Tipperary 1-23 Cork 1-23:THIS MATCH had everything but a result and, as it was, Patrick Horgan's late point for Cork leaves matters tantalisingly poised as these two Munster rivals prepare to meet again in the league semi-final on April 22nd.
It will be their third meeting of the year, the first coming in the Crystal Cup before this spellbinding draw. A potential Munster championship clash awaits but on this evidence, familiarity breeds anything but contempt.
Curmudgeons could complain that the scores went zinging over both crossbars a bit too easily and that the match was characterised by a gallantry that can hardly prevail should the sides come together in the summer. But this was the first day of April and it was dry and warm and for 70 minutes both teams produced relentlessly slick and inventive hurling that was thrilling to behold.
From the very beginning, when Pat Horgan set the tone by striking a crisp point after just 15 seconds, the match developed in a way that permitted players from both sides to illustrate the best of their individual gifts.
Whether it was the efficient excellence of Stephen McDonnell in the Cork full-back position or the frightening speed Cathal Naughton advertised down both the Tipperary tramlines during their second-half resurgence or the electrifying potential contained within the slim frame of Conor Lehane, Cork had many reasons to head south happy.
The brightness of their play has enlivened this league and if they came to Thurles with the intention of reminding the Tipperary men there was more to worry about in the world than the team in black and amber, it definitely worked.
Cork might have faded after a ferocious Pa Bourke free provided Tipperary’s only goal in the 38th minute and when Noel McGrath landed a nonchalant point in the 41st, they trailed by 1-17 to 0-16, the first and only time when there was more than one score between the sides. But Lehane’s goal after 55 minutes brought them roaring back into things and restored the end-to-end excitement and nobody in the crowd of 10,151 was complaining at the idea of a rematch in three weeks’ time.
“It doesn’t matter,” said Cork manager Jimmy Barry Murphy cheerfully when asked about playing the Premier men again so soon. “Ahh, you’d probably prefer not to play them again being honest. You’d like a change but if you wanted that we had to win the group. But it is great to be in the semi-final; that is all I am concerned with. That was our aim at the start of the league and so far so good.”
The great St Finbarr’s man is no stranger to the tunnel in Semple Stadium and was in good form here. The spectacle was enjoyable for both managers, with Declan Ryan agreeing that the purpose with which both teams moved the ball and the lightness of touch was a treat to watch.
“We have been working on our game and Cork have perfected that over the years. When it goes well it is great and the couple of times it doesn’t come off it doesn’t look so good. It is probably a high-risk game but we have put up some big scores in our last three games so from that point of view it is working. Maybe we are giving away the odd score too but that is the joys of playing that game.”
Frequent as the rate of point-scoring was, goal chances were thin on the ground during the first half. The best opportunity fell to Brian O’Meara, who found himself one-on-one with Cusack after Pádraic Maher was interrupted on a leisurely solo run through the heartland of the Cork defence and the ball spilled to the Tipperary full-forward. The Kilruane man had seen little ball up to this point and elected to try and bat the ball beyond Cusack but the Cloyne man was out of his nets sharply and suffocated the attempt.
The duel between Pádraic Maher and Lehane was one of the highlights of the first half. Maher’s command of his own sector speaks for himself and Lehane had to go wandering for the 1-2 he produced on half chances.
But Maher was terrific and his support play is exemplary: time and again he was on hand to take a relieving handpass from Michael Cahill or Paul Curran.
His crossfield pass for Pa Bourke’s 48th-minute point was so magically weighted it drew as much applause as the score.
Shane Bourke’s catch and strike in the 45th minute might have been the pick of the bonanza of quality scores and the quick point John Gardiner whipped over seconds after his introduction in the 70th minute gave Cork oxygen when they needed it.
That score made it level again as they game entered injury-time and there was time for one more exchange of scores and it was appropriate that it fell to Horgan to bookend his account with his ninth of the day.
JBM smiled when it was put to him that he would have enjoyed being out there himself. “Might be a bit too fast for me now! My work rate wouldn’t apply nowadays, I don’t think.”
TIPPERARY: B Cummins; D Maher, P Curran, M Cahill; T Stapleton (0-1), C O’Mahony, P Maher (0-1); B Maher, J Woodlock (0-1); G Ryan (0-2), N McGrath (0-5), P Bourke (1-6, 1-0 free, 0-2 frees), S Bourke (0-3), B O’Meara, J O’Brien (0-3). Subs: S McGrath for G Ryan (inj, half-time); E Kelly (0-1) for B O’Meara (40 mins);T Hammersley for N McGrath (inj, 55 mins); J Ryan for J Woodlock (59 mins); A Ryan for B Maher (70 mins).
CORK: D Óg Cusack; S O'Neill, S McDonnell, B Murphy; S Og Ó hAilpín, E Cadogan, W Egan (0-1, f); L McLoughlin, D Sweetman (0-3); C Lehane (1-2), P Cronin (0-1), C Naughton (0-4); J Coughlan (0-2), P O'Sullivan, P Horgan (0-9, 3f). Subs: L O'Farrell for J Coughlan (58 mins); T Kenny for D Sweetman (63 mins); J Gardiner (0-1) for L McLoughlin (69 mins).
Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).
