By virtue of a 1-19 to 1-13 defeat of Cork in front of almost 43,000 people at Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Tipperary have delivered their first championship victory on Leeside for 85 years. This was Liam Sheedy's first championship game in charge of the Premier County and seven points in the last ten minutes saw them maintain their unbeaten run in 2008. Shane McGrath fired Tipp ahead after ten seconds and Cathal Naughton equalised before Lar Corbett got out in front of Diarmuid O'Sullivan to put the Premier County back in front. O'Sullivan won the next ball that came in his direction but Ben O'Connor missed the target from the resultant free. The Tipp defence was totally exposed on seven minutes and O'Connor latched onto Timmy McCarthy's pass to send the ball to the net for the game's opening goal. Twin brother Jerry added another Cork point and Naughton followed up with the eleventh-minute minor that made it 1-3 to 0-2. In the fifteenth minute, Jerry O'Connor floated over a great Rebel County score and Ben added a fifth Cork point following a foul on Tom Kenny. Willie Ryan responded with Tipp's first point in 15 minutes and Corbett nonchalantly knocked over the score that made it 0-4 to 1-5. Corner forwards Paudie O'Sullivan and Naughton (who was finding acres of space as a roaming corner forward) added further scores for the hosts and Sean Og O hAilpin banged over the point that put Cork seven clear, 1-8 to 0-4. Then came the game's defining score. In the 24th minute, Eoin Kelly - previously starved of possession - made the most of his chance and drove a superb shot to the Cork net to bring the national league winners back within four. John Gardiner and Ryan traded wides and Cork full forward Pat Cronin also missed the target, as did Tipp's Seamus Butler. Donal Og Cusack saved well from Kelly and the latter clipped over a free on the stroke of half time - the first score either side managed in 15 minute. Premier County substitute Pat Kirwick and Corbett contributed late Tipperary points and the visitors were just a point adrift at the short whistle, 1-8 to 1-7. While Tipp were glad to be within striking distance at the interval, they were guilty of nine of the 13 first-half wides. Cork got the first score of the second half via the pacy Naughton - his fourth - and Kelly replied for Tipp before Brendan Cummins made a good save from Cronin. When Naughton was pulled down whilst bearing down on goal in the 43rd minute, Cork were awarded a penalty, which was taken by Paudie O'Sullivan and saved by Cummins. Ten minutes into the second half, Kelly drove over a Tipp free from 65 metres to level the scores for the second time, 1-9 apiece. Cork were two ahead five minutes later thanks to Ben O'Connor and Tom Kenny. Two Kelly points - one from a free - had Tipp level with 15 minutes to play. On 58 minutes, Ben O'Connor sent Cork back ahead from a close-range free. Tipp levelled through sub Michael Webster and the scores were locked at 1-12 each on the hour. Points from Kelly (free) and Seamus Callinan left two in it and Eamonn Corcoran's sideline cut made it 1-15 to 1-12 in Tipp's favour with seven minutes left. The winners bagged four of the next five points and ran out easy winners in the end. Tipperary - B Cummins; E Buckley, P Curran, C O'Brien; E Corcoran (0-1, sideline), C O'Mahony, S Maher; J Woodlock, S McGrath (0-2); S Butler, S Callinan (0-3), R O'Dwyer; E Kelly (1-6, 5f), L Corbett (0-4), W Ryan (0-1). Subs - P Kerwick (0-1) for O'Dwyer, B Dunne for Woodlock, M Webster (0-1) for Butler, J O'Brien for Ryan, D Egan for Callinan. Cork - D Óg Cusack; S O'Neill, D O'Sullivan, B Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín (0-1); J O'Connor (0-2), T Kenny (0-1); B O'Connor (1-3, 2f), K Canty, T McCarthy; P O'Sullivan (0-1), P Cronin, C Naughton (0-4). Subs - N McCarthy for Canty, K Murphy (Sarsfields) for T McCarthy, B Corry (0-1) for Cronin, J Deane for P O'Sullivan, P Horgan for N McCarthy. Ref - Barry Kelly (Westmeath). Tweet

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