Tipperary show their class to earn first win in Cork for seven years
Tipperary claimed their first win over Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in seven years but perhaps, more importantly, their first victory in Munster since 2016 in front of a 30,274 crowd.
Twelve of the visiting starting team scored as their movement and work ethic compensated for some poor discipline at the back. John McGrath’s 50th-minute goal to put Tipperary eight points up typified their class, the sharp John O’Dwyer finding him.
O’Dwyer helped himself to seven points but a Seamus Harnedy goal five minutes from the end of normal time threatened to undo all their good work. It brought Cork to within four points but O’Dwyer responded and three more points followed to ease Tipperary’s worries.
Cork had some free claims go unnoticed in the closing stages which might have made things more interesting but in the end their efforts at goal were more for the benefit of their Munster campaign and scoring difference than catching Tipperary.
An at times electric first half ended 1-13 to 0-15 in Tipperary’s favour but that did not tell the full story of their brilliant start, their recovery towards the end, their missed penalty or Cork’s purple patch in the middle of the half when they scored six points without reply.
Callanan pounced for a goal in the third minute when he arrowed in from the right and shot low. But for Pat Horgan’s marksmanship and Tipperary’s indiscipline, they could have put clear distance between themselves and Cork but were as much as six points ahead.
Cork’s touch was poor at times and they were slow to react as Noel McGrath, O’Dwyer and Callanan found themselves in too much space.
John McGrath and Patrick Maher also had goal opportunities snuffed out before Cork finally reached the pitch, Horgan’s 20th minute free the first of six points on the bounce. Conor Lehane, so shaky at times early on, helped himself to two of them, one an intercept of Brian Hogan’s puck-out.
Tipperary looked to break that rhythm in the 26th minute when Jason Forde stepped up to take a penalty after Niall O’Leary fouled Niall O’Meara as he unwinded for a shot in the area. However, Forde’s shot was saved by Anthony Nash and they had to wait another three minutes to break their barren spell via O’Dwyer.
Lehane added a third on the hour mark to put Cork ahead for a third time but Tipperary finished the half the better with scores from Forde (free), Pádraic Maher and Callanan who ended the period with 1-3.
Scorers for Cork: P. Horgan (0-14, 10 frees); S. Harnedy (1-2); C. Lehane, S. Kingston (0-3 each); R. O’Flynn, T. O’Mahony (0-1 each).
Scorers for Tipperary: S. Callanan (1-4); J. O’Dwyer (0-7); J. Forde (0-5, 3 frees), J. McGrath (1-1); N. McGrath (0-4, 1 65); B. Maher (0-2), M. Breen, Pádraic Maher, N. O’Meara, Patrick Maher, R. Maher (0-1 each).
CORK: A. Nash; S. O’Donoghue, E. Cadogan, N. O’Leary; C. Joyce, T. O’Mahony, M. Coleman; D. Fitzgibbon, L. Meade; R. O’Flynn, S. Harnedy (c), D. Kearney; C. Lehane, S. Kingston, P. Horgan.
Subs for Cork: D. Cahalane for C. Joyce (45); A. Walsh for R. O’Flynn (60); D. Dalton for D. Kearney (65); J. O’Connor for S. Kingston (69).
TIPPERARY: B. Hogan; C. Barrett, J. Barry, S. O’Brien; B. Maher, Pádraic Maher, R. Maher; N. McGrath, M. Breen; N. O’Meara, J. O’Dwyer, Patrick Maher; J. McGrath, S. Callanan (c), J. Forde.
Subs for Tipperary: D. McCormack for M. Breen (49); J. Morris for J. Forde (55); W. Connors for N. O’Meara (inj 63); M. Kehoe for Patrick Maher (66); C. Darcy for N. McGrath (70).
Referee: S. Cleere (Kilkenny).
