Allianz HL final: Cork do damage in first half to see off Tipperary

Cork 3-24 

Tipperary 0-23 

The win was celebrated - of course it was, fans streamed on and After All provided the soundtrack. And yet nobody – players, management or supporters – will be over-celebrating.

Cork are Allianz Hurling League champions for the first time since 1998, but, as satisfying as the ending of a 27-year drought is, it will only be viewed through the prism of what follows. First of all in Ennis against Clare in the Munster SHC in a fortnight, and then with what the later championship brings.

We don’t know what will transpire, but what we can say is that Cork are well-placed. They were favourites to beat Tipperary in Sunday’s final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh and they achieved their objective without fuss.

At half-time, before the Barrack St Band began their repertoire, the PA System at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh played Depeche Mode’s I Just Can’t Get Enough.

With the scoreboard showing 3-16 to 0-12 in Cork’s favour, it was a feeling that the bulk of the 43,243 attendance could identify with. The Rebels’ first-half display had not been perfect – there were some wasteful wides while Tipp found some easy space coming up to the break – but overall it was an awesome show of strength.

The fear for the home support was that the hype might get the better of the team, but there was never any sign of that; if anything, they fed off the energy and channelled it in the best way.

What might surprise about the lopsided interval scoreline was that it only materialised after a fairly even opening 20 minutes. Tipp had led by 0-5 to 0-4 after Sam O’Farrell’s 11th-minute point – he might have even driven on for a goal effort – and, while Cork pushed on again after that, points from Darragh McCarthy (free) and Jake Morris had Tipp level after 19 minutes. It was the last time that equality existed.

Cork had the next three points, through Darragh Fitzgibbon, Tim O’Mahony from his own 65 and Diarmuid Healy, rounding off a lovely move involving Shane Barrett, Brian Hayes and Patrick Horgan.

Then came the first of the goals to double the lead – O’Mahony’s low delivery perfect for Connolly to collect possession and give the Tipp full-back line twisted blood as he jinked and feinted before firing home.

While Tipp had two of the next three points, Cork moved eight ahead as Hayes did well to win a break and feed the onrushing Fitzgibbon, who made no mistake. A Horgan free – Cork’s first in scoring range, awarded in the 28th minute – left it 2-14 to 0-9.

Even when Cork took their foot off the gas somewhat, Tipp couldn’t capitalise and the third goal, as normal time expired, showcased the Rebels at their best. Hayes worked hard to force a turnover on the Tipp 45, allowing Healy to send a perfect pass into the path of Twomey – he in turn gave a passable impression of Fitzgibbon as he drove forward and deposited a low, fizzing shot into the corner of the net. Tim O’Mahony’s second point sent Cork in with a 13-point advantage.

The biggest it grew to was 14 on a couple of occasions during a second half that was largely free of event, with Tipp subs Andrew Ormond and Seán Kenneally helping them to reduce it to nine.

Cork made six changes (one a temporary substitution) without there ever being a suggestion that the team was being weakened and, though they might not have been at full bore going forward, the defence still ensured that they kept a third straight clean sheet.

Bigger tasks await but this was one dealt with in a fashion to suggest nobody in the camp has had their appetite for success sated.

Scorers for Cork: D Fitzgibbon 1-4, P Horgan 0-7 (0-5 f), A Connolly, E Twomey 1-2 each, S Barrett, T O’Mahony, D Healy 0-2 each, B Hayes, C Joyce, T O’Connell each.

Tipperary: J Forde 0-7 (0-2 65, 0-1 f), D McCarthy 0-4 f, J Morris 0-3, S Kenneally, D Stakelum, S O’Farrell 0-2 each, A Ormond, A Tynan, G O’Connor 0-1 each.

CORK: P Collins; S O’Donoghue, E Downey, N O’Leary; C Joyce, R Downey, C O’Brien; T O’Mahony, E Twomey; S Barrett, D Fitzgibbon, D Healy; P Horgan, A Connolly, B Hayes.

Subs: S Harnedy for Healy (48), M Coleman for O’Brien (51), D Dalton for Hayes (52), T O’Connell for Twomey (56), L Meade for Fitzgibbon (57, temporary), S Kingston for Barrett (66).

TIPPERARY: B Hogan; M Breen, E Connolly, R Doyle; J Caesar, R Maher, B O’Mara; C Morgan, S O’Farrell; A Tynan, W Connors, G O’Connor; J Morris, J Forde, D McCarthy.

Subs: D Stakelum for Connors (23), S Kenneally for Caesar (half-time), D Walsh for O’Connor (44), A Ormond for McCarthy (46), S Kennedy for Tynan (57).

Referee: S Stack (Dublin).