Cork 1-14
Tipperary 0-12

A FIRST-HALF scoring exhibition by Donncha O’Connor gave Cork the foundation for a McGrath Cup win which puts them into next weekend’s semi-finals and gives panellists further opportunity to impress.

Rebel manager Brian Cuthbert welcomed the chance for “game-time” for his extended squad after this victory over home team Tipperary in a game which proved relatively high-scoring for the time of year.

“It was a tough game,” Cuthbert said afterwards. “Tipp are a good physical team, they could have beaten us in the championship in Cork last year, maybe they should have beaten us.

“Certainly they didn’t hold back today but sure you wouldn’t expect them to hold back. It was a case of a tough game and that’s what you want.”

After a brief flurry at the start, when George Hannigan scored after 40 seconds before a Cork player had touched the ball, Tipp quickly found themselves on the backfoot.

O’Connor fired over a couple of quickfire points, added to by others by Colm O’Neill, before O’Connor stroked home a penalty after Jamie O’Sullivan was brought down in the 18th minute.

That gave them a three-point lead and the scores were never any tighter than that for the remainder of the fixture.

Tipperary manager Peter Creedon described it as “a great workout at this time of year, considering we’re not back that long,” following a protracted senior club championship which only ended on St Stephen’s Day.

Colm O’Neill got all four of Cork’s points after the break and they led by eight with 10 minutes on the clock.

However, a late burst of scoring by Tipp, two frees by Conor Sweeney and aneffort by Robbie Kiely, gave the scoreboard a respectable look.

Scorers for Cork: Donncha O’Connor 1-4 (1-0 pen), Colm O’Neill 0-7 (0-5f, 1 ’45’), Mark Collins, Dan McEoin, John Hayes 0-1 each.

Scorers for Tipperary: Conor Sweeney 0-5 (0-3f), George Hannigan, Barry Grogan 0-2 each, Robbie Kiely, Seamus Kennedy, Michael Quinlivan 0-1 each.

CORK

1. Ken O’Halloran (Bishopstown)

2. Stephen O’Donoghue (Ballincollig)
3. Tom Clancy (Clonakilty)
4. James Loughrey (Mallow)

5. Jamie O’Sullivan (Bishopstown)
6. Eoin Cadogan (Douglas)
7. Daniel Hazel (O’Donovan Rossa)

8. Michael Cussen (Glanmire)
20. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)

10. Colm O’Driscoll (Tadgh MacCárthaigh)
11. Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond)
12. John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers)

13. Dan McEoin (Ilen Rovers)
14. Colm O’Neill (Ballyclough)
15. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)

Subs
John Hayes (Carbery Rangers) for Hurley
Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadgh MacCárthaigh) for Cussen
Fiachra O Deasúnaigh (Bishopstown) for O’Rourke
George Durrant (Ballincollig) for O’Connor
Padraig Hodnett (Carbery Rangers) for Colm O’Driscoll
Liam Jennings (Ballincollig) for Clancy

TIPPERARY

1. Colin Nugent (Ardfinnan)

2. Alan Campbell (Moyle Rovers)
3. Paddy Codd (Killenaule)
4. Andrew Morrissey (Galtee Rovers)

5. Ger Hally (Cahir)
6. Robbie Kiely (Arravale Rovers)
7. Seamus Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials)

8. George Hannigan (Shannon Rovers)
9. Peter Acheson (Moyle Rovers)

10. Ian Fahy (Clonmel Commercials)
11. Barry Grogan (Aherlow)
12. Brian Fox (Éire Óg Annacarty)

13. Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen)
14. Colin O’Riordan (JK Brackens)
15. Michael Quinlivan (Clonmel Commercials)

Subs
James Feehan (Killenaule) for Hally
Liam Casey (Cahir) for Fahy
Darragh Kearney (Clonmel Óg) for Acheson
Liam Boland (Moyle Rovers) for Hannigan
P Shanahan for Grogan
Joshua Keane (Golden-Kilfeacle) for Sweeney

JBM’s experimental Cork side impressed in the Waterford Crystal Cup today