Lessons for Cork from two epic hurling clashes in Croker

Walter Walsh started and lobbed over a couple of points, Colin Fennelly was a threat throughout to the tune of 1-3, while Adrian Mullen, who the Cork U20s will face in next weekend’s All-Ireland semi-final, slammed over four points.

Pádraig Walsh was wearing six on his back but covered every blade of grass from the halfway line towards his own goal while also nabbing a score.
Limerick had dangermen in Graeme Mulcahy and Aaron Gillane who combined for 1-9 while Shane Dowling brilliantly improvised for a goal off the bench but they were flat elsewhere. Their shooting was poor, even allowing for the Kilkenny pressure, and losing Declan Hannon to injury didn’t help their cause.

Tipperary showed astonishing resilience, the type they hadn’t managed to produce when under the cosh in the Gaelic Grounds, by coming back from five points down against Wexford despite losing John McGrath to a red card. McGrath was deservedly dismissed, and lucky is wasn’t a straight red, but Davy Fitzgerald’s outfit had fortune in their favour as three Tipp goals were ruled out for a variety of reasons.

What will have thrilled Liam Sheedy, even more, was the contribution of Jake Morris, who buried the winning goal against Cork in last week’s U20 Munster final, Ger Browne, Willie Connors and Mark Kehoe off the bench. Looking ahead to the final and even beyond this season, that sets Tipp up brilliantly.
