Cork power into League decider
22/04/2012 - 19:18:14
Cork 1-25 Tipperary 2-15
Cork and Kilkenny will meet in the NFL Division One final, thanks to a rousing Rebel display at Semple Stadium.
The final scoreline does little justice to the contribution of Tipperary to a memorable encounter.
The sides were level on no less than 10 occasions, and it was Tipp who held a two points lead going into the final 13 minutes.
But they were blown away by a rampant Cork side in the closing stages, Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s men hitting 1-7 to a single point in return in a storming finale.
The Premier county were looking good to go through when Brian O’Meara and Eoin Kelly smacked home second half goals, but a Luke O’Farrell goal sparked Cork’s late flourish and with Eoin Cadogan putting in a towering defensive performance, they won with plenty to spare in the end.
Cork looked sharp in the opening stages, with Patrick Horgan adding to early scores from John Gardiner and William Egan.
Three Pa Bourke points, two of them from frees, had the sides level on 0-3 each by the tenth minute, but it was Cork, with Cadogan, Egan and Gardiner powering their challenge, who looked the more potent side in the opening quarter.
Niall McCarthy fired over a wonderful score after Pa Cronin had displayed exceptional ball-winning qualities, and a Horgan free made it 0-5 to 0-3.
Tipp responded with Shane Bourke firing in a shot which goalkeeper Donal Og Cusack deflected over the bar.
But Cusack’s game was over by the 15th minute after he picked up an injury while clearing in his goalmouth, Anthony Nash making an unexpected appearance off the bench.
Horgan knocked over his third score, and when Paudie O’Sullivan tagged on another Cork point, they led by three.
But Tipperary countered with intent, with James Woodlock steering over a long range effort, and setting up another for the accurate Bourke, who also converted another free to make it 0-7 each on 25 minutes.
Bourke’s fifth score had Tipperary back in front, but only briefly, for Horgan levelled the scores for the fifth time, before Egan steered over a long range free to make it 0-9 to 0-8.
A wonderful Niall McCarthy score pushed Cork two ahead, but in stoppage time, Brian O’Meara narrowed the gap, and won the free from which Bourke sent the sides in level on 0-10 each.
Horgan and Luke O’Farrell tagged on further points as Cork eased into a two points lead early in the second half, and substitute goalkeeper Anthony Nash powered over a long range free.
But in the 46th minute, Brian O’Meara used his strength and power to bustle his way past two defenders and blast the ball to the net.
But Cork, with Horgan, Egan and O’Farrell all on target, kept their noses in front, until substitute Eoin Kelly drilled a 20 metre free direct to the net.
Tipp were clinging on to a two points lead when O’Farrell broke away on the left to arrow an angled shot to the net for a magnificent 57th minute goal, a score that effectively killed off the Premier county’s title challenge.
Cork scored at will in the closing stages, with substitutes Conor Lehane and Darren Sweetnam and Horgan leading the Rebels to glory, while the brilliant Cadogan continued to deliver an exhibition of defending.
Cork scorers: L O’Farrell 1-2, P Horgan 0-9 (6f), N McCarthy, W Egan (2f) 0-3 each, P Cronin, C Lehane 0-2 each, J Gardiner, P O’Sullivan, D Sweetnam, A Nash 0-1 each.
Tipperary scorers: B O’Meara 1-2, E Kelly 1-1 (1-1f), P Bourke 0-7 (5f), J Woodlock, G Ryan, N McGrath, S Bourke, J O’Brien 0-1 each
Tipperary: B Cummins, C O'Brien, Padraic Maher, M Cahill, T Stapleton. C O'Mahony, D Young, B Maher, J Woodlock, G Ryan, N McGrath, P Bourke, S Bourke, B O'Meara, J O’Brien.
Subs: S Maher for Young, E Kelly for S Bourke, S McGrath for B Maher, S Curran for Woodlock, J O’Neill for N McGrath
Cork: D Og Cusack, S O'Neill, S McDonnell, C O'Sullivan, S O hAilpín, E Cadogan, W Egan, J Gardiner, L McLoughlin, J Coughlan, P Cronin, N McCarthy, L O'Farrell, P O'Sullivan, P Horgan.
Subs: A Nash for Cusack, J Kenny for O hAilpin, C Lehane for Coughlan, D Sweetnam for McCarthy, C McCarthy for McLoughlin
Referee: M Wadding (Waterford).
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