Cork v Tipperary U20: Ben Cunningham on song as hurlers overcome slow start

Cork 1-28 Tipperary 1-19

BEN Cunningham scored 1-13 as Cork moved to the top of the oneills.com Munster U20 Hurling Championship round robin with victory over Tipperary at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Wednesday night.

Ben O’Connor’s side had nine points to spare in the end as they made it two wins from two games played, but result was only made safe as they scored seven of the final eight points after a Tipp revival had seen them cut a seven-point deficit to three with seven minutes left.

Ultimately, Cork had enough in the tank to pull away again, leaving them in a strong position ahead of a week off before matches away to Clare and Limerick.

As against Waterford the previous week, Cork’s fightback came after they had spotted their opponents a first-half advantage.

Though midfielder Tadhg O’Connell opened the scoring for the Rebels after nine seconds, Tipp replied with the next four points, three from Jack Leamy, and held the whip hand for much of the half, with wing-back James Morris excellent for Brendan Cummins’ side. After Leamy found Joe Caesar unmarked from a sideline puck in the 20th minute, the midfielder pointed to open up a 0-9 to 0-4 advantage and, though Cunningham replied with a good Cork point, Tony Cahill made it 0-10 to 0-5.

Cork improved thereafter though, helped by a number of switches that saw captain Micheál Mullins move into midfield as Timmy Wilk came on in the half-back line while William Buckley came deeper from his original corner-forward posting.

Five consecutive points gave them a half-time lead of 0-13 to 0-11, with Diarmuid Healy and Colin Walsh to the fore, the latter with the last score of the half following a superb catch by Eoin Downey.

While Cunningham’s seventh point extended the advantage on the resumption, Tipp were level through impressive captain Darragh Stakelum and Leamy but it was the last time that parity pertained. Cork hit them for 1-2 in the space of two minutes, with Jack Leahy and corner-back Darragh O’Sullivan on target before the latter’s brother Adam provided the pass for Cunningham to fire a low shot across Eoin Horgan and into the net.

By the three-quarter mark, Cork were 1-19 to 0-15 ahead and cruising – and twice they went close to further goals but Tipp full-back Robert Doyle hooked Eoin O’Leary as he took aim on 44 and then on 48 he intercepted a Tadhg O’Connell pass for O’Leary.

Sub Ross O’Sullivan got in on the scoring act before Diarmuid Healy’s third point made it 1-21 to 0-17 but Tipp’s hopes were revived as Seán Kenneally diverted a Stakelum free to the Cork net and Leamy’s eighth point left just a goal in it.

Tipp would add just one more point, though, as Cork provided a late surge to confirm the win and buttress their scoring difference in the process.

Scorers for Cork: B Cunningham 1-13 (0-8 f), T O’Connell, W Buckley 0-3 each, D Healy, C Walsh, J Leahy 0-2 each, D O’Sullivan, E O’Leary, R O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Tipperary: J Leamy 0-8 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), S Kenneally 1-2, P McGarry 0-3, D Stakelum 0-2, E Ryan, T Cahill, D McCarthy, J Caesar 0-1 each.

CORK: B Saunderson (Midleton); S Daly (Randal Óg), S Kingston (Ballinora), D O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig); J Dwyer (Ballincollig), E Downey (Glen Rovers), M Mullins (Whitechurch, c); T O’Connell (Ballincollig), A O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig); D Healy (Lisgoold), B Cunningham (St Finbarr’s), B Keating (Ballincollig); W Buckley (St Finbarr’s); J Leahy (Dungourney), C Walsh (Kanturk).

Subs: T Wilk (Cobh) for Keating (28), R O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) for A O’Sullivan, E O’Leary for Leahy (both 41), D Cremin (Midleton) for Healy (53), C Doolin (St Finbarr’s) for Walsh (59).

TIPPERARY: E Horgan; D Slattery, R Doyle, L Shanahan; J Morris, C Quinn, M Corcoran; J Caesar, D Stakelum; S Kenneally, P McGarry, E Ryan; J Leamy, T Cahill, S Ferncombe.

Subs: C McCormack for Fogarty (half-time), P Ryan for Corcoran (42), M Fitzpatrick for Morris (47), D McCarthy for Cahill (50), S Dee for E Ryan (53).

Referee: N Malone (Clare).