Under 20 Hurlers respond with convincing win over Cork

GAA: oneills.com Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship Round 2

Cork 2-11

Tipperary 1-20

Report: Stephen Barry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Jim Ryan (Tipperary).

SCORERS - Cork: Barry Walsh 0-6 (5 frees); Barry O’Flynn 1-1; Mark O’Brien 1-0; Timmy Wilk, Daniel Murnane, Ryan Deasy, Dylan McCarthy (free) 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Darragh McCarthy 0-7 frees; Oisín O’Donoghue 0-3; Paddy McCormack 1-0; Sam O’Farrell, Cathal English, Conor Martin, Jamie Ormond 0-2 each; Joe Egan, Adam Daly 0-1 each.

Tipperary recovered from their opening-round defeat to record a pillar-to-post six-point victory over Cork in the Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship in Cork on Wednesday evening.

Darragh McCarthy got his eye in ahead of Sunday’s League final back at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh with seven pointed frees but Tipp weren’t reliant on any one individual with a healthy spread of nine scorers.

Cork’s goals came late via Barry O’Flynn and Mark O’Brien in the 57th & 63rd minutes.

Tipperary manager Brendan Cummins opted for four switches to the side which suffered a shock loss to Limerick, calling in All-Ireland minor-winning captain Cathal O’Reilly at corner back, centre-back Jim Ryan, midfielder Joe Egan, and half-forward David Costigan.

Tipp channelled that hurt and the experience of their five senior panellists into a rapid start. Cathal English pointed on thirteen seconds and exactly a minute later, Paddy McCormack superbly controlled McCarthy’s long-range free and rifled high to the net. English and two McCarthy frees made it 1-4 to no score.

After Barry O’Flynn’s super opener from the sideline for Cork, McCormack threatened another goal but Eoin Guinane got a hook in and Daniel O’Connell saved. Tipp would settle for three points in a row instead.

Cork’s best goal chance came in the 24th minute but O’Flynn’s shot rocketed off the post and wide. At the other end, Oisín O’Donoghue made it a four-point swing with a wonderfully measured point.

Cork did finish the half with three of the final four points as Timmy Wilk cut the half-time deficit to eight; 1-10 to 0-5.

Joe Egan and Conor Martin combined for Tipp’s opening pair either side of a David Costigan goal chance, which Denis Cashman flicked away from danger.

Cork’s situation required goals. Barry Walsh took one on from a 21-yard free but composed sweeper Jim Ryan saved on the line. Timmy Wilk had the next effort, which Eoin Horgan saved, before Cathal O’Reilly blocked Daniel Murnane’s rebound. Tipp’s hard work was encapsulated in the aftermath by centre-forward Conor Martin producing another block on Murnane in the corner-back slot.

Captain Sam O’Farrell and sub Jamie Ormond moved Tipp ten points ahead before Cork hit back with quickfire scores. Murnane pointed and O’Flynn goaled after snatching Dylan McCarthy’s long delivery.

Tipp wiped that out with the next three points, via O’Farrell, O’Donoghue, and Ormond, rendering O’Brien’s stoppage-time goal a mere consolation.

Tipperary return to action on Wednesday, 16th April when they take on Clare in Sixmilebridge

TEAMS - Cork: Daniel O’Connell; Denis Cashman (Capt), James O’Brien, Eoin Guinane; Ben Walsh, Cillian O’Callaghan, Daniel Murnane; Timmy Wilk, Ryan Deasy; Peter O’Shea, John Murphy, Barry Walsh; John Wigginton Barrett, Barry O’Flynn, Ross O’Sullivan.

Subs: Oisín Fitzgerald for O’Shea (h-t); Mark O’Brien for O’Sullivan (40); Dylan McCarthy for Murphy (41); Zach Biggane for Wilk (55); David O’Leary for Murnane (57).

Tipperary: Eoin Horgan (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams); Cathal O’Reilly (Holycross/Ballycahill), Aaron O’Halloran (Carrick Swan), Podge O’Dwyer (Killenaule); Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Jim Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill), Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Éire Óg, Capt); Joe Egan (Moycarkey/Borris), Adam Daly (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams); Cathal English (Fr Sheehy’s), Conor Martin (Cappawhite), David Costigan (Moycarkey/Borris); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara), Oisín O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs), Paddy McCormack (Borris-Ileigh).

Subs: Senan Butler (Kilsheelan/Kilcash) for Costigan (51); Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens) for Daly (54); Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swan) for McCormack (58); Paddy Phelan (Upperchurch/Drombane) for Egan (60+2).

Referee: Nicky O’Toole (Waterford).