Ryan insists Cork will cause Tipp some ‘trouble’ in the summer
IT’S a decade since Tipperary, the most prolific winners of the League, last lifted the title but having started the day flirting with relegation, they came good to march into the quarter-finals against Dublin. Throw 20 wides into the equation — Cork hit just six — and some superb goalkeeping from Anthony Nash, and it’s clear that the Premier County should have sailed home more easily than having to survive a late Cork rally. ‘That is a real concern,’ admitted Tipperary manager Michael Ryan. ‘We did leave the door open but, I would be at pains to emphasise it, that is a quality Cork side. ‘Their comforton the ball, that’s a quality hurling side and they will cause us plenty of trouble in the summer as well but for today, we are thrilled to take away the two points.’ And Ryan revealed that John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer could be back for the knockout stages, but another former All-Star Seamie Callanan is unlikely to see action until the Championship. Jason Forde continues to revel in his absence, five of his 0-12 yesterday came from play and he was a constant threat. Ryan continued to experiment with his selections yesterday, with Brian Hogan, son of former custodian and manager Ken, the latest to get a chance between the posts and the LorrhaDorrha clubman produced a rock solid performance. But it was the goalkeeper at the other end who was the busier of the two, with Anthony Nash producing some stunning saves as he denied John McGrath in the opening half and Michael Breen at
the end of the third quarter. However, Nash could do nothing to deny Billy McCarthy a fine goal which pushed Tipperary 1-21 to 1-14 in front 15 minutes from time. ‘The Tipp goal in the middle of the second half, I thought we were coming,’ lamented Cork manager John Meyler. ‘It was touch and go but then Tipp got that goal down the bottom end, and that really killed it at that stage, it put them six or seven up.’ Tipperary led by 0-15 to 1-9 at the break but eleven wides in that period meant they still had a lot to do against the breeze after the restart. Cork responded well to McCarthy’s goal for Tipperary in the final quarter but while sub Luke Meade picked off a couple of points, they badly need a goal to bolster the comeback and that never looked like coming against a resolute defence. But the crowd of 6,673 were treated to a tight finish to a game which often struggled to ignite on a heavy pitch. ‘We’re just delighted to win, we wanted to get to the quarter finals and by winning our future was in our own hands,’ added Ryan. TIPPERARY: B Hogan; A Flynn, S O’Brien, D Maher (M Cahill 70); B Heffernan, Padraic Maher, R Maher; B Maher, C Barrett; S Curran, B McCarthy (C Darcy 70), Patrick Maher; M Breen, J Forde, J McGrath (M Russell 64). Scorers: J Forde 0-12 (7fs); B McCarthy 1-1; Patrick Maher 03; M Breen, S Curran & C Barrett 0-2 each; B Maher, A Flynn 0-1 each. CORK: A Nash; S O’Donoghue, E Cadogan, C Spillane; C Joyce, T O’Mahony (L McLoughlin 70), M Coleman; D Fitzgibbon (J O’Connor 70), B Cooper (D Kearney 64); S Kingston (L Meade 54), C Lehane, R O’Flynn (B Lawton 59); A Cadogan, M Cahalane, P Horgan. Scorers: P Horgan 1-10 (1 pen, 8fs); A Cadogan 0-3; M Cahalane, C Lehane, L Meade 0-2 each; S Kingston, D Kearney 0-1 each. Referee: Paud O’Dwyer.