Hurley hat-trick helps Cork coast into McGrath Cup final

Cork 3-19 Tipperary 0-14

A hat-trick of goals from Michael Hurley highlighted Cork's progress to the McGrath Cup final after a big win over Tipperary in Mallow on Thursday night.

All his goals came in the first half as Cork turned around 3-11 to 0-5 in front having blitzed the visitors with their speed and finishing ability.

Dynamic wing back Cian Kiely and Stephen Sherlock supplemented Hurley's scoring exploits.

Limerick inflict another defeat on Tipperary in Munster Hurling League

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Clayton happy to be a part of another Ballyboden adventure

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Tipp were more competitive in the second half, but Cork’s victory was never in doubt.

CORK: J Creedon; S Hickey, S Wilson, S Ryan; T Corkery, S Meehan, C Kiely (0-3); B Hartnett (0-1), T Clancy; C Barrett (0-1), M Collins, P O'Driscoll (0-1); C Dorgan (0-2, two frees), S Sherlock (0-3), M Hurley (3-4).

Subs: C O'Callaghan for Clancy, R Harkin (0-2) for Sherlock, J O'Rourke (0-1) for Collins (all half-time); S Fitzgerald for Hurley and L O'Donovan (0-1)for Ryan (both 50 mins).

TIPPERARY: E Comerford; L Fahey, G Whelan, J Harney; M Kehoe, R Kiely, D Leahy; S O'Brien, J Nyland; J Lonergan (0-2), A Moloney (0-1), L Treacy; L Boland (0-7, six frees), S O'Connor (0-3 frees), R Quigley.

Subs: D Carew for Whelan and C Kennedy (0-1) for Leahy, half-time, D McEnroe for Quigley, M Stokes for Treacy, J Keane for Moloney 53

Referee: B Griffin (Kerry).

Waterford 0-10 Limerick 2-10

An injury-time goal from debutant Gerard Stack fired 14-man Limerick past Waterford and into a McGrath Cup final with Cork on January 11th.

In front of a tiny crowd of 187 at Fraher Field, Stack delivered 1-2, Danny Neville netted on 32 minutes and goalkeeper Donal O’Sullivan nailed two dead balls in the first half.

Billy Lee’s charges enjoyed an eight-point advantage at the break. They went 25 minutes without a score in the second half however and lost Josh Ryan to a straight red before points from Cillian Fahy, Jamie Lee and Séamus O’Carroll lifted the siege.

Waterford, spurred on by Jason Curry, Darragh Corcoran and Michael Kiely, closed to within a single point after a storming second-half comeback as the hosts struck seven unanswered points. They squandered five dead-ball chances however and ended the game on 11 wides.

A depleted Déise only had 18 players available. Darach Ó Cathasaigh, Aaron Jones, Robbie Flynn, Niall McSweeney, James Beresford and Adam O’Sullivan all got their first taste of senior football.

WATERFORD: P Hunt; A Jones, D O Cathasaigh, R Flynn; D Corcoran (0-2), S O'Donovan, M Kiely (0-1); M Curry, J Gleeson; S Curry, J Curry (0-5, three frees), D Guiry; E O'Brien, B Lynch (0-2), D Fitzgerald.

Subs: N McSweeney for Fitzgerald (61), J Beresford for Kiely (61), A O'Sullivan for O'Brien (64).

LIMERICK: D O'Sullivan (0-2, one free, one 45); D O'Doherty, G Noonan (0-1), M Donovan; T McCarthy, I Corbett, B Childs; J Ryan, A Enright; R Glynn (0-1), J Lee (0-1, free), G Stack (1-2); P Scanlan (0-1), D Neville (1-0), K Daly.

Subs: C Fahy (0-1) for McCarthy (h/t), T Griffin for Enright, S O'Carroll (0-1) for Daly (both 47 mins ), P De Bruin for Glynn (52), L Murphy for Childs (58).

Referee: S Lonergan (Tipperary).