Tipperary outscored Cork by 3-14 to 0-2 in the second half to sensationally claim their first All-Ireland SHC in six years: 3-27 to 1-18.

It was poignant that Noel McGrath – winning his fourth All-Ireland medal - lofted over the last score of a match in which Darragh McCarthy contributed an immaculate 1-13, while John McGrath netted twice as Liam Cahill's wonderful, belief-charged underdogs ran riot to reclaim the Liam McCarthy Cup at Croke Park.

Having trailed by six points at half time, magnificent Tipp led by as many 20 minutes into the second half and with their opponents having been reduced to 14 men! John McGrath fired the first goal and the unerring McCarthy nailed the second to the top corner from a penalty after Eoin Downey pulled McGrath down and also received his second yellow card, followed swiftly by a red.

When McCarthy added a point, Tipp led by 2-21 to 1-17 and had outscored the red-hot favourites by 2-8 to 0-1 in the 22 minutes since half time. McCarthy then whipped over a free to bring his personal haul to a whopping 1-11.

McGrath’s second goal on the hour was a masterful strike as he bravely batted the dropping ball beyond Patrick Collins first time, followed instantly by a Jason Forde point to make it a twelve-point game. Substitute Seamus Harnedy whacked the crossbar as Cork tried to gain a lifeline, not knowing what had hit them…

It was all such a complete  transformation from the first half, where the winners managed only six points from play. With just five seconds left in that first half, Tipperary would been delighted with their efforts until then as they had achieved their aim of keeping things tight, trailing by just three points. Then Shane Barrett poked the bear as he raced through to plant a brilliant shot to the bottom right-hand corner of the Davin End net, doubling his own tally for the day and making it 1-16 to 0-13 to Cork at the break.

A few minutes earlier, the Premier County thought they’d got a goal of their own but the celebrations were temporarily cut short when Forde’s close-range flick was ruled out for a square ball.

Captain Ronan Maher did an excellent job in marshalling Cork dangerman Brian Hayes throughout but the big No.15 still chipped in with a sensational point on 29 minutes to stretch the gap out to four points, 0-15 to 0-11. The first eight points were traded and the Munster champions and league winners led by the odd point from 13 heading into the second quarter.

Top scorer McCarthy arrowed over six points for the underdogs in the opening period and, up until Barrett’s strike, Liam Cahill’s charges had perfectly executed their first-half plan, despite some fine scores from Barrett, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Patrick Horgan. It could all have been different at the interval had full back Eoghan Connolly’s goal effort at the other end on 20 minutes not fizzed inches outside Collins’ post…

In the second half, the handbrake came off and Tipperary were unstoppable.

Tempers became frayed as the players went down the tunnel at half time, with Willie Connors and Declan Dalton booked for their part in the argy-bargy, and rejuvenated Tipp came out with intent as Conor Stakelum and Andrew Ormonde (two) drilled over the first three points of the second half to halve the deficit by the 40th minute, Horgan and Barrett off target at the Hill 16 end as Cork wilted inexplicably in the face of the relentless onslaught.

McCarthy – his seventh – flashed over the fourth successive Tipp score – and his free then made it a one-point game, Pat Ryan reacting to Tipperary’s sudden dominance by bringing on Harnedy. Tipp’s opening goal came in the 46th minute when Collins ‘saved’ a shot that was going over the bar but diverted the sliothar to John McGrath, who was the calmest man in Dublin 3 as he evaded Collins and tapped to the net – 1-18 to 1-16.

Barrett eventually mined Cork’s first second-half point but Tipperary were a class apart now as they stormed dramatically to their 29th All-Ireland senior hurling title, with even goalkeeper Rhys Shelly getting in on the scoring act with a late, late free from 100 yards.

Shelly also got down to his right to save an injury-time penalty from sub Conor Lehane as the Tipp celebrations began on a day that will never be forgotten in the Premier County. A day of heartache for Cork as they lost a second All-Ireland final in a row.

Tweet

Most Read Stories