Cork Secure Place In Hurling Final

Cork Secure Place In Hurling Final

Cork maintained their unbeaten run in the Allianz GAA Hurling League and secured a place in the Division 1 final after a 1-16 to 1-15 defeat of Tipperary at Páirc Úi Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon.

The Rebels led 0-11 to 0-7 at the break but Paul Kelly struck 1-2 for Tipperary at the start of the second half and the home side looked to be in serious trouble.

However, Pa Horgan, who finished with a personal haul of 1-6, smashed the ball home brilliantly after 52 minutes to seal the Rebels place in the league final, where they will play Galway.

Aisake O'hAilpín made a bright start to the game, but his first attempt at goal went high and wide before Pádraic Maher made a great block to deny the giant Na Piarsaigh man when he had a clear run at goal. O'hAilpin was then fouled by Maher in the fourth minute to allow Patrick Horgan to open the scoring from a placed ball.

The big full-forward was enjoying a fine start and he again beat Maher to a high ball to put Paudie O'Sullivan clear on goal, but the Cloyne youngster was denied by a fine save from Brendan Cummins. Tom Kenny added Cork's second from way out the field before Eoin Kelly got Tipperary off the mark from a free in the eight minute. Kelly levelled the game a minute later with his second free of the game.

Cork then hit four points without reply, as Lorcan McLoughlin, Cathal Naughton and Horgan were all on target to give the Rebels a 0-6 to 0-2 lead by the 15th minute.

Cork maintained that advantage to lead by 0-8 to 0-4, but the decision to move O'hAilpín out to centre-forward appeared to backfire as Tipperary began to establish a foothold in the game. The Premier men hit the next two points to reduce the gap to just two points, with Eoin Kelly unerringly accurate from frees.

Cork took a 0-11 to 0-7 lead into the break thanks to another Horgan effort just on the stroke of half-time after Conor O'Mahony had fouled Ó hAilpín, who was once again starting to cause problems in attack.

Tipp nearly made the perfect start to the second half, when Lar Corbett burst through on goal and sent a shot to the top corner only to be denied by a flying save from Martin Coleman, who deflected the ball into the path of Eoin Kelly but he was swarmed by red clad defenders and the ball was cleared. Shane McGrath opened the scoring in the second half before Eoin Kelly added another from play to reduce the gap to two points in the 42nd minute.

Paul Kelly then struck two fine points from play to leave just a score between the sides after a five-minute spell that yielded four points without reply. The game was level a minute later when Gearóid Ryan landed a point from way out the field.

Tipp's magic spell was crowned when Paul Kelly hit the back of the net in the 47th minute. The corner forward evaded his marker and struck a low shot to Coleman's left to leave the Premier men 1-12 to 0-11 ahead.

Cork were yet to score in the second half, but that all changed when Horgan rattled the back of the net in the 52nd minute. Paudie O'Sullivan's shot was batted clear by Tipp goalkeeper Cummins, but the ball fell to Horgan, who controlled expertly, flicked it over a defender and smashed the ball to the roof of the net. Horgan added a free to level the game a minute later.

The sides were nip and tuck until the 67th minute, when Jerry O'Connor grabbed a fine score from play to give the Rebels a 1-15 to 1-14 lead. Horgan then brought his total to 1-6 for the afternoon when he sent over a free from 60 yards out in the first minute of injury time.

Tipp replied with a point from the stick of Larry Egan as the final stages of the game were played out at a frenzied pace as Tipperary searched in vain for an equalising point.