Cork hurlers have rarely played better but fans must wait to see if the season extends

WE expected a shootout, instead we witnessed an assassination.

Cork have rarely hurled better than they did in sun-drenched Thurles, blasting to victory after Alan Connolly plundered the second goal of his hat-trick early in the second half to put them 2-17 to 1-14 clear. 

Yes, they won by nine in the same fixture two years ago but they were more dominant here to the tune of an 18-point gap at the final whistle and defensively far more secure. Which was no doubt more encouraging from a Cork perspective, provided next Sunday's results go their way to make the All-Ireland series.

Mark Coleman had his best game since returning from injury, while Niall O'Leary, Tim O'Mahony, Rob Downey and sub Ger Millerick, were both ferocious in the tackle and measured in their distribution. Patrick Collins is more steady between the posts and Cork's belief in direct puck-outs is reaping a rich reward.

Connolly was the star attacking turn but Patrick Horgan wasn't far behind him and the half-forward unit, between starters and subs, nailed 0-11 from play between them. 

When the game was still a contest, Darragh Fitzgibbon lanced over three points, while the depth of the squad told at last, with Millerick, Shane Kingston and Luke Meade, particularly as he was everywhere, absolutely excellent.

To a man though, the Rebels were tuned in and rode out the first half, where they leaked a cheap early goal, to take complete command, roared on by an massive Leeside contingent, who smelled blood when Shane Barrett and Connolly combined to drill in Cork's first goal.

SETTLED

The odd thing on Sunday afternoon was Cork couldn't have gotten off to a worse start, with Mark Kehoe grabbing a goal on the first play and then Seán O'Donoghue collecting an early yellow card soon after for a foul on the Tipp number 14. Yet the rearguard settled, O'Leary, Coleman and Rob Downey coming out with some crucial possessions and Patrick Collins' booming puck-outs yielding a direct return of three first-half points.

Fitzgibbon was electric with his hard running and classy finishing while Ethan Twomey was doing the heavy lifting alongside him at midfield. Cork kept the inside line well-supplied but they weren't able to make it count on the scoreboard until the explosive goal just before the break by Connolly. Connolly had a point and was fouled for a free, Brian Hayes was hauled down and Horgan had 0-2 from play, but it didn't reflect the possession sent in.

That all changed in the second half, when the Tipp back six creaked and then collapsed under the weight of Cork's pressure, and they hit 1-8 without reply to cruise into the fourth quarter.

Cork needed that first green flag in the 36th minute, to offset the supporters' nerves and the Rebels' seven wides to Tipp's four. From there, there was an inevitability about the result, though it was still a shock at how easily the home side were outmuscled. 

Referee Thomas Walsh let the action flow and for once that benefited Cork, who only needed five placed balls from Horgan to accumulate 4-30.

Never have Cork supporters been so keen to see Clare get over the line in the opening Munster round-robin fixture. It took everything for the Banner to see off Waterford, with the last puck of the sliotar, to the relief of the sea of Rebels that packed out Semple Stadium. It gives Cork a great chance now of progressing as the third-placed team in a Munster and a chance at getting back to Croker by eliminating the Leinster runners-up in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

For now, they'll play the waiting game, watching on as it's Tipp-Clare and Limerick-Waterford next weekend. Ideally, Clare and Limerick reach the provincial decider.

If Cork can build on the last two showings who knows where it will take them.