Impressive Tipp roll past Cork

A hat-trick from Senan Butler halted Cork’s winning streak and placed the Premier in pole position to take the direct route to the Munster Under 20 Hurling final.

GAA: oneills.com Munster U20 Hurling Championship Round 4

Tipperary 3-20

Cork 0-18

Report: Stephen Barry at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Senan Butler (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Senan Butler 3-1; Darragh McCarthy 0-6 frees; Oisín O’Donoghue, Paddy McCormack (1 s-cut) 0-3 each; Sam O’Farrell, Conor Martin 0-2 each; Eoin Horgan (free), Adam Daly, Cathal English 0-1 each.

Cork: Jack Leahy 0-6 (5 frees); James Dwyer, William Buckley 0-3 each; Diarmuid Healy, Adam O’Sullivan 0-2 each; Barry Walsh, Timmy Wilk 0-1 each.

It was always going to take something special to disrupt the Cork Under 20s’ All-Ireland title defence but Tipperary found it through Senan Butler’s goal bonanza on Friday evening.

It was the second hat-trick at FBD Semple Stadium in the space of 24 hours, both netted by pacy goal-poachers sporting yellow helmets. More happily for Tipp, after the exploits of Clare corner-forward Liam Murphy in Thursday’s minor match, this one came from a home hurley.

The Kilsheelan-Kilcash clubman’s heroics halted Cork’s winning streak and placed the Premier in pole position to take the direct route to the Munster final.

The reigning champions entered with nine victories on the spin since Ben O’Connor took over as manager last year, but they were on the receiving end of a major statement of intent in this eleven-point loss. The Rebels have a fortnight to recover for a semi-final.

For the third game in a row, all six of Tipp’s forwards scored and both midfielders have also registered in their last two outings. Manager Brendan Cummins will be equally pleased with the back-to-back clean sheets they have earned, with Eoin Horgan executing a fine save to starve Cork of momentum.

There were plenty of examples of the work-rate that piled so much pressure on their much-vaunted opponents. Butler and Conor Martin chasing back to produce turnovers inside their own 45. Ben Currivan and Adam Daly harassing Jack Leahy into a wide on the stroke of half-time which drew roars from the sideline as loud as any goal celebration. Darragh McCarthy’s big hit sending a Cork sub sprawling over the sideline. Podge O’Dwyer hounding danger-man Leahy for a late hook.

Paddy McCormack, back from suspension, was one of three changes alongside Chris O’Donnell and Mason Cawley. The Borris-Ileigh target-man was fast out of the blocks with three points in the opening quarter, including a silky sideline cut.

The visitors had found acres of space for William Buckley’s opening shots (one pointed, one wide) but once their match-ups were settled, Tipp wouldn’t allow such luxuries thereafter. Between the seventh and 17th minutes, they kicked on, outscoring Cork 1-7 to 0-2 as they stretched the Rebel defence to breaking point. McCarthy slotted three frees, two of which were called back after Tipp had threatened goals. For one, McCarthy was denied by Paudie O’Sullivan, and Butler couldn’t connect with the rebound. The Toomevara star laid on three further points in a row for Sam O’Farrell (2) and Martin.

He would also assist both first-half goals. The first was fortuitous as his shot struck the post and the ever-alert Butler pickpocketed a ball he had no right to win before finding the net. 1-9 to 0-5 for the hosts.

Cork kept in touch with points from Buckley, James Dwyer, and Leahy but their under-pressure forwards missed more than their fair share of chances. By the break, the wide count read 8-3.

Tipp continued to hunt goals. Sam O’Farrell had a shot blocked by Kevin Lyons. Darragh McCarthy cleverly doubled on a puck-out, but his contact was too pure and too long to send Senan Butler into space.

They got their reward with 1-1 before the break. Adam Daly survived a foul to land a point while falling. Then, Oisín O’Donoghue intercepted a poor Cork side-line, and a precise running move went through O’Farrell and McCarthy for Butler to rifle home. They headed in 2-10 to 0-7 ahead.

There was no let-up from the throw-in as an O’Donoghue point was followed by a McCarthy free. Then came the Cork rally. Diarmuid Healy struck a pair either side of a Barry Walsh goal chance. That was well saved by Horgan and brilliantly cleared by Jack Collins before Walsh got a second attempt.

Smart play from Butler and McCarthy teed up Paddy McCormack at the other end but O’Sullivan saved, and the visitors followed with another brace from Buckley and a Leahy free.

Just as the deficit was decreasing, Tipp and Senan Butler found their third goal in the 40th minute. It came from a moment of wizardry by McCormack to take down a puck-out on his hurley and release Conor Martin into space. The Cappawhite centre-forward forced a diving save from O’Sullivan, but Butler was perfectly placed to volley in. When Oisin O’Donoghue added a point, it was a double-score game, 3-13 to 0-11.

Tipp maintained that advantage to the finish as Eoin Horgan excelled in flicking away the sliotar from a dangerous Walsh pass across goal. Cathal English was the sixth forward to find the target and the gap was 13 when Butler took his tally to 3-1.

Cork had points off the bench from Adam O’Sullivan (0-2) and Timmy Wilk, but the deficit grew to fourteen with three in a row via McCarthy and Horgan frees and an O’Donoghue tap-over. With the game long put to bed, Cork clipped the final three points in stoppage time, including a close-range Leahy free tipped over by Horgan.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Eoin Horgan (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams); Podge O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Aaron O’Halloran (Carrick Swan), Chris O’Donnell (Ballylooby/Castlegrace); Jack Collins (Ballina), Ben Currivan (Golden Kilfeacle, Capt), Mason Cawley (Nenagh Éire Óg); Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Éire Óg), Adam Daly (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams); Cathal English (Father Sheehy’s), Conor Martin (Cappawhite), Oisín O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara), Paddy McCormack (Borris-Ileigh), Senan Butler (Kilsheelan/Kilcash).

Subs: Jack O’Callaghan (Portroe) for Cawley (41); Sam Rowan (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone) for Butler (53); Ciarán Foley (Borrisokane) for O’Farrell (56); Eoin Craddock (Holycross-Ballycahill) for O’Donoghue (60); Dylan Fogarty (Boherlahan-Dualla) for English (60+1).

Cork: Paudie O’Sullivan; Darragh O’Sullivan (Capt), Denis Cashman, Kevin Lyons; James Dwyer, Órán O’Regan, Cillian Tobin; Mikey Finn, Ben Walsh; David Cremin, William Buckley, Diarmuid Healy; Tadhg O’Connell, Barry Walsh, Jack Leahy.

Subs: Adam O’Sullivan for O’Connell (HT); Timmy Wilk for Ben Walsh (HT); James O’Brien for O’Regan (42); Peter O’Shea for Tobin (50); Eoin O’Leary for Cremin (56).

Referee: Niall Malone (Clare).