Brian Hayes, Cork, and Michael Breen, Tipperary, in Munster SHC action at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Munster SHC Round Two
Cork 4-27 Tipperary 0-24
By Stephen Barry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
A first-minute red card for Darragh McCarthy and three Cork goals inside the first quarter made for one-way traffic as the Rebels ran out 15-point winners over Tipperary at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
There were 18 points between these two last year and any hopes of a closer contest faded quickly after Tipp were reduced to 14 men right from the throw-in.
Cork punished them with three goals inside 17 minutes, from Tim O’Mahony, Patrick Horgan, and Alan Connolly. Man of the match Declan Dalton capped off the victory with a fourth green flag late on.
The victory in front of a sold-out 42,231 crowd moves them top of the Munster round-robin on three points.
Two opening-day draws saw changes kept to a minimum. Both were enforced as Dalton replaced the suspended Shane Barrett and Conor Bowe was called in after Joe Caesar’s injury withdrawal.
That meant Noel McGrath came off the bench to surpass Brendan Cummins’ Premier record with his 74th championship appearance.
McCarthy and Seán O’Donoghue clashed right from the throw-in with Johnny Murphy sending the U20 prospect to the line for an apparent dig, which sent the corner-back to the turf. Alan Tynan’s opening point from the throw-in was chalked off as a result.
That left Robert Downey free to sweep while O’Donoghue came out to man-mark centre-forward Jake Morris. Jason Forde took over Tipp’s placed-ball duties and he finished as top scorer with 0-15 (12 frees).
Cork’s opening goal originated from Downey picking up a loose puck-out in the sixth minute. They worked the ball around the half-backs for Mark Coleman to deliver for Brian Hayes, who lofted a pass for the onrushing O’Mahony to drive to the net.
The second again originated from Downey pouncing on a loose restart. This time, O’Mahony provided the supply for Horgan to spin inside and squeeze the sliotar inside the near post.
Within five minutes, they had their third green flag. Craig Morgan had a weak shot saved by Patrick Collins and Cork countered through Hayes and Darragh Fitzgibbon for a Connolly tap-in.
Trailing 3-6 to 0-3, Tipp targeted a goal to help their predicament. Forde took on a close-range free, which Eoin Downey blocked, and Collins denied Sam O’Farrell’s batted effort.
Robert Downey limped off with what was diagnosed as a dead leg as Coleman took over the free role.
Craig Morgan’s block and Bowe’s flick led to a hard-earned Jake Morris point. Cork were always doing more, though. Dalton and Séamus Harnedy took their first-half tallies to 0-3 each for a 10-point half-time advantage, 3-13 to 0-12.
Andrew Ormond forced Collins into a third save with his first touch and soon registered a point. They traded scores with Cork for 20 minutes of the second half before the hosts tagged on four in a row, including the first of Robbie O’Flynn’s two points.
Dalton added the final blow in the 64th minute from a sharp counter. Ciarán Joyce fed the Fr O’Neills man, who beat Bryan O’Mara before unleashing a near-post finish to complete his 1-6 tally.
Willie Connors came on late to score a brace, while Horgan brought his total to 1-9.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 1-9 (6fs), Declan Dalton 1-6 (2fs), Séamus Harnedy 0-5, Tim O’Mahony, Alan Connolly 1-0 each, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Brian Hayes, Robbie O’Flynn 0-2 each, Tommy O’Connell 0-1.
Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 0-15 (12fs), Jake Morris 0-3, Willie Connors 0-2, Eoghan Connolly, Craig Morgan, Darragh Stakelum, Andrew Ormond 0-1 each.
Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Eoin Downey, Seán O’Donoghue; Ciarán Joyce, Robert Downey, Mark Coleman; Tim O’Mahony, Ethan Twomey; Declan Dalton, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Séamus Harnedy; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes.
Subs: Ger Millerick for R Downey (20, inj), Luke Meade for Twomey (47), Brian Roche for Connolly (52), Robbie O’Flynn for O’Mahony (57), Tommy O’Connell for Joyce (66).
Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Eoghan Connolly, Robert Doyle, Michael Breen; Sam O’Farrell, Ronan Maher, Bryan O’Mara; Craig Morgan, Alan Tynan; Conor Bowe, Jake Morris, Darragh Stakelum; Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath, Jason Forde.
Subs: Andrew Ormond for Bowe (42), Noel McGrath for Stakelum (42), Séamus Kennedy for Tynan (46), Gearóid O’Connor for J McGrath (51), Willie Connors for O’Farrell (67).
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).
