Winning start for Tipperary in Munster Minor Hurling Championship

Tipperary 1-19 Cork 2-12

James Woodlock’s charges got Tipperary off to the ideal start in the Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship with a four-points win over Cork at rain-drenched FBD Semple Stadium on Thursday night last that was fully deserved, if not without its dodgy moments.

Tipperary were the better team for three quarters of this highly entertaining contest but there will be concern at how an eight-points lead was reduced to two in the five minutes before half-time, with Cork also scoring the first two points of the second half to level inside four minutes. This lapse in concentration will give the management team food for thought but it must be said that that apart, this was a most impressive performance.

Tipperary took Cork apart in the opening twenty minutes to establish a 1-10 to 1-2 lead. They were sharp and aggressive, Cillian Minogue’s goal after seven minutes giving them a 1-3 lead with Cork yet to raise a flag. However, in Cork’s first attack after eight minutes they had a goal from Mark O’Brien, who raced through the heart of the defence virtually unchallenged.

However, Tipp’s reaction was emphatic as they outpointed their rivals seven to two over the next ten minutes, with Stefan Tobin and Euan Murray particularly prominent, and Eoghan Doughan unerring from close-range frees, to establish a 1-10 to 1-2 lead. Even allowing for the fact that Tipp were aided by the breeze and missed three long-range frees, the home fans in the large gathering were in good fettle.

However, in the five minutes to the interval the whole complexion of the game changed. First, Luke Murphy replicated Cork’s earlier goal with a clear run though the middle in the 26th minute. Then Mark O’Brien followed up with a hat-trick of points, two from frees, for a six-point reduction of the Tipp lead (1-11 to 2-6) that brought a hitherto struggling Leeside outfit right into the game.

With the elements to favour them on the changeover, Cork were well-placed to take the honours and when they resumed with points from Luke Murphy and Mark O Brien to level (1-11 to 2-8), Tipp looked in serious trouble. However, with the gun to their heads, Tipperary produced a stirring response with three points in as many minutes from Stefan Tobin (2) and Eoghan Doughan to reassert themselves, 1-14 to 2-8 after 42 minutes.

Tipp suffered a setback when Tobin, who was having a stormer and was a constant threat to Cork, had to retire injured after 45 minutes. But into the breach stepped Aaron Cagney, who whipped over three points in the last quarter to strengthen his case for inclusion in the starting fifteen against Waterford in round two in Dungarvan next Thursday. Cagney signalled his arrival with two points in as many minutes, to which Killian Cantwell added another for a five-points lead with five minutes to play.

Cork reduced it to three by the 57th minute, a timely reminder to Tipp that there was still hurling to be played, but points from Cagney and Doughan had Tipp five clear as the game went into injury time – five minutes of it. Tipp never faltered however, to get their campaign off to the best possible start with a trip to Waterford ( who lost to Clare in their first game) next on the agenda.

Four teams will qualify from Munster for the All-Ireland series, with the top two teams after the round-robin series meeting in the Munster final. Last week’s win has Tipp on the front foot going into the remaining rounds, and while there may be reservations at the manner in which they frittered away an eight-points lead, the response was encouraging and augurs well for the campaign.

After the pre-interval lapses, the defence tightened up considerably with Cathal O’Reilly and Toby Corbett to the fore. But the leaders in the team were up front, where Stefan Tobin and Euan Murray led the way. Aaron Cagney’s contribution from the bench was immense and Cillian Minogue’s 1-2 from play was also critical.

Cork could still have a big say in both the Munster and All-Ireland championships. They have a very physically strong side with players such as Mark O’Brien, Keenan Harrington, Adam Lee, Luke Murphy and Liam Kelleher doing well.

Tipperary: Evan Sherlock (Kiladangan); Cathal O’Reilly (Holycross/Ballycahill), Toby Corbett (Upperchurch/Drombane), Shane Ryan (Killenaule); Jake Donnellan-Houlihan (Nenagh Eire Og), Owen O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Patrick Ryan (Borris-Ileigh); Kieran Rossiter (Durlas Og), Killian Cantwell (Moycarkey-Borris,0-1); Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Euan Murray (Durlas Og, 0-2), Billy O’ Brien (Nenagh Eire Og); Eoghan Doughan (Moneygall, 0-6,6fs), Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swan, 0-5), Cillian Minogue (Durlas Og, 1-2). 

Subs: Tiarnan Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill) for Rossiter (36 mins), Aaron Cagney (St Mary’s, 0-3) for Tobin (45 mins); Darragh O’Hora (Solohead) for O’Brien (48 mins), Jack Cahill (Ballingarry) for Minogue (52 mins), David Ryan (Arravale Rovers) for Cantwell (55 mins).

Cork: Josh Goulding; Keenan Harrington, Cian Denis O’Connor, Liam Kelleher; Kevin Beechnor, Conor Noonan, Dean Cosgrove (0-1); Oisin O’Connell, Jack Hegarty; Michael Brosnan, Mark O’ Brien (1-5, 0-3fs), Luke Murphy (1-1); Adam Lee (0-2), Joe Twohig, Cormac Deane. 

Subs: Jack O’Brien (0-2) for Deane (36 mins), John Murphy (0-1) for O’Connell (36 mins), Cathal Lowney for Cosgrave (42 mins), Fionn Lardner for Lee (49 mins), Peter Barrett for Hegarty (54 mins).

Referee: Seaghan Walsh, Waterford.