Cork 0-29

Tipperary 0-22

JOHNNY CAROLAN REPORTS

CORK made it three Division 1A hurling league wins from three as they beat Tipperary on Saturday night, but the final scoreline was just one element of an eventful evening.

There was the crowd at Páirc Uí Chaoimh – 30,910 a record for a regular-season hurling league clash – and of course the 30-man melee before half-time that led to Cork’s Shane Barrett and Tipp’s Jason Forde being dismissed. Then, there was Ben O’Connor’s reaction.

First, the Cork manager’s response to another victory, leaving the Rebels top of the table on six points before a three-week gap until their next match.

‘Winning,’ he said when asked what pleased him most.

‘Whether it was a point or five points, it didn't bother me, but I thought we finished strong. I suppose that's down to the S&C boys.

‘The subs we put on made an impact after going on, which is exactly what you're looking for. That was probably one of the most pleasing aspects. And a big Cork crowd in and finished with a win.’

However, the Newtownshandrum man was more exercised when giving his thoughts on the events before the break, feeling that the red cards were a heavy-handed response – the offence was contributing to a melee, though neither was alone in that.

‘If they're saying that's what it is, that's what it is,’ he said.

‘I'm not here going fighting against the GAA or any of them, but I'm looking for the game to be played the way it should be played, and that's just let the boys at it. If there's a dirty belt, let them at it. The referee inside, a fella above sitting in the stand, and he telling the referee, “You didn't do that, you didn't do that.”

‘Ticking boxes, that's what it is, ticking boxes, and we're refereeing games by numbers now, that's what it is. And the referee is so worried about, “I won't get a game again for the rest of the year, I have to tick the boxes.”’

Cork's Diarmuid Healy gets in his strike as Tipperary's Sam O'Farrell challenges. (Photo: George Hatchell)

Cork led by 0-16 to 0-12 at the break – a minute of hurling lost to the ether as play stopped with the clock on 34 minutes and, while it reached 40, no action resumed before referee Liam Gordon called time.

Early in the second half, Tipp might have eaten into the deficit but were wasteful and Cork managed to move seven points clear on a couple of occasions with Alan Connolly on hand from frees – he was to finish with eight points, four from play – and William Buckley impressing in a roving corner-forward role.

With both sides playing with an extra defender while down to 14, goal chances were at a premium though and Tipp came back into it as Eoghan Connolly, Darragh McCarthy and Noel McGrath were brought on.

Connolly’s prodigious long-range free-taking gave them hope coming down the stretch – his four points made him their top scorer – and the lead was down to three as Cork began to waste opportunities.

Rebels captain Darragh Fitzgibbon did make it a four-point game again with a 65 for his seventh point but before Connolly replied for Tipp to leave it 0-25 to 0-22 going into injury time.

They would not score again though as Cork finished with two from Connolly and one each from sub Tim O’Mahony and Diarmuid Healy to win by seven.

They had led for much of the contest once a bright Tipp start was quelled, with Dáire O’Leary and Robert and Eoin Downey coming to the fore in the home defence.

With Buckley, Fitzgibbon and Connolly showing well in attack, Cork had moved 0-8 to 0-6 ahead when they won an 18th minute penalty – Tipp’s Johnny Ryan perhaps harshly black-carded into the bargain – but Declan Dalton’s shot was well saved by Rhys Shelly.

In the minutes after that, long-range Jason Forde frees helped Tipp to draw level at 0-10 before Cork, with Mark Coleman operating as the spare man, hit a groove with five points on the trot.

Eoin Downey’s second made it 0-15 to 0-10 on the half-hour and Cork were still comfortably on top when grappling between Connolly and Willie Connors led to the one-in, all-in approach.

With order restored and both teams reduced, the second half had a strange feel but Cork still ensured they kept the upper hand, guaranteeing top spot as they reset after a hectic start to the campaign. The Rebels have two free weekends before travelling to face Kilkenny on March 1st.

OUR STAR: While Alan Connolly was Cork’s top scorer with eight points, all but one of Darragh Fitzgibbon’s seven came from play, the captain again outstanding in the half-forward line.

Scorers 

Cork: Alan Connolly 0-8 (4f); Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-7 (1 65); William Buckley, Diarmuid Healy 0-3 each; Eoin Downey, Mark Coleman, Shane Barrett 0-2 each; Brian Hayes, Tim O’Mahony 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Eoghan Connolly 0-4f; Jake Morris 0-3 (1f); Darragh McCarthy (2f), Jason Forde (2f), Willie Connors, Andrew Ormond, Sam O’Farrell 0-2 each; Cathal O’Reilly, Craig Morgan, Séamus Kennedy, Conor Stakelum, Oisín O’Donoghue 0-1 each.

Cork: Patrick Collins; Ger Millerick, Dáire O’Leary, Seán O’Donoghue; Eoin Downey, Robert Downey, Mark Coleman; Micheál Mullins, Ethan Twomey; Darragh Fitzgibbon, Shane Barrett, Diarmuid Healy; Declan Dalton, Alan Connolly, William Buckley.

Subs: Cormac O’Brien for Coleman (ht), Tim O’Mahony for Mullins, Brian Hayes for Dalton (45), Hugh O’Connor for Twomey (52), Robbie O’Flynn for Buckley (64).

Tipperary: Rhys Shelly; Cathal O’Reilly, Johnny Ryan, Bryan O’Mara; Sam O’Farrell, Craig Morgan, Séamus Kennedy; Willie Connors, Conor Stakelum; Andrew Ormond, Jake Morris, Josh Kelleher; Jason Forde, Oisín O’Donoghue, Darragh Stakelum.

Subs: John McGrath for Stakelum (ht), Eoghan Connolly for Kennedy (45), Noel McGrath for Keller (49), Darragh McCarthy for O’Donoghue (55), Paddy McCormack for Ormond (61).

Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway).