'It wasn’t related to a free' — Tipperary aggrieved as Cork snatch Munster U20 football final berth
15th April 2025; Tipperary's Joe Higgins wins the ball from Cork's Colm Gillespie during the Dalata Hotel Group Munster under football championship at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Tipperary U20 football manager Niall Fitzgerald said the 66th minute equalising point that sent Cork into the provincial final at their expense was no relation of a free.
In what was a de facto Munster semi-final, the hosts teetered on the brink of shock elimination when a three-point lead eight minutes from home swung to a one-point deficit entering the five minutes of injury-time allotted.
Tipp, who required victory to advance to a first Munster U20 football final in four years, had the injury-time chances to stretch their lead and put the contest beyond Cork. Daithí Hogan eschewed a fisted white flag when opting to float possession across the square for potential green. The receiving Liam Freaney could not oblige.
Cork’s last stand saw a fisted Micheál Maguire effort flash right of the post and wide. Referee Jonathan Hayes, though, deemed Maguire to have been fouled. Streaming footage of the incident clearly shows that the substitute was not challenged until after he had unsuccessfully fisted for the equaliser.
The 66th minute free was a tap over. Bryan Hayes converted. Stalemate. Survival and progression for Cork on account of their superior score difference to the Premier. The same Premier furious over the 66th minute call, and grounds they had too. They attempted to resist that last Cork play with only 14 men, Killian Butler dismissed on a second yellow minutes earlier.
Premier boss Niall Fitzgerald was asked for his views on the deciding free post-match.
“From what I am told, it wasn’t related to a free,” he replied.
When asked had he got clarity on why the referee awarded Cork a first-half injury-time free directly from a Tipperary free, which the same Bryan Hayes converted for an orange flag and one-point interval Cork lead, Fitzgerald said “it is not easy to get clarity when the ref doesn’t know the rules himself, I’ll put it that way”.
In the Cork corner, there was relief. A torrent of relief. What a regressive outcome this nearly was for Cork football.
“We showed good composure to eke out the equaliser,” said Cork boss Ray O’Mahony.
“But in the first half, I thought we were a bit flat. We went in a point up, but we had five wides and two dropped short. Going in a point up with the small wind that was there, it still gave them a lifeline.
“We got off to a good start in the second-half, but they clawed us back. They’ll feel a bit aggrieved but look I can’t do anything about what’s happening on the pitch. The draw was enough for us and we are in a Munster final.”
Cork, with the wind, managed just two scores in the opening half hour. Both the goal and point came from Dylan O’Neill. O’Neill departed injured on 31 minutes. An Aaron O’Sullivan point and Hayes’ aforementioned two-pointer sent them back down the tunnel 1-4 to 0-6 in front.
Management had no option but to act at the break. There had been no point from play in the opening 33 minutes. There had been four wides and another short before their opening score - O'Neill's goal - on 12 minutes. There had been six avoidable first-half turnovers.
Dara Sheedy, not named in the matchday panel released on Monday, was sprung at half-time. The class of the Bantry youngster quickly told. He was fouled for a converted free, kicked two himself, and assisted another. When Aaron O’Sullivan added his second on 52 minutes, O’Mahony’s side led 1-10 to 0-10.
Tipp were not done. They sensed an upset was still alive. How right they were.
A pair of Daithí Hogan frees sandwiched a two-pointer from midfielder Joe Higgins that touched the crossbar in scraping over. 0-14 to 1-10. The visitors will rue their failure to further add to their tally and extinguish Cork’s challenge in the process.
“We had the winning of the game. We were a point up and had two chances to put the ball over the bar. Just maybe made wrong decisions, and suffered,” said Fitzgerald.
“The effort was outstanding. We made things really, really difficult for Cork, for the most part. Just didn’t get the reward, and that’s sport.”
Cork sit happily on the far side of that latter statement. They meet Kerry on April 28.
D O’Neill (1-1, 0-1 free); B Hayes (0-4, tp free, 0-2 frees); A O’Sullivan, D Sheedy (0-2 each); D Clifford, C Gillespie (0-1 each).
D Hogan (0-5, 0-4 frees); B Carey (0-3, 0-2 frees); J Higgins (0-2, tp), B Tierney (0-2, tp free); C King, P O’Keeffe (0-1 each).
B Curtin (Valley Rovers); N O’Shea (Urhan), C Molloy (Nemo Rangers), C Clifford (Éire Óg); T Kiely (Mallow), G Daly (Mallow), A O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue); D Clifford (Éire Óg), C Gillespie (Aghabullogue); D Harrington (Clonakilty), D Miskella (Ballincollig), S O’Leary (Kilmurry); B Hayes (Nemo Rangers), D Gough (Clonakilty), D O’Neill (Carbery Rangers).
M Maguire (Castlehaven) for O’Neill (31 mins, inj); D Sheedy (Bantry Blues) for Gough (HT); B O’Connell (Ballincollig) for Kiely (44-55, temporary); L Shorten (Tadhg MacCartaigh) for Harrington (49); B O’Connell (Ballincollig) for O’Sullivan (60).
R McGrath (Galtee Rovers); E Bonner (Galtee Rovers), E O’Connell (Loughmore-Castleiney), B Tierney (Clonmel Commercials); K Butler (Moyle Rovers), C King (Ballina), J O’Keeffe (Clonmel Commercials); J Higgins (Clonmel Commercials), D O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials); D Cotter (Thurles Gaels), T Charles (Clonmel Commercials), JP Mbokha Tansia (Ballina); D Hogan (St. Patrick’s), P O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers), B Carey (Ballylooby Castlegrace).
L Freaney (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) for O’Keeffe (42); S Hall (Golden Kilfeacle) for Cotter (53).
J Hayes (Limerick).
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