Tipperary battle back to bring Cork down

Munster Huring Final replay 1991: Tipperary 4-19 Cork 4-15:A dramatic replay of the Munster hurling final left a full-capacity Semple Stadium unable to contain the emotion as Tipperary overcame Cork with a show of heart, writes Paddy Downey

WORDS LIKE these which appear in cold print on Monday morning cannot capture the wild delirium which surged in great waves round Semple Stadium, Thurles, yesterday in the final minutes of the replayed Munster hurling final.

In those minutes the great game swayed on a razor’s edge, but when referee Terence Murray blew the final whistle Cork, champions of 1990, were dethroned and the matchless men of Tipperary regained the Munster title – their fourth victory in five years and third over Cork.

Even neutral spectators in the huge attendance (official all-ticket figure 55,000, but there must have been 60,000 tightly packed into the stadium) were dazed by the throbbing tension and the astonishing manner in which Tipperary fought back from the brink of defeat.

It was more than astonishing, if the right word could be found to describe what had seemed impossible coming up to the end of the third quarter.

Seldom if ever before has any team in any game faced such a test of character. And it was character, sheer indomitable spirit – plus other factors which we shall come to presently – that won the title for them.

Tipperary looked dead and buried when trailing by nine points in the 14th minute of the second half. Like the tall ships, Cork were sailing away with the Munster crown in the humid heat of Semple Stadium.

But the defending champions struck something resembling the Rock of Cashel. In a bewildering spell of 13 minutes Tipperary scored 2-5 – to which Cork replied with only one point from a magnificent, 50-yard sideline puck by Cathal Casey – and the home team were in front with eight minutes of normal time to go.

Tipperary held that lead for only one minute, for Cork’s midfield substitute Pat Buckley, who made a big impact when he entered the game 10 minutes before half-time, levelled the scores with a lovely point off the ground – and extra time was now looming.

Tipperary’s thrust at this time from John Leahy, Joe Hayes and Aidan Ryan around midfield could not be stopped, however, and when the end came after six minutes of added time (a second half of 41 minutes) the challengers were in front by four points.

Most of that extension was caused by the deplorable invasion of the pitch, twice, by exuberant Tipperary supporters who were overflowing in their hundreds inside the perimeter wall on the Killinan end of the ground. There was nothing rowdy about those incursions, however – young people were unable to contain their joy when Pat Fox and Aidan Ryan scored crucial goals.

The standard of the hurling was not consistently as high as in the drawn game at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on July 7th. But it was good enough at least to please the most discerning critics, and in the last quarter, and added time, it was excellent.

The Munster final this year must at last stop in their tracks the protagonists of the open draw. Surely they cannot be allowed to kill this incomparable institution of Irish sport.

Cork will wonder how they let the game slip away when they seemed to have it totally in control – as they had also at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. They were ahead at half-time by four points – 2-8 to 1-7 – and they shut their opponents out through most of the third quarter.

Between them the full forwards, John Fitzgibbon, Ger Fitzgerald and Kevin Hennessy, scored four goals and three points. The champions also took over at midfield when Buckley came on to partner Teddy McCarthy. But they could not copperfasten their advantage.

The answer to the question posed is simple: this Tipperary team possess extraordinary character and many great hurlers.

Leahy was outstanding. His switch from the attack to midfield was a master stroke. Aidan Ryan and Hayes were splendid substitutes. The contributions of corner forwards Michael Cleary and Pat Fox were vital – they scored 1-7 and 1-5 respectively. Declan Ryan played his part in different positions and Cormac Bonnar was unstoppable late in the game.

In defence, Bobby Ryan and Conal Bonnar were sound when the big effort was needed. Colm Bonnar was very effective in that sector too when he moved from midfield and Ken Hogan could not be blamed for any of Cork’s four goals. He made some fine saves.

Nicholas English was unable to line out because of injury, but on the day his absence was not a handicap. His replacement, Donie O’Connell, lined out at centre forward where he broke down several high balls, but not fruitfully, and Declan Ryan moved to the right wing while Cleary went into the left corner.

Tipperary started the game with tremendous drive and dominated the first 10 minutes, leading at one stage by three points.

Cork looked in big trouble, but Seán O’Gorman, who received a knock in the first minute, held the fort with splendid defence at right full back. Then the Cork half backs, Casey, Jim Cashman and Pat Hartnett, settled down and Tipperary’s attack was blunted. O’Gorman continued to dominate his own and other areas in defence.

The defending champions broke the midfield grip established for Tipperary by Colm Bonnar and Declan Carr when Buckley arrived on the scene 10 minutes before the interval. Tony O’Sullivan stormed into the game at left half forward; Tomás Mulcahy and Fitzgerald tore through on the right wing of the attack while Fitzgibbon and Hennessy were also causing panic in the Tipperary full back line.

Fitzgibbon (18th minute) and Fitzgerald (27th minute) scored Cork’s first-half goals, both from opportunist touches, but from good approach work, though Tipperary would claim that the scores were lucky. Cleary was Tipperary’s goal-scorer in that period with a powerful shot from close range after he had taken a pass from Cormac Bonnar.

In the third quarter, Tony O’Sullivan hurled with such brilliance that he threatened to destroy Tipperary on his own.

Cork seemed home and dry when Hennessy sent the ball past Hogan after Fitzgibbon had brought it through over 35 yards 12 minutes after the change of ends. It was a beautiful score, for the full forward struck from what seemed an impossible angle at close range.

Cork were then in front by 3-13 to 1-10, but Tipperary were not daunted. They lifted their game with remarkable spirit and goals by Fox and Carr helped them to achieve their lead of one point with eight minutes of normal time to go. Fox’s score was a beauty, for the Cork goalkeeper, Ger Cunningham, came far off his line to clear, but was left stranded when the right full forward pulled faster on the ball which sped into the empty net.

Carr scored his goal with an overhead stroke in a crowded square from Colm Bonnar’s long free. At that time Carr had moved into the attack.

After Buckley had levelled for Cork, Hayes missed a chance of the lead for Tipperary and Teddy McCarthy also missed an opportunity for Cork to edge in front with three minutes of the half to go.

But then Tipperary came in full spate again to score points from Cormac Bonnar and Fox in the 68th and 69th minutes.

The drama of the game was now at its peak, Mulcahy’s shot for a Cork score came back off the post and in the first minute of added time Aidan Ryan blocked down an attempted clearance by the Cork full back Richard Browne and went through to score his team’s fourth goal.

They were now five points in front, 4-17 to 3-15 but Fitzgibbon, from a 30 yards free, pulled them back with a goal which was of little use at that time.

Cleary clinched a great victory for Tipperary with two lovely points in the last two minutes of the long extension.

TIPPERARY:K Hogan; P Delaney, N Sheehy, M Ryan; J Madden, B Ryan, Conal Bonnar; D Carr (capt, 1-1), Colm Bonnar; D Ryan (0-2), D O'Connell, J Leahy (0-2); P Fox (1-5), Cormac Bonnar (0-1), M Cleary (1-7, 2fs). Subs:A Ryan (1-1) for O'Connell (half-time); J Hayes tor Madden (40 mins).

CORK:G Cunningham; S O'Gorman, R Browne, D Walsh; C Casey (0-1, sideline puck), J Cashman (0-3, 1 70, 1f), P Hartnett; B O'Sullivan, T McCarthy; T Mulcahy (0-1), M Foley, T O'Sullivan (capt, 0-6, 4f); G Fitzgerald (1-2), K Hennessy (1-0), J Fitzgibbon (2-1, a goal from a free). Subs:P Buckley (O-1) for B O'Sullivan (25 mins).

Referee:T Murray (Limerick).