Tipperary blown away by late first half blitz as Cork claim first league title in 27 years

Allianz National Hurling League Final - Division 1A

Tipperary 0-23

Cork 3-24

The worst-case scenario unfolded for Tipperary’s senior hurlers in Pairc Uí Chaoimh in Sunday afternoon’s Allianz National Hurling League final, as a rampant Cork outfit ran riot in the first half and beyond to claim a first league crown since 1998.

For Tipperary, the wait goes on to clinch the national title. In truth, after a fairly nip-and-tuck first 20 minutes, where the sides were level at 0-8 apiece, Cork kicked into a higher gear to rattle three goals past Barry Hogan in the final 15 minutes of the first half to give the Rebels a commanding 3-16 to 0-12 lead.

Those goals came in worrying fashion for the Tipperary defence with far too much space available to the Cork forward division for all three as Alan Connolly, Darragh Fitzgibbon and a fantastic finish from Ethan Twomey had the raucous Rebel supporters rocking in the stands and terraces in Pairc Uí Chaoimh.

It was a processionary second half as the sides were both resigned to their fates in different ways with Tipperary managing to seal the burst dam at the back at least, winning the second half 0-11 to 0-8.

More to follow………..

Scorers: Tipperary: Jason Forde (0-6, 0-2f, 0-1 65), Darragh McCarthy 0-4f, Jake Morris 0-3, Sam O’Farrell, Seanie Kenneally, Darragh Stakelum all 0-2 each, Craig Morgan, Andrew Ormond, Alan Tynan, Gearoid O’Connor all 0-1 each.

Cork: Patrick Horgan (0-7, 0-5f), Darragh Fitzgibbon 1-4, Ethan Twomey, Alan Connolly 1-2 each, Tim O’Mahony, Diarmuid Healy, Shane Barrett all 0-2 each, Brian Hayes, Ciaran Joyce, Tommy O’Connell all 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly, Michael Breen; Joe Caesar, Ronan Maher, Bryan O’Mara; Sam O’Farrell, Craig Morgan; Alan Tynan, Willie Connors, Gearoid O’Connor; Darragh McCarthy, Jake Morris, Jason Forde.

Subs used: Darragh Stakelum for Connors (23); Seanie Kenneally for Tynan (HT); Dylan Walsh for O’Connor (44); Andrew Ormond for McCarthy (46); Seamus Kennedy for Tynan (57); 

Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Eoin Downey, Sean O’Donoghue; Ciaran Joyce, Rob Downey, Cormac O’Brien; Tim O’Mahony, Ethan Twomey; Diarmuid Healy, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Shane Barrett; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes.

Subs used: Seamus Harnedy for Healy (48); Mark Coleman for O’Brien (51); Declan Dalton for Hayes (52); Tommy O’Connell for Twomey (56); Luke Meade for Fitzgibbon (56); Shane Kingston for Barrett (66).

Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin)