Allianz HL D1A: Cork defeat Tipp

Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Cork 0-29 Tipperary 0-22

By Stephen Barry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Both sides finished with 14 men as Cork put All-Ireland final heartbreak out of their minds with a seven-point victory over Tipperary in front of a bumper 30,910 crowd at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Despite a missed penalty, it was the Rebels who moved onto three wins from three, taking a giant step towards securing a league final return.

Connolly’s eight points and seven from Darragh Fitzgibbon, including six from play, were the key tallies. Cork have now won seven consecutive Allianz Hurling League games for the first time since 1953.

From last year’s All-Ireland teams, Ben O’Connor picked 10 established starters and Liam Cahill nine for this February rematch in ideal conditions.

Of the newcomers, William Buckley backed up his man-of-the-match performance against Waterford with three points, while his teenage marker Cathal O’Reilly struck a point at the other end.

There was no sign of a Tipp sweeper here, but Connors often shuttled back to provide a defensive shield. That worked well early on.

The sides traded points in pairs for the opening 15 minutes, with Tipp repeatedly edging ahead and Cork pinning them back. Jake Morris and Andrew Ormond rotated the centre-forward role to each snipe two points.

Half-backs Craig Morgan and Sam O’Farrell gave Tipp their last lead at 0-6 to 0-4. From there, Cork began to get more purchase and reeled off five points in a row, including fine efforts from Buckley and Barrett.

Cork were first to threaten a goal. O’Reilly hooked Buckley, but the corner-forward then picked out Barrett. The speedster was brought down by Johnny Ryan, who was black-carded. Declan Dalton stepped up, but failed to replicate his clinical finish against Waterford as Rhys Shelly made a routine save. Fitzgibbon ensured Cork didn’t leave without a point.

A Connors turnover point and two Forde frees levelled at 0-10 apiece, but Cork would add the next five in succession, with two from Connolly. In total, they won the period with an extra man by 0-6 to 0-4.

When Eoin Downey and Mark Coleman chipped in with white flags, both wing-backs had contributed two points each. Séamus Kennedy completed the set of Tipp half-backs splitting the posts to make the score 0-16 to 0-12. It proved the last score before the break.

Referee Liam Gordon the half-time whistle after dishing out those red cards to Jason Forde and Shane Barrett following a melee.

That was the only real flashpoint as Cork held Tipp at arm’s length until the closing stages. Fitzgibbon and Buckley kept them motoring with a couple of points each.

Tipp called upon Hurler of the Year John McGrath, yet it was Eoghan Connolly who had the greatest bench impact with four long-range frees. He finished as Tipp’s top scorer among 13 different players to raise a white flag.

Substitute Darragh McCarthy brought it back to a one-score game with his 66th-minute free.

However, Connolly sparked a four-point streak to make the points safe. Cork enter a three-week break until they visit Kilkenny on March 1, while Tipp host Limerick in a fortnight.

Scorers for Cork: Alan Connolly 0-8 (4fs); Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-7 (1f); Diarmuid Healy, William Buckey 0-3 each; Eoin Downey, Mark Coleman, Shane Barrett 0-2 each; Brian Hayes, Tim O'Mahony 0-1 each.

Scorers for Tipperary: Eoghan Connolly 0-4 (4f); Jake Morris 0-3 (1f); Willie Connors, Andrew Ormond, Jason Forde (2f), Darragh McCarthy (2f) 0-2 each; Cathal O’Reilly, Sam O’Farrell, Craig Morgan, Séamus Kennedy, Conor Stakelum, Oisín O’Donoghue, Noel McGrath 0-1 each.

Cork: Patrick Collins; Seán O’Donoghue, Dáire O’Leary, Ger Millerick; Eoin Downey, Robert Downey, Mark Coleman; Micheál Mullins, Ethan Twomey; Darragh Fitzgibbon, Shane Barrett, Diarmuid Healy; William Buckley, Declan Dalton, Alan Connolly.

Subs: Cormac O’Brien for Coleman (HT), Tim O’Mahony for Mullins (44), Brian Hayes for Dalton (44), Hugh O’Connor for Twomey (52), Robbie O’Flynn for Buckley (64).

Tipperary: Rhys Shelly; Johnny Ryan, Bryan O’Mara, Cathal O’Reilly; Sam O’Farrell, Craig Morgan, Séamus Kennedy; Willie Connors, Conor Stakelum; Andrew Ormond, Jake Morris, Josh Keller; Darragh Stakelum, Oisín O’Donoghue, Jason Forde.

Subs: John McGrath for D Stakelum (HT), Eoghan Connolly for Kennedy (44), Noel McGrath for Keller (49), Darragh McCarthy for O’Donoghue (56), Paddy McCormack for Ormond (61).

Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway).