A Jake Morris goal four minutes into second-half injury-time secured Tipperary a stunning Munster U20 final victory.
The verdict appeared to have gone from the home side when Cork sub Evan Sheehan first-timed to the net on 59 minutes to hand the Rebels a 2-16 to 2-14 lead. There were still two between them three minutes into injury-time as Brian Turnbull cancelled out a Darragh Woods effort.
Having had a penalty claim turned down in the 63rd minute, Morris dusted himself down and when the next delivery was sent in his direction, he was out in front of Ger Millerick on this occasion and proceeded to drill a low shot past Ger Collins to send the Tipp supporters in the crowd of 9,117 into delirium.
Although the winners failed to score for the opening 10 minutes of the second-half, during which Cork surged three clear, five unanswered points between the 40th and 50th minutes swept the Premier lads into a five-point lead.
Morris and man of the match Conor Bowe were on the mark during this run of scores, both players, at different times in the game, giving awful grief to the Cork defence.
The sides were level returning back down the tunnel at the break, Tipperary having wiped out a five-point Cork lead when outscoring the visitors by 1-3 to 0-1 in the seven minutes before half-time. The key score in this burst was, of course, the green flag, Tipperary’s second of the evening.
Out of nothing, Kian O’Kelly, introduced 20 minutes in for Joe Fogarty, weaved his way in and around three red shirts before flicking the sliotar over the head of the onrushing Cork ‘keeper Ger Collins.
O’Kelly’s fine individual effort nudged the Premier youngsters back in front for the first time since the 13th minute. Liam Cahill’s charges had raced into an early lead off the back of a fourth-minute goal.
Billy Seymour, though initially blocked by Eoin Roche, retrieved possession, offloaded the sliotar to Conor Bowe and he found the net for his third goal of this championship.
But Cork quickly found their rhythm and would outscore their opponents by 1-6 to 0-2 between the 13th and 22nd minute.
Lighting the fuse on this period of dominance was Sean Twomey’s 13th minute goal, the Courcey Rovers half-forward catching a Shane O’Regan sideline, charging past his man, and firing to the net.
Three points followed in as many minutes from Ryan Walsh, Twomey, and Hanifin, and although Bowe stemmed the tide with Tipp’s first score in nine minutes, a brace from Daire Connery and Shane O’Regan shoved the Rebels five clear.
It was a lead they would twice hold, but one which they were unable to hold.
Cork now play Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final, Tipperary meet Wexford.
Scorers for Cork: S Twomey (1-2); C Hanifin (0-4, 0-3 frees); E Sheehan (1-0); S O’Regan (0-3); D Connery (0-1 free), B Turnbull (0-2); E Roche, P Power, T O’Connell, R Walsh (0-1 each).
Scorers for Tipperary: C Bowe (1-4); J Morris (1-3, 0-2 frees); K O’Kelly (1-0); A Ormond (0-2); C Connolly, J Cahill, G O’Connor, B Seymour, B O’Mara, D Woods (0-1 each).
Cork: G Collins (Ballinhassig); C O’Callaghan (Dromtarrife), J Keating (Kildorrery), E Roche (Bride Rovers); R Downey (Glen Rovers), G Millerick (Fr O’Neills), S O’Leary Hayes (Midleton); D Connery (Na Piarsaigh), R Walsh (Kanturk); T O’Connell (Midleton), C Hanifin (Na Piarsaigh), S Twomey (Courcey Rovers); L O’Shea (Lisgoold), S O’Regan (Watergrasshill), B Turnbull (Douglas).
Subs: S Kennefick (Glen Rovers) for O’Shea (31); E Sheehan for O’Regan (47, inj); P Power for Downey (50); B Murphy (Castlelyons) for Hanifin (65);
Tipperary: A Browne (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams); C McCarthy (Nenagh Éire Óg), E Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs), C Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs); M Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields), P Cadell (JK Brackens), B O'Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill); C Connolly (Loughmore-Castleiney), J Cahill (Kilruane MacDonaghs); J Fogarty (Moneygall), J Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg), G O'Connor (Moyne-Templetuohy); B Seymour (Kiladanagn), A Ormond (JK Brackens), C Bowe (Moyne-Templetuohy).
Subs: K O’Kelly (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Fogarty (20 mins); N Heffernan (Golden-Kilfeacle) for Purcell (30); J Ryan (Arravale Rovers) for Seymour (44); D Woods (Holycross-Ballycahill) for O’Kelly (52); R McCormack (Borris-Ileigh) for Ormond (64)
Referee: T Walsh (Waterford).
By Eoghan Cormican - Staff writer - Irish Examiner
