All-Ireland MHC final: Tipp win all-Munster decider
September 02, 2007
Tipp minor captain Brendan Maher raises the Irish Press Cup
A goal in either half from Sean Carey helped Tipperary to a convincing 3-14 to 2-11 victory over Munster rivals Cork in the 2007 All-Ireland MHC final at Croke Park.
Tipp midfielder Brendan Maher opened the scoring on two minutes but Ryan Clifford levelled from a free and Michael O'Mahony took his point to fire Cork ahead on five minutes. O'Mahony clipped over his second point after Tipp full forward Patrick Maher almost got in for a goal.
O'Mahony's next shot flew wide but Clifford extended the Rebel lead with a precise point eight minutes in. Clifford and Patrick Maher swapped points and it was 0-5 to 0-2 after twelve minutes. Tipp closed the gap with another point from midfield and it was a one-point game after Seamus Hennessy sent over a free.
Clifford and Patrick Maher sent efforts wide as the game failed to catch fire. Tipp No.9 Noel McGrath equalised after taking a pass from his midfield partner Brendan Maher and John O'Neill sent the Premier County back in front.
Clifford's free tied it up at 0-6 apiece with eight minutes left in the first half. Hennessy and Michael Heffernan added to Tipp's tally with points but the game's first decisive strike arrived in between - a 24th-minute goal from Sean Carey.
Robert White brought Cork right back into contention with a goal four minutes from the break. The ball eventually worked its way to the Rebel attacker after some scrappy play close to the Tipp goal and he fired a low shot through the 'keeper's leg to bring his side back within two.
Hennessy's free made it 1-9 to 1-6 and White was unfortunate when his injury-time attempt came back high off a post at the Hill 16 side of the pitch. The half-time whistle sounded with Tipp holding a three-point advantage.
Tipperary goaled again - this time through Michael Heffernan - at the start of the second half and Hennessy added a point as they pulled away: 2-10 to 1-6. Clifford pulled one back and O'Mahony almost got in for a Cork goal but his shot was deflected out for a 65, which Killian Murphy drove wide.
Clifford knocked over another free and Cork goalie Darren McCarthy made a brilliant save to deny Tipp a third goal ten minutes into the second half. A long scoreless period ensued before O'Mahony contributed his third point - a magnificent finish from the left wing in the 47th minute.
The margin was back to five when Hennessy replied with a Tipp point on the run 60 seconds later. In the 50th minute, Heffernan floated over a wonderful point from distance to make it 2-12 to 1-9 and Brendan Maher pointed via the stick of the Cork custodian to send the dominant Tipp lads seven clear.
Cork couldn't get back into the game and they outscored Tipp by two points to one in the remainder of normal time. Carey put the icing on Tipp's cake when he brilliantly kicked his second goal in injury time.
Luke O'Carroll managed a fortuitous Cork consolation goal two minutes into added time but the score was barely even of statistical value as Tipp won the 2007 All-Ireland MHC final by 3-14 to 2-11.
Tipperary - TJ Logue; K O'Gorman, P Maher, S O'Brien; J Barry, J Coghlan, M Cahill; B Maher (0-3), N McGrath (0-1); S Hennessy (0-4, 3 frees), C Lorrigan, S Carey (2-0); J O'Neill (0-2), P Maher (0-1), M Heffernan (1-2). Subs - P Murphy (0-1) for P Maher (32), J Gallagher for K O'Gorman (52), D O'Brien for C Lorigan (58), D O'Connor for S Hennessy (62).
Cork - D McCarthy; C Hurley, A Kearney, C Murphy; L McLoughlin, J Herlihy, C O'Donovan; S Farrell, D O'Sullivan; P Gould (0-2), M Bowles, M O'Mahony (0-3); L Farrell (1-0), R White (1-0), R Clifford (0-6, 3 frees). Subs - S McDonnell for Farrell (25), G O'Connor for Kearney (32), D Stack for M Bowles (ht), C McCarthy for Stack (52).
Referee - J Owens (Wexford)
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