Cork 0-21 Tipperary 1-10NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE/Semi Final: It's hard to know whether Cork or Tipperary got the louder wake-up call when the holders came steaming up on the rails going into the final quarter of yesterday's Allianz National Hurling League quarter-final before around 12,000 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. With his hospital-sized injury list, Nicky English must have gulped as his team rattled off 1-6 with just a point in reply to trail by just five with as many minutes left.
But the Tipperary manager needn't have worried and the nightmare vision of a big match two weeks before meeting Clare in the championship faded. Cork rallied with an 80-metre free from Diarmuid O'Sullivan to close out the match for an eight-point victory and a place in next month's NHL final.
The win was thoroughly deserved and the final margin if anything under-represented the winners' superiority. It was a turnaround from the teams' meeting two weeks previously when Tipperary's comeback pipped Cork at the post. This time the home side got on top early and had too much in the bank by the time the late demands were made on them.
The winners' improvements were easy to identify. The defence was strengthened by the return of Diarmuid O'Sullivan at full back. He had one of his customarily dominant days, unchallenged in the air by Eugene O'Neill and even John Carroll when he was tried on the square and bursting out to launch those soaring clearances.
Around him the other backs were tighter than a fortnight ago. Fergal Ryan was excellent in the left corner, mopping up a pile of ball, clearing well and thundering off on well-judged counter-attacking solos.
As important at the other end was the decent quality of finishing with Jerry O'Connor pre-eminent, scoring six points and registering only one wide.
The younger forwards also caught the eye. Kieran Murphy and Niall McCarthy divided five points from play between them and were earnest and enthusiastic around the half-forward line.
Tipperary, already suffering from injury withdrawals, had to field without Brian O'Meara. Their response to the absence of one third of the All-Ireland winning team and poor weather conditions was lukewarm at best.
Defence looked sluggish as Cork plugged away and took scores well. Centrefield was more of an even contest.
Alan Cummins and John Gardiner showed some good touches for Cork but Noel Morris covered well for Tipperary, as Tommy Dunne was visibly playing himself back into the swing of things.
Tipperary couldn't get a grip on the half-forward line as Derek Barrett, John Browne (despite the odd ropey moment) and Sean Ó hAilpin were well on top, for the first half anyway. After the break Lar Corbett was more prominent - he could have had a goal in the 19th minute but flashed a chance wide at speed - as Cork's attention began to wander.
It was hard to blame them. Their succession of neatly-taken points gave a half-time lead of 0-10 to 0-3 and it was impossible to envisage the match finishing up with Tipp any closer. That's how matters progressed.
Despite scoring the first point, the holders proceeded to concede seven without reply.
It could have been worse. In the 38th minute Brendan Cummins made a reflex save from a Jerry O'Connor snap shot and three minutes later Philip Maher scrambled off the line after Ben O'Connor pulled a loose ball past Cummins in a goalmouth scramble.
Despite this it was noticeable that Tipperary's half backs were getting out a bit easily as the match wore on. Trailing by 0-17 to 0-4, they got the revival under way with a couple of frees from Eoin Kelly.
Eugene O'Neill had a half-chance in the square but it fell awkwardly for him and in the 59th minute Kelly's low-hit free skidded all the way to the net.
Eventually - at 0-18 to 1-10 - Cork decided enough was enough and their insurance scores included O'Sullivan's long-range free and a 50-metre sideline cut from substitute Pat Ryan. Ben O'Connor nearly got in for a goal at the end, dribbling around Cummins only for Micheal Ryan to clear off the line. O'Connor got the last point of the afternoon as consolation.
CORK: D Cusack; W Sherlock (capt.), D O'Sullivan (0-1, a free), F Ryan; D Barrett, J Browne, S Ó hAilpin; A Cummins, J Gardiner (0-2); J O'Connor (0-6), K Murphy (0-2), N McCarthy (0-3); B O'Connor (0-6, three frees, one 65), A Browne, E Collins. Subs: P Mulcahy for J Browne (50 mins), S McGrath for Collins (53 mins), P Ryan for Cummins (0-1, a sideline; 60 mins), N Ronan for McCarthy (64 mins).
TIPPERARY: B Cummins; T Costello, P Maher, J Devane; B Dunne, D Kennedy, P Kelly; T Dunne (capt.), N Morris; J Enright, J Carroll (0-1), L Corbett (0-2); L Cahill (0-1), E O'Neill (0-2), E Kelly (1-3, 1-2 from frees). Subs: M Ryan for Costello (half-time), C Gleeson for Carroll (half-time), P O'Brien for Enright (half-time), S Butler for Cahill (47 mins).
Referee: D Murphy (Wexford).
Tipperary player Brian O'Meara suffered a bereavement when his father John passed away over the weekend. A minute's silence was observed before the match.
