Cork cruise past Tipperary to claim Munster Under-21 hurling title

Goals from Robbie O’Flynn and Jack O’Connor help to end Tipperary hopes

Cork’s Jack O’Connor celebrates scoring a goal during the Munster  Under-21 final win over Tipperary at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork. Photograph: Tommy Dickson/inpho
Cork’s Jack O’Connor celebrates scoring a goal during the Munster Under-21 final win over Tipperary at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork. Photograph: Tommy Dickson/inpho

Cork 2-23 Tipperary 1-13

Cork swept to their first Munster Under-21 hurling title in 11 years and their 19th in all with a surprisingly comfortable win over Tipperary at Páirc Uí Chaoimh this evening.

They led by 1-12 to 0-5 at half-time. Goalkeeper Ger Collins saved brilliantly from Darragh Woods's fourth-minute penalty and the home side took over after that to the delight of the majority of the 6,732 attendance.

Tim O’Mahony set-up Robbie O’Flynn for a well-taken goal after 15 minutes and Cork kept the scoreboard ticking along to be well in control despite losing senior star Darragh Fitzgibbon to illness during the half.

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Any hope of a Tipperary revival disappeared with a couple of minutes of the restart, when Declan Dalton sent Jack O'Connor clear to finish sweetly for Cork's second goal.

Cork's other senior players, man-of-the-match Mark Coleman and captain Shane Kingston, contributed handsomely to the success.

Jerome Cahill grabbed a consolation goal for Tipp in injury-time.

Cork: G Collins; S Smyth, D Griffin, N O'Leary; B Hennessy, E Murphy (0-1), D Lowney; M Coleman (0-3, 1 sideline, 1 free), D Fitzgibbon; R O'Flynn (1-1), D Dalton (0-7, S Kingston, captain, (0-4); J O'Connor (1-2), T O'Mahony (0-1), L Healy (0-2). Subs: C Cahalane (0-1) for Fitzgibbon, injured, 22 mins, D Connery for Smyth, 45 mins, A Myers (0-1) for O'Flynn injured 55 mins, C O'Leary for Dalton and M O'Halloran for Healy, both 57 mins.

TIPPERARY: C Barrett; P Campion, B McGrath, K O'Dwyer; C Flanagan, P Cadell, D Quirke; G Browne (0-4), C English, captain; J Cahill (1-1), P Feehan, M Kehoe; D Gleeson, J Morris (0-1), D Woods (0-2). Subs: C Morgan for Campion 24 mins, C Darcy for Woods and L Fairbrother (0-5, four frees, 1'65) for Gleeson, both half-time, S Neville for English, 44 mins, C Stakelum for Kehoe 53 mins. Referee: J Murphy (Limerick)