Connolly inspires Cork to comfortable victory
A STRONG first half before a good response to a second-half Tipperary revival saw Cork through to the Munster football final as they triumphed at Thurles last night.
Before 3,339 people in Semple Stadium, Ronan McCarthy’s team led by seven points at half-time and extended that lead to 10 before the home side halved the deficit. When faced with questions though, Cork had the answers.
Given that Tipperary beat Cork in Thurles at the same stage two years ago and rattled them in Páirc Uí Rinn last year before a six-point win in the League in Páirc Uí Chaoimh this year, a close game was expected.
However, Premier County manager Liam Kearns had expressed concerns about the quick turnaround for his side after beating Waterford last Saturday, while this was a Cork team far stronger than in the spring, buttressed by the presence of Stephen Cronin at centre-back, Aidan Walsh in midfield and scorer-in-chief Luke Connolly in the full-forward line.
The key period of the first half was a nine-minute spell where Cork scored 1-4 without reply. The first 24 minutes had seen six points evenly shared, though twice Tipp, playing with the wind, had threatened goals. In the 12th minute, Cork debutant goalkeeper Mark White did well to save from Michael Quinlivan after he had burrowed his way in along the endline and then on 19, Quinlivan was the creator for Liam Casey, who was found in space but also denied by the netminder.
Tipp trailed 0-3 to 0-2 at that stage, John McGrath levelling with a free before Luke Connolly put Cork back in front with his third point of the game, a long-range free as their scoring run was set in train.
Aidan Walsh might have had a goal chance from a Connolly pass, but while good Robbie Kiely denied him, Cork didn’t have too long to wait to raise a green flag.
They might have had one on the half-hour, Connolly firing just over after Ruairí Deane did well to play him in, making it 0-5 to 0-3, but the goal immediately followed. When Seán White’s ball forward was misjudged by Shane O’Connell, Connolly had a run and, though O’Connell recovered to strip possession from him, Colm O’Neill was able to seize possession and fire the loose ball home.
Further points followed from Mark Collins – given after consultation with the score-adjudication system – and Connolly with his left foot had Cork seven to the good before Liam McGrath ended Tipperary’s drought with a nice score, but Connolly had his first free, his sixth in total, to leave it 1-8 to 0-4 at half-time.
Cork looked to have moved into an unassailable lead as two Connolly frees sandwiched another nice Collins score to leave it 1-11 to 0-4 after 44 minutes, but Tipp gave themselves some hope with five straight points, three from McGrath while Liam Boland and sub Philip Austin but a half-chance of a goal was prevented from materialising as Cronin did well to block Quinlivan.
The visitors’ lead was still five but they had lost O’Neill to injury – replaced by Brian Hurley for his first game in 21 months – and they needed something to relieve the pressure.
They got it when Ian Maguire got forward and won a free, which Connolly converted, his ninth of the game, quickly followed by one from substitute Paul Kerrigan just after his introduction, set up by another replacement, Peter Kelleher.
Those scores served to deflate Tipp hopes of a comeback and Cork pulled clear again as the end neared, Connolly unlucky to see an effort hit the side-netting while Hurley underlined his comeback with the final score, Tipp finishing with 14 as Jack Kennedy picked up a late black card. Cork now await Kerry or Clare in the Munster final on June 23. CORK: M White; K Crowley, J O’Sullivan, K Flahive; S White (J Loughrey 64), S Cronin, T Clancy (M Taylor 68); A Walsh (P Kelleher 60), I Maguire; K O’Driscoll (R O’Toole 56), M Collins, R Deane; J O’Rourke (P Kerrigan 60), C O’Neill (B Hurley 47, injured), L Connolly. Scorers: L Connolly 0-10 (5f), M Collins 0-3, C O’Neill 1-0, P Kerrigan 0-2, S White, B Hurley 0-1. TIPPERARY: E Comerford; S O’Connell, A Campbell, R Kiely (K Fahey 46); J Feehan (P Austin ht), J Meagher, B Maher; L Casey (L Boland 49), S O’Brien; J Keane (J Lonergan 67), J Kennedy, B Fox; C Sweeney (K O’Halloran 67), M Quinlivan, L McGrath. Scorers: L McGrath 0-5 (3f), J Kennedy (f), L Boland, M Quinlivan, P Austin 0-1. Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow).