Therese O’Callaghan

A comfortable victory for Cork in the quarter-final of the EirGrid Munster U20 football championship at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday.

Ahead by eight points at the break, they maintained that same advantage to the three-quarter mark. And in front of an attendance of 1,161, they pulled away in the closing stages kicking 1-5 without reply. They will have home venue again next Friday when they meet Clare in the semi-final.

Aided by the wind, Cork led 0-11 to 0-3 at half-time. It was a point apiece early on, but a run of unanswered points from Matthew Bradley Tadhg Corkery and Damien Gore opened up a 0-4 to 0-1 lead.

Tipperary had plenty of possession, but their finishing let them down. Riain Quigley rifled over a free and when Conal Kennedy pointed, they trailed 0-3 to 0-5 on 20 minutes. However, that was to be their final score of the half.

The home side closed out impressively kicking six points within an eight-minute spell. Chris Óg Jones and Bradley sharing nine first-half points between them.

Cork lined out with target man Mark Keane at the edge of the square, and despite Tipperary pulling their captain Jack Harney back as an extra defender, Cork were eight points to the good at the short whistle.

And that advantage could have been greater as Keane, after winning a great ball, blasted wide in the 17th minute, while Jones forced Tipperary goalkeeper Kian Quinn to pull off a brilliant save two minutes from half-time.

The visitors started the second-half strongly, half-time substitute Jack Delahunty landed a brace of quickfire points. When he scored a third point, the margin was down to six, 0-13 to 0-7.

But, that was as good as it got for the Premier County. When Cork found their stride, they started to take their scores with ease. Management emptied their bench to good effect too. Cillian Myers Murray bagged the only goal of the game in stoppage time, while Sean Walsh registered three great points.

Tipperary played the last 12 minutes plus stoppage with 14 players after John Lyons received a black card after they had used all six substitutes.

Scorers for Cork: C Óg Jones (0-6, 0-2 45, 0-1 free), C Myers Murray (1-1), M Bradley (0-4, 0-2 frees), S Walsh (0-3), T Corkery and D Gore (0-2 each), A Browne and C Maguire (0-1 each).

Scorers for Tipperary: J Delahunty (0-3), C Kennedy (0-2), R Quigley (free), R Lambe and B Fitzpatrick (0-1 each).

Cork: I Giltinan (Carrigaline); N Walsh (Douglas), B Murphy (Nemo Rangers), L O’Donovan (Capt, Clonakilty); T Corkery (Cill na Martra), A Browne (Newmarket), T Linehan (St Michael’s); M Shanley (Clonakilty), J Ryan (Ballymartle); M Keane (Mitchelstown), C O’Callaghan (Éire Óg), C Maguire (Castlehaven); C Óg Jones (Iveleary), M Bradley (Aghabullogue), D Gore (Kilmacabea).

Subs: C Murray Myers (St Finbarr’s) for J Ryan (41), S Walsh (Mitchelstown) for C Maguire (47), C Barrett (St Finbarrs) for M Bradley (47), S O’Sullivan (Mitchelstown) for T Linehan (50 inj), M Cronin (Nemo Rangers) for C Óg Jones (51), D Shorten (Ballingeary) for M Shanley (54 inj).

Tipperary: K Quinn (Kilsheelan-Kilcash); G Whelan (Ardfinnan) D Carew (Upperchurch-Drombane), C Bonnar (Cashel King Cormacs); D O’Leary (Ardfinnan), D Egan (Galtee Rovers), G Ryan (Clonmel Commercials); B Hyland (Fr Sheehys), C O’Sullivan (Clonmel Commercials); R Quigley (Moyle Rovers), J Harney (Capt, Moyle Rovers), D Brennan (Kilsheelan-Kilcash); C Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), D O’Meara (Kiladangan), R Lambe (Clonmel Commercials).

Subs: E McBride (JK Brackens) for C Bonnar (23), J Delahunty (Newport) for D O’Leary (half-time), J Lyons (Grangemockler-Ballyneale) for R Lambe (42), L Meaghar (Killenaule) for R Quigley (44), S Grogan (Cahir) for C O’Sullivan (47), B Fitzpatrick (Cashel King Cormacs) for B Hyland (47). (J Lyons BC 48).

Referee: Padraig O’Sullivan (Kerry).