,243 crowd in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Tipperary were blown away by three second-quarter goals, outscored 3-8 to 0-4 from the 20th minute until half-time.

Flat for the most part, the game as a contest never lived up to its billing although some of the giant attendance had come anticipating a home coronation and they left satisfied.

The attention of both counties appeared to be two weeks ahead to the start of the Munster championship and the clash between them here on April 27 is sure to be a far more frenetic version.

Intensity was noticeably absent in a first half dominated by a Cork team who piledrived forward when turning over Tipperary. Sure, they had a strong breeze blowing from the Blackrock End but it could hardly justify the 3-16 to 0-12 half-time scoreline.

The teams had been level four times in the first 19 minutes with the only goal opening an Alan Connolly chance, which he flicked over onto the top of the net one-handed in the 14th minute.

But the goals rained in the second quarter as Cork hounded Tipp. They hit them with a string of three points prior to Connolly’s 22nd minute. Taking a low, diagonal ball into the D from Tim O’Mahony, he turned and proved to be the thorn in the blue and gold defence yet again to put Cork six up.

Tipperary came back with a couple of points but their play was sloppy. An awful Bryan O’Mara pass was gathered by Ciarán Joyce and sent back over the bar.

The margin had returned to six points when Darragh Fitzgibbon added a second goal in the 27th minute. Brian Hayes lost his hurley in a scramble for the ball but was able to retrieve it and roll it up to hand-pass over three Tipperary defenders to find Fitzgibbon in space.

Patrick Horgan’s third point, his first from a free, then pushed Cork 10 points ahead and Cork delivered another goal blow in the last minute of normal time in the half. Eoghan Connolly lost the ball and Diarmuid Healy provided for Ethan Twomey to strike low and beyond Barry Hogan.

A chastening half for Tipperary came to an end with Tim O’Mahony’s second point in additional time. They needed green flags to stand a chance of a first Division 1 title since 2008 but none were forthcoming.

Liam Cahill all but emptied the bench by the 47th minute while Pat Ryan had the comfort of taking off some of his leading players with the trip to Ennis on Sunday week in mind.

Cork posted just seven points in the second half as Tipperary brought some respectability to the scoreboard but that’s all they could muster. This was Cork’s day. A big one in a monkey has been removed from their backs but they trust there will be bigger.

Scorers for Cork: P. Horgan (0-7, 5 frees); D. Fitzgibbon (1-4); A. Connolly, E. Twomey (1-2 each); D. Healy, T. O’Mahony, S. Barrett (0-2 each); C. Joyce, B. Hayes, T. O’Connell (0-1 each).

Scorers for Tipperary: J. Forde (0-7, 2 65s, 1 free); D. McCarthy (0-4, frees); J. Morris (0-3); S. O’Farrell, D. Stakelum, S. Kenneally (0-2 each); A. Tynan, G. O’Connor, A. Ormond (0-1 each).

CORK: P. Collins; N. O’Leary, E. Downey, S. O’Donoghue; C. Joyce, R. Downey (c), C. O’Brien; S. Barrett, D. Fitzgibbon, D. Healy; A. Connolly, B. Hayes, P. Horgan.

Subs for Cork: S. Harnedy for D. Healy (48); M. Coleman for C. O’Brien (51); D. Dalton for B. Hayes (53); T. O’Connell for E. Twomey (56); L. Meade for D. Fitzgibbon (temp 57-ft); S. Kingston for S. Barrett (66).

TIPPERARY: B. Hogan; R. Doyle, M. Breen, E. Connolly; J. Caesar, R. Maher (c), B. O’Mara; C. Morgan, W. Connors; G. O’Connor, S. O’Farrell, A. Tynan; D. McCarthy, J. Forde, J. Morris.

Subs for Tipperary: D. Stakelum for W. Connors (23); S. Kenneally for J. Caesar (h-t); D. Walsh for G. O’Connor (44); A. Ormond for D. McCarthy (47); S. Kennedy for A. Tynan (57).

Referee: S. Stack (Dublin).