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

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.

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.

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).