In the history of Cork/Tipp clashes it must rank among the list of greatest recoveries. Lazarus-like Tipperary came from the proverbial ‘dead’ at sunny Pairc Ui Rinn to turn twelve-down into one-up – a thirteen point swing in the final quarter of a score-fest by the Lee.
It was flashy and spectacular, window-shop hurling, on a day when the stakes were low and two teams indulged in a shoot-out. Fifty-five scores in seventy minutes of hurling was breathtaking to watch, but the most stunning feature of all came in the guise of Tipperary out-scoring the hosts by an incredible 2-9 to 0-2 in the final quarter.
Okay, I guess we should ease off a little on the superlatives given the nature of the event. With both sides already anticipating quarter-finals there was nothing more tangible than bragging rights on offer here. Nonetheless, there was still a pep in our step leaving the Cork venue on Sunday evening – and, by contrast, you couldn’t miss the furrowed brows among the baffled locals.
We’re not used to such dramatic swings and roundabouts and on the way home I was trying to recall comparable events from the past. The 1991 Munster final replay certainly came to mind when Aidan Ryan’s goal into Killinan capped a famous comeback from nine-down. Mind you there were other more forgettable days when our opponents did the retaliating, none more painful than the 1981 championship game v. Limerick when Joe McKenna and company resurrected the Treaty men from a whopping fourteen-down early in the second half.
While the final quarter of this encounter delighted Tipperary I’m sure it left JBM and his Cork charges a little puzzled. After an indecisive opening half they exploded in the third quarter hitting four goals in a ten minute spell. Conor Lehane made the first major lodgment at the end of an ensemble move that originated around midfield. Pat Horgan wove his way through for the second. There was ill-luck on the third as a Harnedy shot came back off the post into the grateful hands of Paudie O’Sullivan, similar to Jonjo Farrell a week earlier. The fourth was another Horgan special.
‘Horgy’ did his little arms-spread celebration after that fourth strike and it did seem like champagne-time for the locals. They’d been hurt by Tipperary in Croke Park last August and this was atonement.
Yet Christy Ring, the legend who gives his name to this venue, was wont to say that you never take your eye off the ball even when it’s in the ref’s pocket. And for whatever reason Cork seemed to take their collective eye off every ball from here to the end. Amazingly Tipperary went to town for the remaining quarter of the game as Cork visibly wilted.
One can only speculate about the reasons for the turnaround. The locals did lose a few key players such as centre back, Mark Ellis, and midfielder, Daniel Kearney, which left them vulnerable as the tide turned. By contrast Tipperary had supplemented the starting side with ‘Bonner’ coming in before half time and Woodlock adding energy to a flagging midfield. Conor Kenny and Shane Bourke also brought fresh feet to the attack as the decisive onslaught built momentum.
It was exhibition stuff as Tipperary took total control for the final quarter. Callanan was at the heart of it, setting up both goals for Bergin and Forde as well as calmly slotting points from frees. O’Shea rightly referenced afterwards the maturity of the Tipp side in that final quarter as they hunted down such a formidable lead. Score by score they chipped away as Cork looked powerless to stop the flow. Conor Kenny came in and hit the leveler from an acute angle before Callanan once again was the orchestrator setting up Noel McGrath for the winner.
It might even have been easier but for the heroics of Anthony Nash who in turn deprived Callanan and ‘Bonner’ of possible goals. Earlier Niall O’Meara batted over after being picked out by yet another Callanan cross. Indeed in the first half it was Nash who deprived Brendan Maher after the Borris’ man was put through by Niall O’Meara and later Callanan was unlucky when his lob over Nash fell just the wrong side of the crossbar; Noel McGrath had set him up. It was that sort of game with chances aplenty. We could just as easily have had five or six goals and that must be a worry for JBM and colleagues.
For Tipperary it was more evidence of growing momentum since that awful day at Parnell Park. The four goals conceded will obviously be reviewed by team and management. The first might have been stopped outfield so it was hard to blame the inside line though Egan in goal will probably feel that he should have kept Lehane’s shot out. The third goal was luckless coming back off the post and then you had those Horgan specials again with questions being asked as to why the forward was allowed make such progress without being checked.
With Cathal Barrett absent on Sunday and Mickey Cahill and James Barry still to return there’s obvious scope for a sturdier defence come championship time. It was good to see the ‘saintly’ Paddy Stapleton returning and Ronan Maher will have benefitted from more game time hitting a huge volume of ball as Cork faded in the final stages. Paudie Maher once again was heavily involved though his opponent, Seamus Harnedy, hit five points from play. There’s a pattern here: Paudie does well playing the ‘forty’ but his opponent is given scope as we’ve seen now on successive Sundays with Richie Hogan and Seamus Harnedy. Opponents will have noted the trend so we need some counter-ploy to man-mark if Paudie is to be the sweeper across that line.
Midfield was a bit disappointing before Woodlock added energy and running in the second half. Callanan’s role in attack has been amply highlighted but I’d put the spotlight on Noel McGrath’s input as the most significant of the lot. Since 2010 his form has flat-lined, even dipped at times, and he’s shipped more unfair criticism than anyone else. I suspect the barbs have hurt and this year so far there’s been a welcome kick-back. He even got booked on Sunday though you could have received a yellow card this time for swatting a fly. (Incidentally for all Barry Kelly’s enthusiasm for flashing yellow cards he baulked at a second one when Mark Ellis did a flick on Callanan near the end of the first half).
Elsewhere in the attack Jason Forde made his strongest statement yet with a personal tally of 1-4 from play. Niall O’Meara hit two points though ‘Bubbles’ lacked zest on this occasion with some mention of illness as a factor. Brendan Maher could (should?) have had 1-1 in the first half and his failure to finish will be highlighted by those who oppose his move to attack. I suspect O’Shea sees his value more as a grafter in attack than necessarily a lethal finisher. Good to see ‘Bonner’ get some game time in his bid to regain match fitness and the impact of Conor Kenny when he was introduced has been favourably commented upon.
Overall then a day of sunshine for Tipperary, both literal and metaphorical, as the side makes another telling statement in this developing season. All of this, of course, came on a day of fluid, open hurling when free expression was in fashion. Championship heat will be considerably different.
Tipperary’s prize for topping the table now is a quarter-final meeting with Offaly next Sunday at Tullamore following Monday’s coin toss. Unavoidably we’ll be hotly fancied to make the semis against either Waterford or Galway, though presumption is always a dangerous commodity in hurling as in any sport.
Our most recent joust with King’s County was at Portlaoise in the qualifiers last July. We came out handy winners in the end, 5-25 to 1-20, but our passage wasn’t as smooth as those digits might suggest.
As fourth place finishers in division 1B it’s easy to be dismissive of Brian Whelehan’s side but don’t forget they were the ones to end Limerick’s promotion hopes recently so they deserve more respect than might at first appear. The venue will help their cause too. Still it will be the turn-up of the series if Tipperary stumbles here. For team doctor, Brendan Murphy, I’m sure it will be a day of mixed emotions.
By Jonathan Cullen Thu 26th Mar
