REACTION: More of the same required ahead of Limerick final showdown

Tipperary boss James Woodlock was delighted with his players after Saturday’s win over Cork

Having blown off the cobwebs across a madcap seven-goal semi-final classic, James Woodlock feels his Tipperary team can hurl with freedom in the All-Ireland minor final against Limerick.

The Premier didn’t score a point between the 32nd and 55th minutes, but three goals from Chris Dunne (two) and Josh Moroney saw them ride out a Cork storm before finishing with a wave of white flags.

“All-Ireland semi-finals are the most difficult of all games to win because there's so much at stake. The final is actually easier to play,” said Woodlock.

“We were a bit rusty starting off. We got the goals when it mattered. We had more to get and didn't take them.

"But Cork had more goals as well and didn't take them. I don't think it was an eight-point game.

“Cork offered so much to it. They attacked us all over. In Thurles, they went with a sweeper and I don't think it suited them. It never suited Cork.

"Today, they came after us really hard and had us in all sorts of bother. It took us a little bit of time to throw off the cobwebs.”While Woodlock noted that Tipp couldn’t have handled the month’s break any better, Cork, backed by two momentum-building wins, arrived sharper onto breaking balls.

“We did struggle on the breaks. There's no doubt about it. We struggled all through.

“It’s an aspect of the game we wouldn't be happy with because we pride ourselves on our work rate and that honesty and endeavour.

“We just couldn't get to the breaks. They were getting there that bit ahead. We spoke about it at half-time, but in the second half, they still hurt us on it.

“We hurt them more once we got the ball inside and when we could get it in quicker. I'm hoping that the rustiness is gone out of us after today and the boys will hurl with freedom.

“Hopefully, we'll be better in two weeks' time because of that.”

Chris Dunne’s close-range free being saved on the line proved a turning point. In response, the Gortnahoe-Glengoole hat-trick hero conjured up the winning contribution.

“I trust him and he came good when we wanted him to,” said Woodlock.

“It just took us time to wear them down. We took wrong decisions. Chris will acknowledge his one was definitely a wrong decision. The momentum switched completely after that for a couple of minutes.

“Once we swung it back, we went after them hard on the inside line. Our forwards rotating all the time really worked, and different scorers inside, different threats.

“There's a nice balance to the team overall. We have fetchers in the air. We have pace. As always, they're never dying. They're not going to give up.”

Woodlock said that bringing Éanna Tucker into a deeper role, scoring four late points, disrupted the defensive cornerstone provided by the impressive Liam O’Regan. With Cork squeezing up, that left space for Tipp to exploit in behind.

“In the first half, we were trying to over-force goals,” said Woodlock. “When they weren't coming off, the boys did change to be fair. They popped a couple of points. But we went back at it in the second half and tried to force a couple.

“We just feel we have the finishers inside. I trust them. They're an attacking team. They make good decisions. I offload that responsibility onto them. Lucky enough, we got the goals.”Woodlock will implement the same approach ahead of the final rematch with Limerick, where his charges will once again face the Treaty on their home patch on Saturday, June 27; having already defeated them on the Ennis Road in the group stages.

“We'll play the game as we've always done. We’ll keep their feet on the ground.

“We have the experience of being there before with them as well, so we’ll make sure they stay well grounded. We’re into a final. Nothing won.”