Aidan Walsh’s late points earn Cork a spot in Munster final

Cork 0-16 Tipperary 1-11

Dual star Aidan Walsh kicked three late points as the Rebels avoided defeat to Tipperary and claim a place in the Munster SFC Final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Tipperary led for long periods and sub Brian Mulvihill put them 1-11 to 0-12 in front with three minutes of normal time left before Walsh's intervention was followed by a point from Barry O'Driscoll.

Despite being strong pre-match favourites, however, there was never really a stage when Cork lived up to that billing.

Even though Daniel Goulding put them ahead with a second-minute free, Tipp set their tone as Peter Acheson and Conor Sweeney pointed to put them in front and by the 11th minute they led by 0-5 to 0-2, an advantage which should arguably have been greater.

Cork looked to have found some rhythm as they then reeled off five unanswered points, with Mark Collins, John Hayes and Paul Kerrigan all impressing while Goulding converted a pair of frees and Tipp struggled to make any real headway.

They never panicked, however, and an excellent Steven O'Brien effort was added to by a free from Conor Sweeney to tie matters at 0-7 each. Again, Cork pushed on as Mark Collins and Fintan Goold both scored and Hayes should have put them five points clear but his goal attempt after an incisive move was somehow kept off the line by Acheson.

That was in the 35th minute, but it was Tipp who went in leading at half-time as O’Brien arrowed a ball from midfield into Sweeney’s hands and he slotted past Ken O’Halloran in the Cork goal.

Despite Cork having introduced Walsh and Eoin Cadogan by the start of the second half, there was no discernible change in the pattern of the game, as Sweeney ensured that any home scores were responded to in kind by the visitors.

As the second half wore on, however, Tipp became paralysed at the prospect of a first championship win over Cork since 1944, despite the fact that the hosts were struggling in a big way themselves.

Though sub Colm O’Neill kicked two points for Cork to bring them back to within a point, 1-10 to 0-12, a Tipp replacement, Brian Mulvihill, put them two ahead again. Walsh would have the final say, though.

CORK: K O'Halloran; M Shields, T Clancy, N Galvin; J Loughrey, P Kelly, J O'Rourke; A O'Sullivan, F Goold (0-1); M Collins (0-2), P Kerrigan (0-1), B O'Driscoll (0-2); D Goulding (0-3, all frees), B Hurley (0-1, free), J Hayes (0-1).

Subs: A Walsh (0-3) for O'Sullivan (34), E Cadogan for Goulding (half-time), C O'Neill (0-2, both frees) for Kerrigan (46), C O'Driscoll for Collins (51), D Óg Hodnett for Hurley (53), C Vaughan for Clancy (62).

TIPPERARY: P Fitzgerald; P Codd, C McDonald, G Mulhair; C O'Riordan (0-1), R Kiely, P Acheson (0-1); S O'Brien (0-1), G Hannigan; P Austin, I Fahey, B Fox; C Sweeney (1-4, three frees), M Quinlivan (0-1), B Grogan (0-2, frees).

Subs: B Mulvihill (0-1) for Fahey (44), J Coghlan for Austin (58), C McCullough for Grogan (60), H Coghlan for Hannigan (66), A Campbell for Mulhair (69).

SATURDAY’S OTHER FOOTBALL RESULTS

CONNACHT SFC SEMI-FINAL

Sligo 0-11 Galway 0-16

ALL-IRELAND FOOTBALL QUALIFIERS ROUND 1A

Limerick 1-16 London 1-13

Laois 1-19 Fermanagh 2-15

Derry 2-14 Longford 2-16

Wicklow 3-12 Offaly 0-17