Tipperary 2-20 Cork 1-21

DESPITE a spirited second-half Cork’s hopes of a three in a row in the Munster U20 hurling championship were dashed by Tipperary at FBD Semple Stadium.

The damage was done in the first half when Tipperary were by far the better side and the two goals they scored were the difference between the sides. The Rebels powered into the game in the second half but they couldn’t get back level, with their goal coming late on.

In the second half, they outscored Tipp by 1-12 to 0-8 and had they played like that for the 60 minutes then they would have come out on top.

Also what will be of concern to the Cork senior selectors was Daire O’Leary going off injured late on, which may dash any hopes of him being in the squad for the game against Clare on Sunday.

The Rebels were first to raise a white flag when Sean Walsh pointed, but Tipp hit 1-2 before they scored again.

Kyle Shelley had the sides level from a free, before Peter McGarry raised Tipp’s first green flag, following a mistake by the Cork defence.

White flags from Luke Horgan and Jack Cahalane reduced the deficit before Cork had their first goal chance when Colin Walsh shot over the bar when a goal was on.

Two from Brian O’Sullivan put a point between the sides with 12 minutes gone, 1-4 to 0-6, but Tipp upped the ante again and when Peter McGarry got their second goal he put his side well in control, 2-6 to 0-8 with 17 minutes gone.

Straight from the restart, they could have had another goal when McGarry shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

Sean Walsh pulled a point back for Cork in the 20th minute, but this proved to be their last score of the first half. Two more from Shelly, with Jack Leamy and Eddie Ryan also among those to raise white flags to see, the home side well in control by half-time as they led 2-12 to 0-9.

Ben Cunningham got the first score on the restart as Cork made a number of positional changes to try and rescue the tie. Ben O’Connor moved to the full-back line with Mark Howell replacing Luke Horgan and Cathal McCarthy also moving into defence as Ciarmhac Smyth moved to midfield.

White flags from Ethan Twomey and Brian O’Sullivan helped reduced the deficit, with Cunningham pointing to make it 0-13 to 2-13 after 37 minutes. He pointed again as the Rebels were a much-improved side after the break.

Daniel Hogan raised another green flag but Shelly and Creedon kept the scoreboard ticking over for Tipp.

The Rebels were now dominating though with Diarmuid Healy and O’Sullivan prominent on the scoreboard. But they couldn’t get closer than four points until the final minute when Colin Walsh’s shot was deflected into the Tipp net. But by then it was too late as the final whistle went on the restart and Tipp now face Limerick in the Munster final.

Scorers for Tipperary: J Campion 1-2, K Shelly (f), J Leamy (0-1f) 0-5 each, P Creedon 0-4, P McGarry 1-0, E Connolly 0-2, E Ryan, M Corcoran 0-1 each.

Cork: C Walsh 1-1, B O’Sullivan, B Cunningham (0-3 f, 0-1 65) 0-4 each, S Walsh, D Healy 0-3 each, D Hogan 0-2, L Horgan, J Cahalane, D Flynn (f), E Twomey 0-1 each.

TIPPERARY: P Williams; C Cadell, C O’Dwyer, L Shanahan; C Quinn, J Armstrong, C McKelvey; D Stakelum, J Campion; E Connolly, P McGarry, E Ryan; K Shelly, J Leamy, P Creedon, J Keller for P McGarry (58),

Subs: M Corcoran for C McKelvey (49), C Fogarty for E Ryan (52), S Kenneally for K Shelly (57), J Keller for P McGarry (58), T Cahill for E Connolly (60).

CORK: B Saunderson (Midleton); E Downey (Glen Rovers), D O’Leary (Watergrasshill), C Smyth (Midleton); B O’Connor (St Finbarr’s), E Twomey (St Finbarr’s), L Horgan (Glen Rovers); B O’Sullivan (Kanturk), C McCarthy (Sarsfields); B Keating (Ballincollig), S Walsh (Carrigtwohill), B Cunningham (St Finbarr’s); C Walsh (Kanturk), D Hogan (Sarsfields), J Cahalane (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: D Flynn (Ballygiblin) for C Walsh (24), M Howell for L Horgan (h-t), C Walsh for B Keating (45), D Healy (Lisgoold) for B Cunningham (48), D O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig) for D O’Leary (60 inj).

Referee: Niall Malone, Clare.