Tipp miss out on Munster Final by last gasp Cork winner

GAA: Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship Semi-Final

Cork 2-17

Tipperary 0-20

(After extra Time)

Report: Michael Dundon at FBD Semple Stadium

Photos: Bridget Delaney

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Sean Griffin (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Cork: Ben Corkery-Delaney 0-4; Eoin Maguire, Daniel McCarthy (2 frees) 0-3 each; Joe Miskella, Donagh Flynn 1-0 each; Cathal McCarthy 0-2; Niall O’Callaghan, Tom Whooley (free), Paddy Murphy, Sean O’Sullivan, Eoin Looney 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Ned O’Meara 0-10 frees; Sean Griffin 0-4; James Murphy 0-3; Sean Burke, Killian Fitzgerald, Killian Smith 0-1 each.

A Cork goal in the last minute of extra time cruelly ended Tipperary’s hopes of a place in the final of the Munster Minor Football Championship on Monday evening.

The sides had finished the hour on level terms 0-16 to 1-13, Tipperary staging another epic comeback from five points down with twelve minutes to go to catch their rivals.

Throughout this campaign this Tipp team has shown tremendous courage and self-belief and those traits were again to the forefront. A week previously they came from behind to beat Clare in added time. On Monday night, they again looked to be heading for defeat after a Cork goal in the 48th minute put the Lee-siders in the driving seat (1-12 to 0-10), but the last quarter belonged to the Premier boys who might well have snatched victory had a James Murphy blast for goal not whizzed over the bar in the 61st minute.

That point had Tipp a point behind and in the 64th minute, when Reuben Grace was fouled, team captain Ned O’Meara kicked the leveller to keep Tipp in the hunt for a final place against Kerry.

They didn’t deserve to lose after a magnificent effort throughout. Cork got off to a lively start with three points without replay but a Ned O’Meara two-pointer free after seventeen minutes opened Tipp’s account and they had much the better of things in the second quarter to lead at half-time 0-8 to 0-7. O’Meara kicked five of the points, two double pointers included with the impressive Sean Griffin, Killian Fitzgerald, and Sean Burke the other marksmen.

Ten minutes into the second half, Tipp had extended their lead with points from Killian Smith and Sean Griffin to which Sean O’Sullivan replied for Cork but then the rebels hit a purple patch crowned by a superb goal from Donagh Flyn in the 48th minute as he jinked his way through a hesitant Tipp defence to blast home for a 1-12 to 0-10 lead.

Tipp looked in trouble but, as they had done previously, when the going got tough, the tough got going. Sean Griffin pointed, Ned O’Meara had another two-pointer and then appointed free to leave the deficit at one point, 0-14 to 1-12 with five minutes to play.

A Daniel McCarthy point looked to ease Cork’s worries, but Tipp kept piling forward and sub James Murphy’s goal-bound effort skimmed the crossbar in the 61st minute. Three minutes later, Ned O’Meara held his nerve to kick a levelling point from a free for Tipp, 0-16 to 1-13.

Epic stuff and it continued in extra time, each side registering three points in the first half, a James Murphy two-pointer, and a Sean Griffin white flag accounting for Tipp’s tally, 0-19 to 1-16 at the break.

Ned O’Meara had another Tipp point from a free on resuming to which Daniel McCarthy replied for Cork, also from a free in the 73rd minute.

Then, in the 80th minute, with penalties beckoning, Tipp lost possession in the attack and with players gone forward in search of a winning point, the gaps at the back afforded Cork’s Joe Miskella the time and the space to rifle home the winning goal.

It was a gut-wrenching defeat for the Tipp lads who now go forward to the Tier 2 All-Ireland Series. However, their display won the hearts of their vociferous support and encourages the belief that Tipp football is again on the move after the heroics of the county’s under 20 squad.

Sean Griffin was outstanding throughout with other top-drawer performances from goalie James O’Brien, Ned O’Meara, Jack Kearney, Sean Burke, Killian Fitzgerald and subs James Murphy and Jack McMonigle.

Cork’s best were Eoin Maguire, Donagh Flynn, Cathal McCarthy, Matthew Kiernan, and Ben Corkery-Delaney.

TEAMS – Cork: Rory Twohig (6); Ben Coffey (6), Aaron Keane (6), Matthew Kiernan (7); Jerry O’Leary (6), Cathal McCarthy (8), Brian Cronin (6); Samuel Kelleher-Leavy (6), Ronan Hayes (6); Tom Whooley (6), Donagh Flynn (7), Niall O’Callaghan (6); Paddy Murphy (7), Ben Corkery-Delaney (6), Eoin Maguire (7).

Subs: Sean O’Sullivan (7) for Murphy (8 inj), Eoin Looney (6) for O’Leary (43); Daniel McCarthy (7) for Maguire (50); Jack Hanrahan (6) for O’Callaghan (53); Joe Miskella (6) for Whooley (55); Sam Long (6) for O’Sullivan (ET); Tom Whooley for Flynn (11 ET); Eamon Ger O Sullivan for Kelleher-Leavy (13 ET).

Tipperary: James O’Brien (Moyle Rovers 7); Cormac McInerney (Cashel King Cormacs 6), Daniel Charles (Clonmel Commercials 7), Conor Hurley (Moyle Rovers 6); Darragh Bresnan (Arravale Rovers 6), Niall Delaney (JK Brackens 6), Jack Kearney (Ballyporeen 7); Sean Griffin (Upperchurch/Drombane 9), Aaron McAndrew (Moyle Rovers 6); Sean Burke (JK Brackens 6), Killian Smith (Clonmel Commercials 6), Killian Fitzgerald (Lorrha 7); Dylan McCormack (Clonmel Og 6), Ned O’Meara (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone 7), Dara Maher (Clonmel Commercials 6).

Subs: Jack McGonigle (Rockwell Rovers 7) for McAndrew (20 inj); Charlie Hall (Golden Kilfeacle 6) for Delaney (41); Cillian Morrissey (Moyle Rovers 6) for McCormack (49); Reuben Grace (Galtee Rovers 6) for Fitzgerald (52); James Murphy (Ardfinnan 8) for Maher (58), Dylan McCormack for Bresnan (15 ET), Killian Fitzgerald for Smith (17 ET); Rory O’Reilly (Clonmel Og) for McGonigle (19 ET).

Referee: Evan Horan (Kerry).