Tipp complete remarkable turnaround with dominant All-Ireland Hurling Final victory

GAA: All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final

Tipperary 3-27

Cork 1-18

Report: Shane Brophy at Croke Park

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Darragh McCarthy (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Darragh McCarthy 1-13 (1-0 pen, 0-8 frees); John McGrath 2-2; Jake Morris, Jason Forde, Andrew Ormond 0-2 each; Eoghan Connolly, Robert Doyle, Willie Connors, Conor Stakelum, Rhys Shelly, Noel McGrath 0-1 each.

Cork: Shane Barrett 1-4; Patrick Horgan 0-4 (3 frees); Diarmuid Healy 0-3; Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-2; Niall O’Leary, Declan Dalton (free), Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes, Seamus Harnedy 0-1 each.

Tipperary completed one of the great short term turnarounds in sporting history to in their 29th All-Ireland Senior Hurling title with a dominant second half performance to stun Cork at Croke Park on Sunday.

When Shane Barrett fired home Cork’s only goal in added time at the end of the first half, it gave the raging hot favourites a 1-16 to 0-13 lead at the break.

However, Tipperary produced one of the great second half performances to outscore their Munster rivals by an incredible 3-14 to 0-2 to secure the sweetest of all the 29th All-Ireland titles.

Both Tipperary and Cork teams were unchanged from their semi-final victories, but Premier manager Liam Cahill threw a curve-ball at Cork from the start, playing Bryan O’Mara as an extra-man in defence with Willie Connors picking up Declan Dalton at wing back while Conor Stakelum and Sam O’Farrell put the shackles on Cork’s dynamic midfield of Tim O’Mahony and Darragh Fitzgibbon.

The six point half time deficit was harsh on Tipp considering they outshot Cork in the first half, but nine wides undermined their positive play while Eoghan Connolly had a goal chance flash narrowly wide while Jason Forde had a goal ruled out for a square ball.

A missed scoreable free by Patrick Horgan early in the second half gave Tipp oxygen which they built on which points from Conor Stakelum, Andrew Ormond (2), Darragh McCarthy (2) before a piece of good fortune fell Tipp’s way as Darragh Fitzgibbon’s attempt at a point hit the post at one end from where Tipp cleared their lined with Jake Morris’ attempted point falling short but Patrick Collins failed to control the ball on the crossbar, John McGrath alert to coolly finish to the net, 1-18 to 1-16.

Cork’s response was impressive with their best player, Shane Barrett bringing his tally to 1-4 but it didn’t signal a chance in momentum as Tipp were relentless with bith between their teeth with John McGrath winning a 53rd minute penalty which resulted in Cork full-back Eoin Downey being sent off on a second yellow card. Darragh McCarthy showed no nerves in blasting to the net and the lead was out to six.

It was a game of redemption for McCarthy who top scored with 1-13 (0-4 play) while Tipp’s direct approach paid off with a third goal on the hour mark with a raking Eoghan Connolly clearance being perfectly deflected to the net by John McGrath.

There was no way back for Cork, Seamus Harnedy getting just their second score in the second half while they also had the ignominy of having a Conor Lehane penalty saved by Rhys Shelly in added time, with the Tipp keeper also getting in on the scoring act, one of the eleven different players to do so, with fittingly Noel McGrath putting the coup de gras to victory with the final point to ensure Liam MacCarthy will spend the New Year in Tipperary for the first time since 2019.

Full match analysis, reaction and photos from celebrations and Homecoming in Wednesday's Nenagh Guardian.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Rhys Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris); Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields, Capt), Robert Doyle (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Michael Breen (Ballina); Bryan O’Mara (Holycross/Ballycahill); Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs), Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Willie Connors (Kiladangan); Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Eire Og), Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields); Jake Morris (Nenagh Eire Og), Andrew Ormond (JK Brackens), Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara); John McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney), Jason Forde (Silvermines).

Subs: Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s) for O’Mara (50); Alan Tynan (Roscrea) for Morgan (56 inj); Noel McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney) for O’Farrell (59); Darragh Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields) for Stakelum (64); Oisin O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs) for Ormond (66).

Cork: Patrick Collins; Sean O’Donoghue, Eoin Downey, Niall O’Leary; Ciaran Joyce, Robert Downey (Capt), Mark Coleman; Tim O’Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Declan Dalton, Shane Barrett, Diarmuid Healy; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes.

Subs: Seamus Harnedy for Dalton (44); Damien Cahalane for Healy (56); Conor Lehane for Horgan (58); Shane Kingston for Connolly (64); Tommy O’Connell for O’Mahony (68).

Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway).

Attendance: 82,006.