Cork power to 11-point victory over Tipperary in Munster under-21 final

Tipperary 0-9 Cork 1-17

Cork powered to victory in the final quarter of the under-21 Munster final at Semple Stadium. Mark Sugrue scored the crucial 47th-minute goal to hand the Rebels 1-10 to 0-8 lead – and they went to win by 11 points. It was Cork's third successive – and 24th in total.

Their win sets up an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with the Ulster champions, Cavan, on Saturday week, April 20th.

While the final scoreline might suggest a comfortable night for John Cleary’s Cork, it was far from the case. At half-time, they trailed by 0-5 to 0-4 and the Leesiders led by just two points before Sugrue’s decisive goal

The centre forward lashed a low drive past Gearóid Slattery after full-forwards Brian Hurley and Luke Connolly combined to create the opening. And Cork tacked seven more points before the end, as Tipp replied with just one, a free by Liam McGrath.

Cork’s good finishing was in direct contrast to Tipp’s struggles in front of goal, with the Premier County managing just four points from play in total.

It may be a year too soon for Tipperary in the under-21 grade, too, as nine starters last night lined out in the 2011 All-Ireland minor final. And overall, Cork looked a more physically imposing outfit than Tipperary.

But Tipp gave as good as they got in the first half and held that slender interval lead after hitting three unanswered points before the break.

Level twice
The sides were level twice in the early second half exchanges before Cork came on strong with a run of five points without reply to establish a 0-10 to 0-6 lead.

Tipp hit back with two points from Shane Leahy – who spurned a glorious goal chance as early as the seventh minute, when he blazed wide after being set up by Bill Maher. But Leahy’s 43rd minute point was the last Tipp would manage from play in the second half and Cork were rampant after that.

They could have added a second goal two minutes from time as Dan McEoin – one of four Cork players to register three points – screwed his shot wide from close range.

Cork's superiority could be gauged, too, by the impact of their subs, as Kevin Hallissey and Tom Hegarty both came off the bench to register points. Overall, this was a satisfactory night for Cork, wind assisted in the second half, but they only looked like a really good side when they got a run on Tipp towards the finish.
TIPPERARY: G Slattery; N O'Sullivan, D Kearney, C O'Sullivan; N O'Meara, S Kennedy, P Dalton; S O'Brien (0-1), D Fitzell; B Maher, I Fahey, D Leahy; L McGrath (0-5f), M Quinlivan, S Leahy (0-2). Subs : J Lonergan (0-1) for Maher (35), P Quirke for Kearney (41), B Hewitt for Fahey (43), TJ Ryan for Quinlivan (51), M O'Sullivan for O'Meara (58).
CORK: D Hanrahan; A Cronin, D Cahalane, C Dorman; TJ Brosnan, T Clancy (0-1), J Wall (0-1); S Kiely, I Maguire; A Cadogan (0-3), M Sugrue (1-1), J O'Rourke; D McEoin (0-3, 1f), B Hurley (0-3, 2f), L Connolly (0-3). Subs: B O'Driscoll for Brosnan (39), K Hallissey (0-1) for Sugrue (56), K Crowley for Wall (59), T Hegarty (0-1) for McEoin (60), J Burns for Kiely (60+2).
Referee: R Moloney (Limerick).