Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Tipperary 2-22 Cork 1-21

By Shane Brophy at FBD Semple Stadium

Tipperary cemented their place at the top of the National Hurling League Division 1A with a four point win over great rivals Cork on Saturday night.

Played in front of a crowd of 11,357, it was the visitors’ who made the brighter start going into a three points to one lead before Tipp scored the first goal in the fourth minute with Jake Morris running onto an Alan Tynan pass and fired to the net from 21-yards.

Darragh McCarthy was to the fore for Tipp in the opening half, with his first of five points from play before Cork goaled through Brian Hayes on eight minutes after being played in by Shane Barrett.

Cork were the more threatening in the early going and stretched into a three point lead on two occasions with Cormac O’Brien and Robbie O’Flynn getting notable scores while Shane Barrett forced a good save out of Barry Hogan.

Tipp were working hard and were rewarded with four points on the bounce, all from McCarthy to retake the lead in the 21^st minute. From there to half time it was more or less score for score with Tipp forcing more turnovers, but Cork were still able to work good points from Micheal Mullins and O’Flynn while Jason Forde scored two for Tipp with McCarthy bringing his tally in the half to eight in total with the best of his points from play for a slender 1-12 to 1-11 half time advantage.

Tipp pushed on at the start of the second half and opened up a four point lead with Gearoid O’Connor and Forde adding to their tallies before Cork came roaring back with inspirational leader Patrick Horgan making an immediate impact off the bench, from play and winning frees, to draw level on 54 minutes at 1-17 each.

Tipp were under the cosh but weathered the storm, responding with three points in a row from Willie Connors, man of the match Ronan Maher, and Craig Morgan, before Morgan played in sub Dylan Walsh for Tipp’s second goal on 59 minutes to go six clear.

It was a winning lead, embellished by points from sub Oisin O’Donoghue and a 10th point from Darragh McCarthy, with Cork pushing hard with Shane Barrett and Brian Hayes forcing good saves out of Barry Hogan but Tipp held on for a deserved victory.

Scorers for Tipperary: Darragh McCarthy 0-10 (5fs), Jake Morris 1-1, Jason Forde, Gearoid O’Connor 0-3 each, Dylan Walsh 1-0, Ronan Maher (free), Craig Morgan, Willie Connors, Alan Tynan, Oisin O’Donoghue 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cork: Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-11 (6fs, 1 65), Patrick Horgan 0-3 (1f), Brian Hayes 1-0, Robbie O’Flynn 0-2, Micheal Mullins, Jack O’Connor, Cormac O’Brien, Shane Barrett, Diarmuid Healy 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Eoghan Connolly, Michael Breen, Robert Doyle; Joe Caesar, Ronan Maher, Bryan O’Mara; Craig Morgan, Willie Connors; Gearoid O’Connor, Alan Tynan, Jake Morris; Sean Kenneally, Jason Forde, Darragh McCarthy.

Subs: Dylan Walsh for Kenneally (HT); Oisin O’Donoghue for Connors (55); Michael Corcoran for O’Mara (56); John McGrath for Forde (67); Noel McGrath for O’Connor (70).

Cork: Patrick Collins; Ger Millerick, Eoin Downey, Niall O’Leary; Micheal Mullins, Ciaran Joyce, Cormac O’Brien; Tim O’Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Ethan Twomey, Shane Barrett, Robbie O’Flynn; Jack O’Connor, Brian Hayes, Robbie Cotter.

Subs: Patrick Horgan for Cotter (46); Diarmuid Healy for O’Flynn (47); Luke Meade for O’Mahony (49); Jack Cahalane for O’Connor (55); Brian Roche for Twomey (64).

Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway)