Tipperary's chances of qualifying for the play-off matches of the league vanished as quickly as the pre-match blizzard in Pairc Ui Rinn, but to their credit, it was not without a spirited second-half performance which warmed the blood of the previously-frozen attendance of some 7,000 hardy souls.

Having conceded two goals in the opening 10 minutes Tipperary managed to fight their way back into the match with a goal just before the break and they then staged a vigorous attempt to claim the points which would have preserved their hopes of advancement. At the end they were a mere point adrift as Cork held grimly to their advantage and in turn preserved their hopes of gaining a play-off place. That Tipperary did not benefit from their fightback can be attributed mainly to the fact that the ageless Ger Cunningham in the Cork goal was at his peak as a shot stopper.

Twice in the first half he frustrated Tipperary efforts and then, as they struggled for a match-winning score in the second half, he smothered yet another Tipperary effort as the home team held on grimly to their narrow and uncertain lead.

Apart from those early goals - one after only 28 seconds by Alan Browne - and the other a freakish "own goal" - Cork were in control, or so it seemed.

Leading 2-6 to 0-5 with half-time beckoning, they looked comfortable. Then an area of the Tipperary team which had not functioned all that well up until then suddenly sprang to life. Eugene O'Neill found Michael Kennedy with a shrewd pass and the latter drove the ball to the net to cut what seemed an emphatic lead to a mere four points at the break.

A point by Barry Egan in the opening minutes of the second half appeared to confirm Cork's mastery of the situation, but as Tipperary swung back into attack a shot by O'Neill for goal was blocked only for Paul Kelly to drive the rebound home to make the score 2-7 to 2-5.

From then on the crowd of some 7,000 paying customers were given their money's worth and right to the very end the league points were very much in the balance.

It is only right to record the goals which dictated the trend of the match - namely those two early scores by Cork. The first by Browne came before the crowd had settled down after a fierce hail storm had swept across the pitch. The second arrived when a Joe Deane free hit the Tipperary woodwork and rebounded again from the foot of the hapless Noel Keane, a late replacement at full back for the injured Conor Gleeson.

Tipperary's riposte came in the 27th minute through Kennedy and their second cut the margin to two points soon after the break.

Cunningham had earlier shown that his alertness has in no way been diminished. He snapped up a goalbound shot from John Enright like a man plucking an apple from a tree and then deflected an angled drive by Paul Kelly for a 65.

There were positive moments for both teams in an interesting although never spectacular match. Cunningham apart, Cork were splendidly served by Diarmuid O'Sullivan at corner back, Brian Corcoran at centre half-back, and Sean Og O hAilpin on his left. In the attack Fergal McCormack was a lively tormentor of the Tipperary defence as indeed were Barry Egan and Joe Deane, while Alan Browne did well in the first half.

For Tipperary, Noel Keane, after a shaky start, and his left-hand man Michael Ryan were sound in defence, and Colm Bonnar contributed significantly as well. In attack it was Eugene O'Neill who contributed most to their spirited fightback, while Michael Kennedy and Paul Kelly as well as John Enright also contributed significantly.

Cork: G Cunningham; F Ryan, J Browne, D O'Sullivan; M Landers, B Corcoran, S Og O hAilpin; P Ryan (0-2, frees), M Daly; B O'Driscoll, F Mc- Cormack (0-2), B Egan (0-2); S McGrath, A Browne (1-1), J Deane (1-4, goal and point from frees). Subs: M O'Connell for O'Driscoll, 39 mins; A Walsh for Daly, 42 mins.

Tipperary: B Cummins; W Hickey, N Keane, M Ryan; B Horgan, Colm Bonnar, Conal Bonnar; R Ryan (0-1, free), L McGrath; L Cahill, D Ryan (0- 1), P Kelly (0-2); J Enright (0-1), E O'Neill (0-5, one 65, three frees), M Kennedy (1-0). Subs: T Dunne for R Ryan, 38 mins; G Flanagan for Conal Bonnar, 58 mins.

Referee: A MacSuibhne (Dublin).