Cork minor footballers hit five goals against Tipp to secure Munster final spot

Four second-half goals did the trick after a scrappy opening period with Sean Coakley and Denis O'Mullane netting twice apiece
Cork minor footballers hit five goals against Tipp to secure Munster final spot

Cork's Odhran Foley going past Shane Ryan, Tipperary, during their Electric Ireland Minor Football Championship semi-final at Semple Stadium, Thurles. Picture: Dan Linehan

Cork 5-9 Tipperary 1-11 

FOUR second-half goals fired Cork to another Munster MFC final after a flattering 10-point win over a gallant Tipperary in Thurles on Thursday evening.

Sean Coakley and Denis O’Mullane struck twice in a minute to quell Tipp’s resistance after Coakley started the second half with a cracking goal inside 90 seconds following an even first period.

Cork pounced for a fifth goal in the first minute of stoppage time from Dara Sheedy to crown an improved display on the resumption.

Despite getting away to a brilliant start by scoring 1-1 inside the opening three minutes, Cork had to settle for level pegging at half-time after Tipp kicked the closing three points of the half.

 Seán Coakley, Cork, getting his pass away watched by Shane Flanagan, Tipperary. Picture: Dan Linehan
Seán Coakley, Cork, getting his pass away watched by Shane Flanagan, Tipperary. Picture: Dan Linehan

In Cork’s first attack, Gary Holland hit the target to begin the scoring and when Tipp’s re-start when askew, corner-forward O’Mullane profited by steering the ball to the net via the inside of the far upright.

Yet, the visitors had to wait over a quarter-of-an-hour to add to their tally as the home side eventually settled and restored parity for the first time with a run of four unanswered points, including a couple of well-struck Billy Tierney frees, 1-1 to 0-4 after the first quarter.

Cork ended their barren spell with three points of their own in a four-minute spell, frees from Sheedy and Coakley and Holland’s second from play, but Tipp finished the half with a flourish after experiencing a barren 14-minute period themselves.

A Ronan O’Brien free was followed by two fine efforts from play by Shane Ryan and Michael Connellan for 1-4 to 0-7 at the break.

Picture: Dan Linehan
Picture: Dan Linehan

Scorers for Cork: S Coakley 2-2 (0-2 f), D O’Mullane 2-0, D Sheedy 1-3 (0-1 f), G Holland 0-2, D O’Leary, M O’Brien 0-1 each.

Ti pperary: C Grace 1-0, S Ryan 0-3, C Walsh 0-3 (0-2 f), B Tierney 0-2 f, M Connellan, R O’Brien (f), L Freaney (f) 0-1  each.

CORK: B Curtin (Valley Rovers); N O’Shea (Urhan), F Hurley (O’Donovan Rossa), M Ahern (St Finbarr’s); O Foley (Bishopstown), G Daly (Mallow), joint-captain, T Kiely (Doneraile); M O’Brien (Ballinora), M Hetherington (St Finbarr’s); T Cullinane (Ballinascarthy), D Sheedy (Bantry Blues), D O’Leary (Ballincollig); D O’Mullane (Kilmurry), S Coakley (Douglas), joint-captain, G Holland (Bishopstown).

Subs: O O’Callaghan (Liscarroll/Churchtown) for O’Shea half-time, J O’Leary (Douglas) for Hetherington 36, A Dineen (Cill na Martra) for Holland 48, L Hourihan (St Colum’s) for Ahern 55, C O’Sullivan (St Finbarr’s) for O’Leary 59.

TIPPERARY: P Boland; R Myles, C Ryan, S Flanagan; J O’Keeffe, P Tierney, M Connellan; M O’Reilly, S Lewis; L Coughlan, L Freaney, S Ryan; J Quinn, R O’Brien, E Bonner.

Subs: C Grace for O’Brien 45, D Landers for Freaney 47, M Neville for Ryan 51, C Walsh for O’Keeffe 55, M McNamara for Quinn 58.

Referee: D O’Callaghan (Limerick).

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