Munster Senior Hurling Championship

CORK 4-30 TIPPERARY 1-21

By Shane Brophy at FBD Semple Stadium

Cork backed up their impressive victory over Limerick has they handed an eighteen point beating to great rivals Tipperary to keep their Munster Championship hopes alive on Sunday.

Full forward Alan Connolly scored a hat-trick as they outscored Tipp 3-15 to 0-9 in the second half to stay in the hunt to qualify for the All-Ireland series.

Their win came despite the home side getting off to the perfect start with Mark Kehoe goaling after just eighteen seconds after Conor Bowe’s incision opened up the Cork defence.

Cork’s response was impressive through, led by Darragh Fitzgibbon, as the sides went point for point for much of the first half in sweltering conditions.

Tipp were almost in for a second goal when Mark Kehoe was fouled just outside the square, but the referee adjudged it wasn’t a black-card penalty with Jason Forde converting the free.

Cork’s mobility was already causing problems with Patrick Horgan (2), Shane Barrett (2) and Alan Connolly on target before Barrett nudged the visit into a tenth minute lead.

Gearoid O’Connor and Darragh Stakelum added their names to the Tipp scoresheet, but Cork were always moving better with Darragh Fitzgibbon and Declan Dalton nudging them 0-12 to 1-7 ahead on twenty minutes.

Under pressure, Tipp responded with three points in a row from Noel McGrath, Forde, and Alan Tynan to retake the lead and they went two clear on thirty minutes following a superb Jake Morris score, his second.

Shortly after, a collision between Ronan Maher and Ethan Twomey saw both forced off for treatment and the loss of the Tipp centre-back was keenly felt as Seamus Harnedy and Brian Hayes pointed before Alan Connolly buried a shot to the roof of the net right on half time for a 1-15 to 1-12 lead.

The sides traded the opening four scores of the second half to suggest the game would remain tight but a mistake from a short puckout led to Alan Connolly scoring his second goal on 41 minutes.

Tipp responded well with points from Ronan Maher (free) and Conor Bowe but Connolly’s hat-trick goal on 47 minutes following a flowing handpassing move through the middle broke Tipp’s spirit.

From there on it was a procession with sub Shane Kingston landing four points in succession not long after coming on with Patrick Horgan putting the tin hat on the win with Cork’s fourth goal on 61 minutes.

Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 1-9 (0-5 frees); Alan Connolly 3-1; Shane Kingston 0-4; Darragh Fitzgibbon, Seamus Harnedy 0-3 each; Brian Hayes, Robert Downey, Shane Barrett 0-2 each; Niall O’Leary, Declan Dalton, Luke Meade, Conor Lehane 0-1 each.

Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 0-5 (3 frees); Jake Morris, John McGrath (frees) 0-3 each; Mark Kehoe 1-0; Gearoid O’Connor, Noel McGrath, Darragh Stakelum 0-2 each; Ronan Maher (free), Conor Bowe, Alan Tynan, Sean Hayes 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Cathal Barrett, Michael Breen, Craig Morgan; Bryan O’Mara, Ronan Maher, Conor Bowe; Alan Tynan, Alan Tynan, Eoghan Connolly, Noel McGrath, Jason Forde, Gearoid O’Connor; Jake Morris, Mark Kehoe, Darragh Stakelum.

Subs: Paddy Cadell for R Maher (32-HT blood); Conor Stakelum for Connolly (HT); Dan McCormack for Barrett (41 inj); John McGrath for Forde (43); Patrick Maher for D Stakelum (48); Sean Hayes for O’Connor (56).

Cork: Patrick Collins; Eoin Downey, Sean O’Donoghue, Niall O’Leary; Tim O’Mahony, Robert Downey, Mark Coleman; Ethan Twomey, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Declan Dalton, Shane Barrett, Seamus Harnedy; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes.

Subs: Luke Meade for Twomey (32 blood); Shane Kingston for Dalton (45); Ger Mellerick for O’Donoghue (48 blood); Luke Meade for Barrett (62); Tommy O’Connell for Fitzgibbon (65); Sean Twomey for Connolly (67).

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)