Collins helps Cork cruise to the finish

MUNSTER UNDER-21 FC SEMI-FINAL Cork 0-21 Tipperary 2-3: CORK STRIPPED Tipperary of their Munster title with an impressive semi…

MUNSTER UNDER-21 FC SEMI-FINAL Cork 0-21 Tipperary 2-3:CORK STRIPPED Tipperary of their Munster title with an impressive semi-final win at Páirc Uí Rinn last night.

They dominated the first half but had only a three-point lead to show for their efforts at half-time, 0-10 to 2-1, accumulating eight wides in the process.

Cork opened brightly, going 0-5 to 0-1 ahead, but Tipperary stunned them with a fine goal from Donagh Leahy in the 11th minute after good approach work by Also Matassa and Billy Hewitt.

Cork seized the initiative again, scoring four points without reply – Barry O’Driscoll scoring twice – only for Tipperary to grab a second goal after 27 minutes, David McGrath finishing well.

READ MORE

But Cork pushed on again in the second half, hitting eight points in a row with man-of-the-match Mark Collins leading by example at centre forward and senior stars Aidan Walsh and Ciarán Sheehan also contributing significantly.

The game was well over by the time substitute Liam Boland kicked Tipperary’s first point from play after 47 minutes.

CORK: S Mellet; L Jennings, D Cahalane, A Cronin; P Daly, T Clancy (Clonakilty), J Wall; M Ó Laoire (0-3), A Walsh (capt); C Sheehan (0-4), M Collins (0-8, 0-5 frees), J O'Rourke; D Óg Hodnett, B O'Driscoll (0-4, one free), P Honohan (0-2). Subs: B Coughlan for O'Driscoll (55 mins), E Buckley for Hodnett and D Nation for Walsh (57 mins), T Clancy (Fermoy) for Wall and D O'Donovan for Cronin (59 mins).

TIPPERARY: J English; R Kiely, J Ryan, M Hanly; D Leahy (1-0), E Kenrick, J O'Callaghan; D Heffernan, P Acheson (0-1); B Hewitt, A Moloney, A Matassa; C Sweeney (0-1, free), D Butler, D McGrath (1-0). Subs: G Ryan for Kenrick (17 mins), M Dwyer for Hewitt (half-time), L Boland (0-1) for Butler (44 mins), T Hanley for Matassa (45 mins), G Quinn for M Hanly (55 mins).

Referee: M Condon(Waterford).