The Rebels Stun Tipp With Three Goal Victory

Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship - Quarter Final: Tipperary 0-14 Cork 3-15

They're back. After three years in Tipperary's shadow, Cork re-emerged as a hurling powerhouse with a stunning 3-15 to 0-14 destruction of the Munster champions at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.

Aisake Ó hAilpín had a hand in each of Cork's goals and scored their third after an outstanding game at full-forward for the Rebels.

The giant Na Piarsaigh man tormented Tipperary full-back Padraic Maher for the first 23 minutes, setting up two goals for his partner in a two-man inside forward line, Patrick Horgan, before he ended the game as a contest by hitting the back of the net with ten minutes left.

It was an electrifying display from Ó hAilpín, who made his Senior debut in the three-point defeat to Tipperary last year, the lanky full-forward giving the kind of performance his older brother, Setanta, did for Cork during their period of dominance in the middle of the last decade.

However, Ó hAilpín was just one of several Cork heroes on the day. Eoin Cadogan, who missed most of the last eight weeks with a shin problem, was awesome at full-back.

The Douglas man dominated rookie Tipperary full-forward Brian O'Meara and made a string of inspirastional catches on the edge of the square.

The Cork half-back line gave the best answer possible to the critics that were quick to write them off after the league final by completely dominating the game. They cleaned up under the Tipperary puck outs, as Ronan Curran and John Gardiner monopolised possession which they utilised cleverly to feed Aisake Ó hAilpín on the edge of the square.

Tipperary's forwards started promisingly, but they were completely outplayed in the second half and the Premier men went 33 minutes in that period without a score from play, with Timmy Hammersley, a second half substitute, finally ending a miserable run with three minutes to go. Indeed, Eoin Kelly's seven points from placed balls aside, the Tipperary attack completely misfired, with their half-forward line, in particular, failing to live with Cork's intensity and constant harrying.

Cork led 2-5 to 0-10 at the break, but five successive points in a six-minute spell after the restart saw them take control. Tipperary were hanging on by their fingertips and needed a superb save from their goalkeeper, Brendan Cummins, to stay in the game.

Aisake Ó hAilpín was still causing panic every time he got the ball and should have sent Cork into an unassailable lead in the 44th minute but he was penalised for taking too many steps after getting away from Paul Curran, who was moved to full-back in the first half.

He had an even better chance later in the half, but he pulled his shot badly wide with only Cummins to beat after evading Curran once again.

However, he was not to be denied the goal his heroic efforts deserved. With ten minutes left, Jerry O'Connor found him all alone on the edge of the square with a clever pass and Ó hAilpín danced around Cummins to leave Cork 3-13 to 0-12 ahead.

Cork's dominance of the first quarter stemmed from the champions' inability to deal with Dónal Óg Cusack's short puck outs.

The Cork goalkeeper looked for Curran and, particularly, Gardiner in the half-back line, who secured clean possession to feed the irrepressible Aisake Ó hAilpín.

The Cork full-forward completely dominated Padraic Maher and his finger prints were on two goals inside the first 23 minutes.

The first came just 13 minutes in, as Gardiner delivered a trademark long ball into the younger of the Ó hAilpín brothers, who stuck a paw into the air, turned and kicked past Cummins.

However, Maher had piggy backed him as he attempted to shoot and referee Paddy Kelly had already signalled for a penalty. Patrick Horgan stepped up and drilled the ball into the top corner.

Aisake Ó hAilpín's presence on the edge of the square was causing panic in the Tipperary defence and a minute earlier he might have hit the back of the net himself had Cummins not made a brilliant block.

Tipperary led by 0-3 to 0-1 at that stage after Cusack had denied Lar Corbett with a neat save seven minutes in. The strong-running Corbett - who scored two points from play in the first half - won a breaking ball in the inside forward line was clear on goal, but his shot was deflected away by the Cork goalkeeper.

Padraic Maher's day of torment continued when he was booked for a foul on Ó hAilpín and Ben O'Connor dropped over the free to leave Cork 1-3 to 0-3 ahead.

However, things got even worse for the Munster champions midway through the half when Cork snaffled a second goal.

Horgan again was the beneficiary of Ó hAilpín's athleticism, as he cracked a super shot into the top corner in front of the Blackrock end supporters after the Cork full-forward had spilled possession after winning another clean catch.

Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy immediately moved to reduce the damage and Padraic Maher was switched out to wing-back, with Curran going into full-back and Michael Cahill moving back to mark Horgan in the corner. The move worked, but the damage had already been done.

Tipperary did finish the half the stronger as they came to grips with Cusack's puck outs and started to win some ball in the half-forward line.

John O'Brien scored two points from play and Brendan Maher's score just before the break left just two points between the sides at half-time.

But the damage had already been done to Tipperary's confidence and they were a spent force when Cork hit five points on the bounce after the restart.

Tipperary now face the prospect of the All-Ireland Qualifiers while Cork will play under strength Limerick in the Munster semi-final in three weeks' time.