Buckley and Walsh shine as second half Cork surge sees off Tipp

Tipperary didn’t score from play in the second half until substitute Sam O’Farrell’s 64th minute point. It was a strong indicator of just how much they played second fiddle to Cork

Championship debutant Barry Walsh, scorer of 0-4, was one of Cork's best players in their Munster SHC victory over Tipperary. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Munster SHC: Tipperary 1-22 Cork  0-29 

Eight unanswered points in less than 12 second-half minutes steered Cork to an opening Munster SHC victory over Tipperary in FBD Semple Stadium.

Cork have lorded possession in the first half but had been careless and wasteful and just about managed to go into the break on level terms at 13 points apiece.

Their provincial SHC debutants William Buckley and Barry Walsh had been among their best performers in the half and were among the scorers in that purple patch between the 44th and 56th minutes when Tipperary struggled to win primary ball.

Buckley, with five points, was the highest scorer from play and Walsh, contributing four, was only behind him on a glorious afternoon for the pair. Their combination was the same as Tipperary’s entire points-only total outside frees.

Tipperary didn’t score from play in the second half until substitute Sam O’Farrell’s 64th minute point. It was an indictment of just how much of this game they played second fiddle.

In front of the 44,348 crowd, Cork was as good as nine points ahead in the 59th minute when Buckley nailed his fifth point from play.

Tipperary rallied to an extent and came within three points in additional time, largely courtesy of an Alan Tynan goal in the last minute of regulation time. However, a Buckley free sealed their fate and Cork can look forward to the visit of Limerick this day week with optimism.

For Cork, positional switches largely amounted to Niall O’Leary tracking Jake Morris and Rob Downey moving back to the inside line on newbie Stefan Tobin.

William Buckley scored 0-6 for Cork in his side's Munster SHC victory over Tipperary. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

For Tipperary, Oisín O’Donoghue stationed himself at left-half forward, his named slot on the right wing of defence taken by Craig Morgan and Conor Stakelum partnering Willie Connors in the middle.

Ronan Maher and Eoghan Connolly, as they have done before, swapped their roles and the former largely kept Brian Hayes silence in the opening quarter, although the supply of ball into him was scant.

Darragh Fitzgibbon was far more prominent in that period had four points to his name inside the first 11 minutes and Cork were up by three a minute later.

They went the next nine minutes without scoring as Tim O’Mahony’s wides from long-range frees mounted (three in the first half) and Tipperary hit them for six without reply.

Cork were guilty of some elementary errors and Jason Forde sent over three frees along with Jake Morris, John McGrath and Willie Connors efforts from play.

Tipperary’s lead remained three points up to the 27th minute when Shane Barrett pistoled over a point. Seconds later, Buckley’s shot from close range rose over the bar and Walsh’s opener squared the game in the 29th minute.

Forde’s fifth free of the half was followed by Walsh’s second as was O’Donoghue’s was cancelled out by Buckley’s third of the half and the teams finished the half as they began it.

Scorers for Tipperary: J. Forde (0-7, frees); D. McCarthy (0-4, frees); A. Tynan (1-0); J. Morris, O. O’Donoghue, E. Connolly (frees) (0-2 each); J. McGrath, W. Connors, C. Stakelum, S. O’Farrell, D. Stakelum (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: A. Connolly (0-7, 5 frees); W. Buckley (0-6, 1 free); D. Fitzgibbon, B. Walsh, S. Barrett (0-4 each); T. O’Mahony (0-2, 1 free); B. Hayes, A. Walsh (0-1 each).

TIPPERARY: R. Shelly; R. Doyle, R. Maher (c), M. Breen; C. Morgan, E. Connolly, B. O’Mara; W. Connors, C. Stakelum; J. Morris, A. Ormond, O. O’Donoghue; S. Tobin, J. McGrath, J. Forde.

Subs for Tipperary: D. McCarthy for S. Tobin (h-t); N. McGrath for J. McGrath (41); A. Tynan for C. Stakelum (46); D. Stakelum for J. Forde (54); S. O’Farrell for W. Connors (58).

CORK: P. Collins; S. O’Donoghue, C. Joyce, R. Downey; E. Downey, M. Coleman, N. O’Leary; T. O’Mahony, T. O’Connell; B. Walsh, S. Barrett, D. Fitzgibbon (c); W. Buckley, B. Hayes, A. Connolly.

Subs for Cork: D. Healy for T. O’Connell (59); A. Walsh for B. Hayes (61); H. O’Connor for T. O’Mahony (68); S. Harnedy for B. Walsh (70+1); P. Power for A. Connolly (70+2).

Referee: S. Stack (Dublin).