Watch: 'Ghost goal' haunts Cork U20 hurlers as Tipperary triumph
Cork's Ben Walsh scores a point. Picture: Inpho/Ken Sutton
DARRAGH McCarthy was the Tipperary hero as he landed a 64th-minute winner in Friday night's oneills.com Munster U20HC final at TUS Gaelic Grounds.
However, Cork regrets around the one-point loss in front of 3,410 will centre around a 45th-minute 'ghost goal'. Having fallen five points behind, 1-14 to 0-12, when Oisín O'Donoghue struck for what proved to be the game's only goal, Cork's response was strong as they had the next three points.
On the three-quarter-mark, the Rebel faithful thought that a lead goal had come their way as William Buckley's point attempt fell short but, in trying to catch the ball, goalkeeper Eoin Horgan appeared to bring it over the line.
"I think that umpire should get his glasses!" Agree fully with what Ben O'Connor says about the match officals tonight when watching the Cork goal that wasn't given. Players put too much time in to have to put up with calls like that. It takes too much from the game #hurling pic.twitter.com/hMsHiBlNNX
— Stephen Gleeson (@StephenGleeson_) May 24, 2024
No flag was forthcoming from the umpires though and, despite the onrushing Barry Walsh trying to bundle the ball in, O'Halloran was again the Tipp saviour as he got it away.
Darragh O'Sullivan did score a great point in the wake of that and sub Ross O'Sullivan used his first touch to set up Timmy Wilk for a point, parity was elusive for Cork down the stretch as Tipp stayed in front and the Rebels wasted some scoreable opportunities. McCarthy's ninth of the night, in the 59th minute, put Tipp 1-18 to 0-19 ahead but still Cork refused to give in.
Ross O'Sullivan's second point halved the gap and then, having made a great catch, Hugh O'Connor set Diarmuid Healy away. His progress was illegally halted - a black card would have accrued at senior level - and Buckley sent over the levelling score. Extra time lay in wait but Tipp still had room for one last chance and McCarthy was the man to take it.
They now advance to face Offaly in the All-Ireland final next weekend.
An first half that was even in terms of competitiveness but uneven in quality of play saw the sides level on seven occasions before Tipp retired with a one-point advantage.
Having conceded three goals to the same opposition at Thurles three weeks previously, the Cork defensive mission was to avoid allowing any easy opportunities for green flags and, in that regard, they achieved their objective in the opening period. After the other end, chances were at a similar premium, though - the only real sight of goal came when Jack Leahy eschewed an easy point from a free to pass to Diarmuid Healy, whose shot was blocked at the expense of a 65.
That came in the 25th minute, soon after a four-point burst by Cork had given them a 0-9 to 0-7 advantage, their biggest of the game up to then, following points from Leahy (two), Healy and wing-back Ben Walsh. Tipp midfielder Sam O'Farrell had replied with a point before the sight of goal for Cork and then free-taker Aidan McCarthy added two after that to put Tipp in front again.
A chance to put them two in front in injury time was missed - to the delight of the Cork fans frustrated by a lengthy pre-shot routine - but a one-point lead was fair, given how the half had gone.
On the restart, Cork were level as William Buckley got his first of the night and they were in front again when Hugh O'Connor landed a huge effort that crept over for an 0-11 to 0-10 advantage. While a Tipp point by Oisín O'Donoghue was answered by Barry Walsh, the Premier County began to hit their stride.
Two from play by McCarthy, the second of them outstanding, put them in the lead. Cork might have conjured a goal in response as Mikey Finn drove at the Tipp defence and let off a low shot but Tipp full-back Aaron O'Halloran bravely blocked. The importance of that intervention was magnified as midfielder Sam O'Farrell got his third of the night for Brendan Cummins' side, making it 0-14 to 0-12, before the game's first goal.
While O'Donoghue was the man to finish the ball to the net, the goal wouldn't have happened were it not for an excellent turnover forced by Senan Butler, who then found his colleague in space.
A five-point was by far the biggest of the game up to then but Cork hit back well through Finn, Buckley and captain Darragh O'Sullivan. Had the 'goal' been allowed, things might have been very different but it was not to be.
J Leahy 0-6 (0-4 f), W Buckley 0-3 (0-1 f), D Healy 0-3, R O'Sullivan, D O'Sullivan 0-2 each, Ben Walsh, M Finn, T Wilk, Barry Walsh, H O'Connor 0-1 each.
D McCarthy 0-10 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), O O'Donoghue 1-2, S O'Farrell, C Foley 0-3 each, S Butler 0-1.
E Horgan; P O’Dwyer, A O’Halloran, C O’Donnell; J Collins, B Currivan, M Cawley; S O’Farrell, A Daly; C English, C Martin, C Foley; S Butler, O O’Donoghue, D McCarthy.
J O'Callaghan for Cawley (48), E Craddock for Foley (51), R Connolly for Collins (55), S Rowan for English (60), J Egan for O'Donoghue (60+3).
P O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neills); K Lyons (Ballygarvan), D Cashman (Bride Rovers), D O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig); Ben Walsh (Killeagh), C Tobin (Bride Rovers), J Dwyer (Ballincollig); M Finn (Midleton), T Wilk (Cobh); D Healy (Lisgoold), W Buckley (St Finbarr’s), H O’Connor (Newmarket); D Cremin (Midleton), Barry Walsh (Killeagh), J Leahy (Dungourney).
J O'Brien (Fermoy) for Cashman (42), A O'Sullivan (Ballinhassig) for Finn (44), R O'Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) for Leahy (47), B O'Flynn (Sarsfields) for Dwyer (60).
N Malone (Clare).
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