Tipp Minor Hurlers unchanged for Waterford clash

GAA: Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship Round 1

Tipperary 1-19

Cork 2-12

Report: Shane Brophy at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Stefan Tobin (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Eoghan Doughan 0-6 (5 frees); Stefan Tobin 0-5; Cillian Minogue 1-2; Aaron Cagney 0-3; Euan Murray 0-2; Killian Cantwell 0-1.

Cork: Mark O’Brien 1-6 (0-3 frees); Luke Murphy 1-1; Adam Lee, Jack O’Brien 0-2 each; John Murphy 0-1.

Tipperary got their Munster Minor Hurling Championship campaign off to the best possible start with a well-deserved win over Cork on Thursday evening.

Both teams served up a fine game for the large crowd that braved the miserable conditions with Tipp producing a strong finish to the game after Cork had dominated either side of half time.

“It was nice to get the first win under the belt,” admitted Tipperary manager James Woodlock.

“The conditions were tough. It was their first game out for young lads, made loads of mistakes which the game was blighted by.”

The early going suggested that it was going to be one-way traffic as it was all Tipperary who raced into 1-3 to 0-0 lead after eight minutes with Cillian Minogue getting the goal after Patrick Ryan and Killian Cantwell opened up the Cork defence. The full-forward line of Minogue, Stefan Tobin and Eoghan Doughan (free) were already on the scoresheet who were a threat every time the ball came in.

Tipp were also dominating the Cork puckout with the half-back line dominant, but they were playing a high line, and when breached, Cork were a threat as they got their first goal on eight minutes from a goal as Cormac Deane (son of Joe) won the ball and ran played it onto star man Mark O’Brien who ran through the middle and shot low to the net.

The sides shared the next four points before Tipp went on a five-point scoring burst through Doughan (2, 1 free), Tobin (2) and Minogue to open a 1-10 to 1-2 lead after nineteen minutes.

However, from there to half time it was all Cork who managed to get on the ball more and gave their dangerous inside forwards a chance to show their threat Luke Murphy goaled on 26 minutes, again from a very large gap between the Tipp full and half back lines while allowed Mark O’Brien through but his shot was superbly cleared off the line by Tony Corbett but only to Murphy who finished to the net from close range.

Points from Adam Lee and three from O’Brien to one from Tipp’s Euan Murray saw Tipp’s lead cut to two at the break, 1-11 to 2-6.

“They showed huge character after being sucker-punched half-way through the first half,” Woodlock added.

“We locked them inside their own 45-yard line, it was a high risk game but when they broke through, we were open at the back.

“But when we got the ball, we got some fantastic ball inside. We got something like thirty balls directly into our full-forward line, we didn’t make them all stick but we moved the ball quick and if it sticks more often, we will be hard to beat in the rest of the championship.”

Cork’s momentum continued into the second half as points from Murphy and O’Brien had them level by the 34th minute. Tipp were still getting ball into the forwards, but the Cork full-back line were attacking with more aggression.

The home side were looking for some inspiration and got it in the form of Stefan Tobin who brought his tally to five from play before being forced off with severe cramp in his first game after a period out through injury.

He was Tipp’s best player at that stage, but his replacement Aaron Cagney was an impressive as the St Mary’s clubman scored three from play and assisted in a point for Killian Cantwell as Eoghan Doughan landed two more frees to bring his tally to six as Tipp eased to a four-point win.

Tipp face Waterford in round 2 in Dungarvan this Thursday evening and Woodlock has named an unchanged starting line-up.

“They lost tonight (v Clare) so they will have fire in their bellies to welcome us,” Woodlock concluded.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Evan Sherlock (Kiladangan 6); Shane Ryan (Killenaule 7), Toby Corbett (Upperchurch/Drombane 7), Cathal O’Reilly (Holycross/Ballycahill, Capt 7); Jake Donnellan-Houlihan (Nenagh Eire Og 7), Owen O’Dwyer (Killenaule 6), Patrick Ryan (Borris-Ileigh 8); Kieran Rossiter (Durlas Og 6), Killian Cantwell (Moycarkey/Borris 7); Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers 7), Euan Murray (Durlas Og 8), Billy O’Brien (Nenagh Eire Og 6); Eoghan Doughan (Moneygall 7), Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swan 9), Cillian Minogue (Durlas Og 8).

Subs: Tiarnan Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill 6) for Rossiter (37); Aaron Cagney (St Mary’s 9) for Tobin (46 inj); Darragh O’Hora (Solohead 6) for O’Brien (49); Jack Cahill (Ballingarry 6) for Minogue (52); David Ryan (Arravale Rovers 6) for Cantwell (56).

Cork: Josh Goulding (6); Keenan Harrington (6), Cian Denis O’Connor (6), Liam Kelleher (Capt 7); Kevin Beechinor (7), Conor Noonan (6), Dean Cosgrave (6); Oisin O’Connell (6), Jack Hegarty (7); Michael Brosnan (6), Mark O’Brien (8), Luke Murphy (7); Adam Lee (7), Joe Twohig (6), Cormac Deane (6).

Subs: Jack O’Brien (7) for Deane (37); John Murphy (7) for O’Connell (37); Cathal Lowney (6) for Cosgrave (43); Fionn Lardner (6) for Lee (50); Peter Barrett (6) for Hegarty (52).

Referee: Seaghan Walsh (Waterford)