REBELS TOO HOT TO HANDLE

CORK are celebrating after winning their first Munster U21 hurling title since 2007. The Rebels set their stall out from the outset, with Shane Kingston and Declan Dalton slotting over early scores. The impressive start for Cork was capped by their first goal midway through the opening half. After some good work by Tim O’Mahony to put the ball into his path, Robbie O’Flynn finished clinically to the back of the net. Although Tipp did get early scores of their own through Darragh Woods and Ger Browne, Cork were in the ascendancy, with Kingston and Dalton, through a fantastic sideline cut, adding further well-taken points. Mark Coleman also got in on the scoring act and was one of a number from the senior hurling side to impress. Tipperary looked to mount some sort of fightback on the restart and they pointed through Lydon Fairbrother. But Cork brought any hopes of a comeback to a shuddering halt, when Jack O’Connor slammed the ball home for the second Rebel goal of the contest. CORK: G Collins; D Lowney, D Griffin, N O’Leary; E Murphy, M Coleman, B Hennessy; S Smyth (D Connery 45), D Fitzgibbon (C Cahalane 22); R O’Flynn (A Myers 55), D Dalton (C O’Leary 56), S Kingston; L Healy (M O’Halloran 56), T O’Mahony, J O’Connor. Scorers: D Dalton (4f) 0-7, J O’Connor 1-2, R O’Flynn 1-1, S Kingston 0-4, M Coleman (1f) 0-3, L Healy 0-2, T O’Mahony, C Cahalane, E Murphy, A Myers 0-1 each. TIPPERARY: C Barrett; P Campion (C Morgan 24), B McGrath, K O’Dwyer; C Flanagan, P Cadell, D Quirke; G Browne, C English (S Neville 44); J Cahill, P Feehan, M Kehoe (C Stakelum 54); D Gleeson (L Fairbrother ht), J Morris, D Woods (C Darcy ht). Scorers: L Fairbrother (4f, 1 ’65) 0-5, G Browne 0-4 , S Neville 1-0, J Cahill, 0-2, D Woods, J Morris 0-1 each. Referee: J Murphy (Limerick).