Wily Cork rise above Tipperary
Between them, Gore and Buckley supplied 0-13 of Cork’s total, and their ability to get scores ultimately separated the two teams.
The home side defended the Blackrock end goal in the first half and got off to a fine start: After an early Damien Gore point, Colm O’Callaghan soloed through for a well-taken goal. Two more Gore points and Cork were up 1-3 to 0-1 on only eight minutes.
Cork might have had another goal on 11 minutes, when O’Callaghan broke through again, but Jack Dolan in the Tipp goal saved well.
The men in red looked smaller physically than their opponents, but a smart, hard-working half-forward line and good linking play by their midfield gave them the upper hand early on.
On 15 minutes Tipp had their second point, a Michael Barlow free, and midfielder Ben Hyland burst through with another from the kick-out. That settled the visitors and Hyland then landed a free from long-range to make it 0-4 to 1-4 on sixteen minutes.
The Premier County’s powerful midfielders came into the game, and their inside forwards began to show for the ball, putting pressure on their markers.
The game slackened, with neither side finding their range for a while until Tipp’s Daire Egan ended the drought in the 25th minute; Kevin O’Donovan replied for Cork two minutes later.
Tipperary wing-back Colin English ranged upfield late in the half to cut the deficit to two, but Cork won another free in front of goal as the game edged into added time, and Damien Gore hit his fourth of the half to make it 1-6 to 0-6 at the break.
On the resumption, Mark Buckley hit two fine points for Cork to push them five ahead before Gore added a better point and a free, meaning that after just four minutes of the second half, Cork were seven up, 1-10 to 0-6.
Sub Shane Ryan opened Tipp’s second-half account with a free, then they goaled. John Lyons made good ground on the wing, then passed across for midfielder Conor Cashman to punch home, leaving it 1-7 to 1-10 after 38 minutes.
Tipp then hit two more, Lyons from play and Hyland (free) to cut Cork’s lead to the minimum, but Gore pointed another free for the Leesiders, who then rattled the crossbar with a speculative Buckley effort.
Tipp full-back Paudie Feehan stormed up field for a point, which meant the visitors were again just one behind going into the last 10 minutes; Cashman duly levelled matters from a 45, only for Gore to hit yet another free and edge Cork ahead.
Cork turned Tipp over just afterwards and Buckley hit another good score to put two between them. Cork could have made it safe when O’Donovan had a goal chance, but Feehan somehow stopped the ball on the line and raised the siege.
Buckley, inevitably, hit a fine point in injury time to stretch Cork’s lead to three, and Tipperary never looked like working the goal that would send the game to extra time.
D. Gore (0-6 frees) 0-8; M. Buckley 0-5; C. O’Callaghan 1-0; K. O’Donovan 0-1.
Scorers for Tipperary: B Hyland (0-5, 0-3 frees, 0-1 45) 0-5; C. Cashman 1-0; S. Ryan (free), P. Feehan, C. English, D. Egan, J. Lyons, M. Barlow (free) 0-1 each.
M. White (Clonakilty), D. Scannell (Ahan Gaels), A. McCarthy (St. Finbarr’s), L. O’Donovan (vice-captain)(Clonakilty), T. Corkery (Cill na Martra), N. Walsh (c)(Douglas), J. McCarthy (Carrigaline), J. Ryan (Sliabh Rua), C. Foley (Western Gaels/Kilmichael), B. O’Gorman (Macroom), C. O’Callaghan (Eire Og), C. Maguire (Castlehaven), D. Gore (Kilmacabea), K. O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers), M. Buckley (Sam Maguires).
S. Minihane (Ilen Rovers) for J. McCarthy (inj.), 24; G. O’Donoghue (Ballincollig) for Ryan, 43; S. Ryan (Ballinascarthy) for Foley, ,47; S. O’Sullivan (Mitchelstown) for O’Gorman, 49; S. O’Driscoll (Glanmire) for Maguire, 56.
J. Dolan (Fethard), J. Harney (Moyle Rovers), P. Feehan (Killenaule), J. Flannery (Galtee Rovers), C. English (Fr. Sheehy’s), D. Brennan (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), S. Nolan (Drom & Inch), C. Cashman (Cahir), B. Hyland (Fr. Sheehy’s), R. Lambe (Clonmel Commercials), C. Bolland (Clonmel Commercials), D. Egan (Galtee Rovers), J. Lyons (Grangemockler-Ballyneale), M. Barlow (Ardfinnan), A. English (Ballyporeen).
S. Ryan (Galtee Rovers) for Barlow, 35; S. Quinlan (JK Brackens) for A. English, 50; C. Murphy (Thurles Sarsfields) for D. Egan, 55; C. Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials) for Hyland, 60.
B. Kelly (Clare).
- We had the embarrassing spectacle wherein umpires couldn’t tell if a ball went over the bar, something which now happens with such regularity, it is almost expected.
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