Munster U20HC: Defeat to Tipperary means Cork must contest semi-final

Tipperary 3-20 

Cork 0-18 

Cork will have to contest the oneills.com Munster U20HC semi-final in a fortnight after a disappointing defeat to Tipperary on Friday night meant they cannot finish top of the provincial group table.

Not since a loss to the same county on the same sod two years ago had Cork lost a game at the grade but there was no doubting the outcome here. All is not lost for the Rebels, who have completed their round-robin programme but must wait on other results to determine if they finish second or third and who exactly their semi-final opponents will be. However, improvement is imperative.

A tally of 13 wides will be one of the first things management look at, as well as the fact that they were out-goaled by three to zero, with Senan Butler the hat-trick hero for Tipp. The Premier County now join Cork on six points and if they beat Clare next week they will finish top with a 100 percent record.

Cork had left themselves with a task of sizeable proportions when they retired at half-time with a deficit of nine points, 2-10 to 0-7.

Though they led three times in the game’s nascent stages, they wasted other opportunities – the first 13 minutes brought four wides with Tipp yet to register a wayward effort while the interval tally on that front was 8-4.

Tipp always looked dangerous in attack against a Cork defence that couldn’t always hold its shape and, after Darragh McCarthy levelled at 0-3 each, points from Conor Martin and Sam O’Farrell helped the hosts into the lead for the first time. It was an advantage that would never be ceded.

While James O’Dwyer did draw Cork back to within in, Tipp midfielder O’Farrell replied and then set up Paddy McCormack for his third before a McCarthy free from halfway made it 0-8 to 0-4.

William Buckley claimed the puckout and fired over but with the next play Tipp threatened a goal as Oisín O’Donoghue fed McCarthy, who drew a save from Paudie O’Sullivan. Play was called back for a foul in the lead-up, with McCarthy opening up a four-point lead and they didn’t have long to wait for the goal in any case.

It came in the 17th minute and there was some fortune to it as a McCarthy point attempt off the post led to the chance but it was still too easy for Butler to nip in and fire home.

Cork had the next points after that strike, Leahy and Dwyer cutting the gap to five points, but Tipp had another kick in them before the break.

Midfielder Adam Daly slipped as he got his shot away but it had just enough range to go over despite O’Sullivan’s efforts and then McCarthy was able to run at the Cork defence before offloading to Butler. He crashed a shot home from a tight angle and Brendan Cummins’ side were in a marvellous position as they went in at half-time.

Cork made two half-time changes, with Adam O’Sullivan and Timmy Wilk called into action, but O’Donoghue pointed for Tipp on the restart and McCarthy opened up an 11-point lead.

Cork did have the next four points – two from Diarmuid Healy and one each by Buckley and Leahy – while Barry Walsh tested Eoin Horgan in the Tipp goal, but Tipp had a goal chance of their own, O’Sullivan denying McCormack.

When Tipp’s mini-drought ended in the 40th minute, it was with another green flag, once again from the stick of Butler. Martin was the engineer of the opportunity after being fed by McCormack and, though his run ended with a shot saved by O’Sullivan, Butler was there to touch the loose ball home.

O’Donoghue’s second made it 3-13 to 0-11 but Tipp continued to add points and it was 3-16 to 0-12 when Butler added a white flag to go with this three-goal haul. Cork sub Adam O’Sullivan did fire over a pair of late points and Jack Leahy had a goal effort from a free tipped over by Horgan but Tipp’s supremacy was never in danger.

Scorers for Tipperary: S Butler 3-1, D McCarthy 0-6f, O O’Donoghue, P McCormack (0-1 sideline) 0-3 each, C Martin, S O’Farrell 0-2 each, A Daly, C English, E Horgan (0-1f) 0-1 each.

Cork: J Leahy 0-7 (0-6f), W Buckley, J Dwyer 0-3 each, A O’Sullivan, D Healy 0-2 each, T Wilk, Barry Walsh 0-1 each.

TIPPERARY: E Horgan; C O’Donnell, A O’Halloran, P O’Dwyer; J Collins, B Currivan, M Cawley; S O’Farrell, A Daly; C English, C Martin, O O’Donoghue; D McCarthy, P McCormack, S Butler.

Subs: J O’Callaghan for Cawley (41), S Rowan for Butler (53), C Foley for O’Farrell (56), E Craddock for O’Donoghue (59), D Fogarty for English (60+1).

CORK: P O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neills); K Lyons (Ballygarvan), D Cashman (Bride Rovers), D O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig); J Dwyer (Ballincollig), O O’Regan (Erin’s Own), C Tobin (Bride Rovers); M Finn (Midleton), Ben Walsh (Killeagh); D Cremin (Midleton), W Buckley (St Finbarr’s), D Healy (Lisgoold); J Leahy (Dungourney), Barry Walsh (Killeagh), T O’Connell (Ballincollig).

Subs: T Wilk (Cobh) for Ben Walsh, A O’Sullivan for O’Connell (both half-time), J O’Brien (Fermoy) for O’Regan (42), P O’Shea (Erin’s Own) for Tobin (50), E O’Leary (Glen Rovers) for Cremin (56).

Referee: N Malone (Clare).