Cork 3-30
Tipperary 1-24
CORKโS SEASON LOOKED in grave danger of coming to an early end the last time they played at Semple Stadium but today they returned to the Thurles venue and stamped their authority on proceedings.
There was a momentary wobble in the opening stages as Cork shipped 1-3 without reply but they proceeded to control the rest of the game and amassed a remarkable 3-30 on the scoreboard to inflict a crushing defeat on Tipperary.
The upshot is that Tipperaryโs All-Ireland hopes over after a wretched Munster hurling run and they may face a potential relegation play-off against Kerry. Cork now move forward to the All-Ireland series after bagging the third spot in the province. Conor Lehane was outstanding as he struck 0-8 while Alan Connolly, Darragh Fitzgibbon and substitute Tim OโMahony all hit the net.
Tipperaryโs woes were compounded by a missed first-half penalty from Noel McGrath and a second-half red card shown to Alan Flynn.
Tipperary could scarcely have imagined a better start to the game. Inside 40 seconds of play, Mark Kehoe sent Jake Morris galloping into space and he batted a finish to the net.
Tipperary built on that by rattling off three points to go six clear and while Cork registered a trio of scores to pare the deficit, the game was defined by a critical phase of play in the 12th minute. Kehoe was fouled for a penalty but McGrath smashed in a shot that bounced out off the upright. Cork gathered the rebound and swiftly counter-attacked, Robbie OโFlynn finding Alan Connolly in space and the Blackrock man brushed off defensive challenges to maintain his composure to strike his fourth goal in this summerโs Munster championship.
Suddenly Tipperary were only a point in front instead of capitalising the chance to surge seven clear. Cork gained belief and used it as a springboard to command the rest of the half. Lehane was in mesmeric form in attack, picking off six points from play and causing chaos for the Tipperary defence. OโFlynn and Shane Kingston made useful scoring contributions with a pair of points apiece, while Darragh Fitzgibbon embarked on an electric run in the 15th minute that yielded Corkโs second goal.
Cork were 2-14 to 1-9 clear at the interval and essentially the contest was settled by their capacity to protect the goal of Patrick Collins in the second half, enabling them to keep Tipperary at armโs length.
At the other end Cork kept the scoreboard moving and grabbed a third goal after a sublime team move that culminated in Fitzgibbon flicking the ball across for a first-time finish from OโMahony.
A fourth goal could have arrived for Cork soon after but OโMahony was denied by a fine block from Barry Hogan. In Lehane, Kingston, Coleman, OโFlynn, Harnedy and substitute Jack OโConnor, Cork had several scoring options in the second half. Tipperary relied on Noel McGrath and Jason Forde to keep them chipping away but it was a futile task in terms of altering the outcome of this game.
Scorers for Cork: Conor Lehane 0-8 (0-1f), Tim OโMahony 1-1, Alan Connolly 1-1, Patrick Horgan 0-5 (0-3f, 0-1 โ65) Shane Kingston 0-4, Darragh Fitzgibbon 1-0, Mark Coleman 0-3 (0-1f), Robbie OโFlynn 0-3, Seamus Harnedy 0-3, Jack OโConnor 0-2.
Scorers for Tipperary: Noel McGrath 0-13 (0-12f), Jake Morris 1-2, Jason Forde 0-5, Ronan Maher 0-1 (0-1f), Conor Stakelum 0-1, Dillon Quirke 0-1, Patrick Maher 0-1.
Cork
1. Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)
4. Sean OโDonoghue (Inniscarra), 3. Robert Downey (Glen Rovers), 5. Damian Cahalane (St Finbarrโs)
2. Niall OโLeary (Castlelyons), 6. Ciaran Joyce (Castlemartyr), 7. Mark Coleman (Blarney โ captain)
8. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville), 9. Luke Meade (Newcestown)
13. Shane Kingston (Douglas), 14. Seamus Harnedy (St Itaโs), 10. Robbie OโFlynn (Erins Own),
12. Conor Lehane (Midleton), 11. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers), 15. Alan Connolly (Blackrock)
Subs
21. Tim OโMahony (Newtownshandrum) for Horgan (44)
20. Tommy OโConnell (Midleton) for Meade (57)
25. Jack OโConnor (Sarsfields) for OโFlynn (60)
19. Ger Millerick (Fr OโNeills) for Downey (66)
24. Shane Barrett (Blarney) for Lehane (66)
Tipperary
1. Barry Hogan (Kiladangan)
2. Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill), 3. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields โ captain), 4. Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs),
5. Dillon Quirke (Clonoulty-Rossmore), 6. Seamus Kennedy (St Maryโs), 7. Barry Heffernan (Nenagh รire รg)
8. Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields), 9. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh)
12. Michael Breen (Ballina), 11. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), 10. Ger Browne (Cashel King Cormacs)
13. Jason Forde (Silvermines), 14. Mark Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), 15. Jake Morris (Nenagh รire รg)
Subs
19. Alan Flynn (Kiladangan) for Heffernan (half-time)
23. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha) for Browne (half-time)
26. James Quigley (Kiladangan) for Barrett (inj) (40)
17. Conor Bowe (Moyne-Templetuohy) for Breen (47)
Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin)
Seems like a very irish thing, no self responsibility. The players didnt qualify and lost to teams with less resources, time and effort put into them. But no one is allowed question that?
@Chris Mc: at no point have any of them refused to accept responsibility for anything. Youโre simply making up stuff to suit a narrative you want to peddle.
@John Molloy: i am not peddling anything. Just saying its not always someone elses fault.
@Chris Mc: which nobody has ever tried to say. Youโre still talking in fiction.
@John Molloy: Eddy was accused of slurry spreading by Murphy, the players were accused of playing badly by Eddy, if thatโs not players trying to deflect responsibility I donโt know what is.
@Patrick Breen: Eddy tried to suggest that there werenโt issues with how the womenโs game was being run. He tried to suggest that the 7s programme wasnโt taking away from the 15s (despite the fact that weโve seen players be taken out of 6Ns camp for 7s). He effectively tried to suggest that there was nothing more he could have done to help the womenโs game grow, develop and succeed. The failure to qualify for the RWC was just one small part of the interview. But again, youโre interpreting what youโre seeing to suit your predefined narrative.
@John Molloy: right, so to take this step by step, as Eddy has alluded to, the Irish women had better preperations provided to them than the teams they lost to. Obviously the preperations could have been better, even if theyโd won that would be the case, but it wouldnโt be the focus. My main point is the primary reason they lost was because they failed to perform, and definitely some people donโt want to accept that, and Iโm sure for him itโs difficult to listen to players slating him, and heโs not allowed a rebuttle of any kind, while being thrown under the bus. One question posed to him was why canโt we have a league like the RFU have, how can that be a serious question, we donโt have it in the menโs game, how on earth could we achieve that in the Womenโs game.
@Patrick Breen: who doesnโt want to accept that? Where has anyone said anything of the sort?
@John Molloy: Right throughout the whole thing, by deflecting and pointing out other issues itโs been to negate the blame coming at their feet. You said Eddy has not acknowledged issues in the womenโs game, heโs said theyโre trying to improve and fix the shortcomings, surely thatโs acknowledging issues, but thereโs issues everywhere, to complain about external factors is to deflect responsibility for failure in my eyes. If you feel that the team would have raised the same ruckus about lack or preparation if theyโd gotten through to the world Cup then okay, but I feel they complained to deflect blame falling at their own feet.
@Patrick Breen: when have the players done that? Or has that been the media?
@John Molloy: Fiona Hayes, admittedly a former player, said that the IRFU had failed the womenโs team, several players liked her statements, indicating that they agreed with it. While some took some personal blame, others have allowed the narrative that itโs the irfuโs fault to fester by not refuting it when asked. Even Cliodhna Moloney taking exception to Eddyโs comments for me points to this. He has, albeit harshly, simply pointed out that the team didnโt perform, while being put on the stand by the media, to accept responsibility for why the team didnโt qualify. While the media want to absolve the players completely. So itโs both, but itโs not a helpful narrative, imo. The level of facilities and failure of the team are two unrelated things, but the media have deemed it cause and effect
@Patrick Breen: all any of that stuff says is that people believe there are issues in the way in which Irish womenโs rugby has been run. Can you admit that this is the case? Or are you insistent on turning that into something that it isnโt?
@John Molloy: I fundamentally donโt believe that whatโs provided to them is less than they deserve, thatโs my big issue. Thatโs not to say there arenโt issues, but itโs unreasonable to expect issues to be solved just because thereโs a solution in theory. Things arenโt perfect, and that is the case with every sports team up and down the country. The fact that itโs become an argument around whatโs been provided to them, rather than merely a reflection on poor performance is my main issue. The team underperformed, are you insistent on turning that into something that it isnโt?
@Patrick Breen: he decided the players werenโt allowed play in the interpros, so they had no games before the qualifiers
@Chris Tobin: ya, and thereโs no evidence to suggest that was definitely the wrong call, there could have been injuries or covid issues that could have further hampered the team. Personally I think they should have played everyone in the interpros, especially as it was finally being televised, it would have been good to have the best players playing. Itโs been suggested that Eddy placed sole responsibility for the losses at the feet of the players, I read the interview, he acknowledged the shortcomings within the game, but when asked specifically what went wrong in the qualifying campaign I donโt think itโs unreasonable or unjustified to say it was the performances on the field, while some people are insinuating that he shouldnโt have mentioned the poor on-field showings at all.
Iโm sorry, but the womanโs poor mouth in this is OTT. Eddy failed, 100%. However a lot of the players are not putting their hands up or recognising much fault. Some of them seem allergic or lack the humility to criticism. All of the issues they highlight are valid, and coming up against England, France, NZ, etc, i get it. But how does it excuse consistently losing to teams with LESS resources. You have more resources than Spain but blame the lack of resources for losing to them?
And again, Eddy didnโt throw overhead passes, he didnโt drop off one on one tackles, etc.
@Cathal Carr: theyโre still on about the changing facilities in donnybrook? Got themselves on a pedestal after that, eh? Now they can scream from the rooftops when people rightly criticise their performances, hilarious really
@Michael Oats: I seen the team training last night in what I would class as world class facilities.
Remember when Rory Best came out and laid some of the blame for the RWC failure at the feet of the coaching ticket and the reaction he was greeted with by everyone, well thereโs a very different narrative here. The team seem very entitled and unwilling to accept any responsibility for their own failure. If theyโd performed better theyโd be going to the world Cup, irrespective of every other factor. The IRFU invested money in the hosting of the womenโs world Cup only for them to totally underperform, and theyโve since then, with better funding than theyโve ever had previously, underperformed also. They have to acknowledge and accept that, thatโs the primary reason theyโve lost games, not because they didnโt play in the interpros, I doubt many Scottish or Spanish players featured in those.
โHe apologised in case people took offence to his comments.โ The perfect summation of the times we live in. I wonder, if Mr Nucifora said something similar following the last World Cup implosion, would the players have thrown a public tantrum? And would they have received an apology to soothe any hurt feelings?
It seems like those calling for equality, whatever that is supposed to mean, arenโt interested in taking responsibility for their own failures. Something that is generally demanded of elite athletes.
I donโt remember hearing these gripes when Lynn Cantwell et al were winning a Grand Slam. Funny that. And bear in mind, it wasnโt France or England who defeated them in the qualifiers. They lost to minnows who donโt have nearly the same resources at their disposal. Grow up, ladies.
Anthony Eddy apologising to the Irish women for them not being able to close a game out
Both my teen daughters play rugby. When they lose a game I tell them they have to learn from their loss, dust yourself off, focus on what went wrong and fix it.
No use whinging and blaming anyone else.
Play as a team, lose as a team.
The women were atrocious vs Spain & Scotland in that qualifying tournament. Eddy canโt play the game for themโฆhas to be some personal responsibility there
@Sam Murray: there can be that and systemic problems at the same time. It doesnโt have to be one or the other.
The comments here are incredibly poor form. But sadly Iโm not surprised. Things made up and/or exaggerated to suit a narrative designed to demean and belittle. Far be it from me to attribute motive, but I couldnโt blame some for assuming gender is playing a big role in these reactions.
@John Molloy: so if i think a rugby player should accept personal responsibility when theyโve underperformed iโm now sexist.
@Chris Mc: first off, nobody has refused to accept responsibility for anything. Thatโs just something you have made up. Secondly I never said you were a sexist. I just said I could understand why people might think you are. Given that you are here making stuff up in an effort to have a go at the players.
@John Molloy: Stop your talk. The menโs team get rinsed when they lose AND put their hands up. Like the team, you are deflecting. Yourself onto a gender issue. Itโs simple: they are blaming a lack of resources for losing to teams with less resources. With very little, it seems, self reflection being done. My club has an extraordinary amount of Irish Internationals and i have been around many, in fact i spoke in the past 3 days to a player on it. A player who made one of the twitter comments. Almost zero responsibility taken, all someone elseโs fault. Now i am not speaking for the team of course, but it seems to be very much part of the narrative. All of this is beyond the point that youโve added nothing of susbstance to counter point.
@John Molloy: I think gender is key, because if it were the menโs team they wouldnโt be given any sympathy for their lack of performance on the field. I donโt know what your motive is, but I donโt think to patronise is progressive. The whole narrative is shocking, itโs not enough for them to simply show up and get a big pat on the back for it, they have to play well to warrant being lauded. Nobody said well done to Kellie Harrington for flying out to Tokyo, they said well done to her for performing and bringing back gold to Ireland. So I think to throw the gender card is just a cop out. People want to appear as if they value equality, and if they have to compromise on applying equal standards to achieve that so be it, virtue signalling is more important than rationality.
@John Molloy: to stress the narrative being pushed is we lost to teams with less resources than us because we need more resources. Iโm not saying they are not understanding of their responsibility in the loss, just that the narrative being WIDELY spun is the loss is not on the players, but the lack of support. It has been the almost all encompassing narrative and comments from the players, with only the odd throw away comment on โya, i suppose we couldโve done better.โ added in.
@Patrick Breen: ah the whole โyouโre just making excusesโ lark. Yes the menโs team would be held to different standards. Not because they are men, but because they are professionals. They have some of the best facilities going. They have access to specialists on a daily basis that amateurs donโt. This is their full time job. The womenโs game is utterly different and so different standards have to apply by default.
The refusal to attempt to understand the issues at the heart of the womenโs game & try & play the โIโm only treating them the sameโ card is nonsense. You canโt treat them the same because they are not the same.
The womenโs team havenโt refused to accept responsibility for their performances. Thatโs a complete red herring. But it suits the narrative some have already settled on.
@John Molloy: so youโve changed your point again now. Before it was the men wouldnโt get this kind of grief. Now itโs the men do receive criticism, but they can as professionals, but the woman canโt.
The womanโs team are putting the principle reason for their losses on a lack of support or resources, not their performances. Thatโs a fact, there is minute amount of comments taking responsibility compared to those blaming elsewhere. Thatโs a fact. Which is fine. . . if we were talking about losses to better resourced teams, which we are not.
@Cathal Carr: I never said men wouldnโt get this kind of grief. At no point. Never.
@Cathal Carr: also, the womenโs team absolutely are not pinning responsibility for their losses on anything at all. Iโd love to see where any of them have done anything even remotely close to what you are claiming. Even reading the above, Griffin is saying that theyโll feed into the review process and see what comes of it. She has actively avoided placing blame anywhere at all. Exactly what Eddy should have done if he were behaving in even a vaguely professional manner.
@John Molloy: Iโll apologise for my first comment. Hands up, i confused you with another poster.
However, if you havenโt heard one of the players putting the losses on resources thatโs on you. A number, albeit it many recent former team mates, are on TG4, Examiner, Newstalk, etc. One back three player was quoted on the early last month saying money was the primary factor, the playing pool wasnโt big enough. I donโt disagree, but she didnโt once put up her hand about performance on what went wrong. The playing pool didnโt make her get passed on the outside of her wing.
Look, weโre not going to see the same view point on this. Call sexism in a comment section but Iโve talked with 4 of the players on the pitch that day. And only 1 of them really put the hand up. Make of that what you will.
@John Molloy: so now its my fault as well as everyone but the players. Did i make up the results? Did i make up not qualifily for the WC?
@Patrick Breen: the mens team are professionals
@IAmSCozzie: Right so, will we treat them the same as other menโs amateur teams, coz Galwegians donโt get this much attention, and access to a high performance gym. Theyโre supposed to be elite sportspeople, but should also be immune from criticism for some reason. Aidan OโShea is an amateur, but him and the Mayo team arenโt protected from being called out for poor performances, and rightly so. Part of high-level sport is that thereโs gonna be criticism from the likes of me who hasnโt a clue what Iโm talking about it.
I rarely see any comments in the comment section on articles relating to Womenโs sport. But if it has a negative narrativeโฆโฆ..
@rugbyanbeer: thereโs always more comments on negative articles, regardless of whether itโs the menโs or womenโs teams, itโs just a type of journalism that riles people up more.
@Patrick Breen: so true
If Adam Griggs is being replaced then so should Anthony Eddy. The buck rests with him. Heโs the man in charge and he has to accept some responsibility for the unrest. He has let this team down by his comments and so should move asideโฆimmediately.
@Bernie Kenny: lol
Itโs really bad form for any boss to publicly put down his team only days before a match. OK they performed below expectations but the emphasis must be on why that happened and certainly not on throwing it back in the faces of the players who are naturally more disappointed than anyone.
@Matt Rogers: Exactly. And that right there is a good enough reason for the players to be pissed off. Yet somehow people here have turned it into something completely different.
Yes the team under preformed, they wonโt be going to the RWC, they put their hands up and admitted that ! Some commenters here seem to have forgotten the these girls are NOT professionals, they get up early in the morning or train late into the evening all the while holding down a job. Weekends with friends and family are a distant memory and all for the love of the game ! Anthony Eddy is a professional, he is the Director of 7s and womens rugby and under his tenure we have gone from winning grand slams and playing in WC semi finals to not even qualifying for a WC. He is so committed to improving the game that Adam Griggs is in charge for the November series instead of the new coach. And you guys are slagging off the amateur girls not the professional director of rugby!! #EddyOut