Tipp pipped by Cork in high scoring clash

GAA: Allianz Hurling League Division 1A Round 2

 

 

 

Cork               2-24

Tipperary     1-25

 

By Shane Brophy at Pairc Ui Chaoimh

 

The concession of two first half goals proved to be Tipperary’s undoing as they fell to a two point defeat to Cork in a high scoring National Hurling League encounter this evening.

The first half was played at a very lively pace with both teams moving the ball quickly into space. Cork were quickly into their stride with points from Aidan Walsh and Alan Cadogan with Tipp quickly on terms from Mark Kehoe and Alan Flynn before Cork re-established the two point advantage from Damien Cahalane and a Pat Horgan free.

Tipp came again with John McGrath influential on the forty and he pointed before Paddy Cadell landed two long range efforts for the lead on ten minutes just before Cork scored their first goal as Cadogan turned Sean O’Brien and ran on before playing Robbie O’Flynn whose shot beat Brian Hogan at his near post, one he should have saved.

Cork quickly added points from Walsh, Horgan (free) and Cadogan to lead by five after fourteen minutes but ten minutes later, Tipp were level after scoring five unanswered points from Forde (2, 1 free), Kehoe, McGrath and a long range Ronan Maher free.

The game was free-flowing with Cork nudging back in front through the lively Cadogan and thrice more took the lead through Horgan (free), Luke Meade and the troublesome O’Flynn with Tipp responding each time from Forde, Padraic Maher, Kehoe and Jake Morris before Maher nudged Tipp in front in added time.

However, there was time for Cork to hit points from Seamus Harnedy and sub Darragh Fitzgibbon before they struck for a timely goal right on half time as a short Tipp puckout to Ronan Maher saw the full back turned over by Declan Dalton with Robbie O’Flynn running on and was pulled down in the square by Sean O’Brien, conceding a penalty which Patrick Horgan converted for a 2-13 to 0-15 half time lead after a helter-skelter first half.

The pace of play didn’t relent after the break with Cian Darcy getting into the game with two early points before he was forced off with a back injury with captain Seamus Callanan making his first appearance of the season.

Alan Cadogan and Mark Kehoe both scored their fourth from play before Patrick Horgan was on target from a free.

However, Tipperary never wilted with Padraic Maher getting forward for his third from play but almost immediately Robbie O’Flynn responded for Cork. Sub Niall O’Meara got on the scoresheet but each time Tipp scored Cork were able to respond through Horgan but John McGrath and a Jason Forde free brought Tipp within two on 53 minutes.

Cork pushed on again with two more frees from Horgan but Tipp responded again from Forde and Jake Morris, now at midfield. However, points from Horgan, Coleman and the outstanding Darragh Fitzgibbon had Cork four to the good on 67 minutes when Tipp got a lifeline when Mark Kehoe was fouled for a penalty and goalkeeper Brian Hogan nearly burst the net with a blistering shot to cut the margin to one.

Twelve minutes of added time was played after sub John O’Dwyer required lengthy treatment for a head injury and was stretchered from the field. Seamus Harnedy doubled Cork’s lead but Tipp had two chances in tenth minutes of added time but John McGrath and then Seamus Callanan but had shots saved by the impressive Patrick Collins as Cork held on for the two point win.

 

MATCH DIGEST

Man of the Match: Darragh Fitzgibbon (Cork)

SCORERS – Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-9 (8 frees); Robbie O’Flynn 1-3; Alan Cadogan 0-4; Aidan Walsh, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Seamus Harnedy 0-2 each; Damien Cahalane, Luke Meade 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Mark Kehoe, Jason Forde (3 frees) 0-4 each; John McGrath, Padraic Maher, Cian Darcy 0-3 each; Brian Hogan 1-0 pen; Paddy Cadell, Jake Morris 0-2 each; Alan Flynn, Jerome Cahill, Niall O’Meara, Ronan Maher (free) 0-1 each.

 

TEAMS – Cork: Patrick Collins; Colm Spillane, Sean O’Donoghue, Robert Downey; Chris O’Leary, Tom O’Mahony, Damien Cahalane; Bill Cooper, Luke Meade; Robbie O’Flynn, Seamus Harnedy, Aidan Walsh; Alan Cadogan, Declan Dalton, Patrick Horgan.

Subs: Darragh Fitzgibbon for Walsh (22 inj); Mark Coleman for O’Mahony (26 inj); Conor Lehane for Dalton (47); Shane Kingston for Meade (62)

Tipperary: Brian Hogan; Joe O’Dwyer, Ronan Maher, Sean O’Brien; Seamus Kennedy, Padraic Maher, Alan Flynn, Paddy Cadell, Willie Connors; Mark Kehoe, John McGrath, Michael Breen; Jason Forde, Jake Morris, Cian Darcy.

Subs: Jerome Cahill for Cadell (26 inj); Niall O’Meara for Breen (34); Seamus Callanan for Darcy (48 inj); Bryan O’Mara for Kennedy (53); John O’Dwyer for Forde (64); Paul Flynn for John O’Dwyer (70+7 inj).

Referee: James Owens (Wexford)