Cork 2-16

Tipperary 0-17

FIRST-HALF GOALS FROM Amy O’Connor and Milie Condon ensured that Cork progressed to a sixth straight Glen Dimplex All-Ireland final.

With a record crowd for a semi-final double-header of 10,311 at FBD Semple Stadium, Tipp got off to the type of start they would have hoped for, winning the throw-in and then drawing a free, converted by Eimear McGrath.

Three minutes later, Clodagh McIntyre got on the end of a flowing move and just inside the 45 on the Kinane Stand side of Semple Stadium, drover the sliotar between the posts without breaking stride.

The riposte from Ger Manley’s fairly new-look Cork side was notable however, Emma Murphy slotting the first of her four points from play in the opening period and the hugely influential Sorcha McCartan following up.

Cork's Amy O'Connor gets the opening goal of the game to put the visitors into the lead #RTESport

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O’Connor rifled home the first of the Rebels’ two first-half goals in the seventh minute, with McCartan the provider.

McGrath kept Tipp in touch from frees and Casey Hennessy floated over a super score but Cork were finding a lot of space and Murphy, McCartan, Laura Hayes, Saoirse McCarthy, O’Connor and Orlaith Cahalane all pointed from play.

Condon got in on the act with a rocket of a goal in the 21st minute and it was Ger Manley’s outfit looking strong at the interval, leading by 2-11 to 0-8.

Millie Condon gets Cork's second goal as they begin to assert dominance #RTESport

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You felt that the home team would need a goal fairly early on to enthuse their sizeable contingent of supporters but the Cork defence was resolute, Méabh Murphy reading the play well as sweeper.

Grace O’Brien did make some menacing runs and was only denied a goal by a sensational diving save by Amy Lee, after the Nenagh/Éire Óg attacker unleashed a shot bound for the postage stamp.

Certainly, the Premier were buoyed somewhat by that and points by McGrath from the resitamt 45, O’Brien and a first from teenage star Caoimhe Stakelum, made it a two-goal affair entering the final quarter.

Cahalane stretched it to seven but Tipp would not relent, and points by Eimear Heffernan and Karin Blair kept it in the melting pot.

It was all about the goal. Would it come? It did not, nor did they carve out another chance, despite doing so well defensively and in the middle third.

A numerical advantage in this sector, which provided them with the foundation for their fightback, meant that they were at a disadvantage up top, however, and they were always going to be up against it to post what would have been an oxygen-inducing green flag.

It was a fantastic effort by James Heffernan’s charges, but Cork had done enough in the first half and a couple of late points by Orlaith Mullins sealed the deal.

Scorers for Cork: A O’Connor 1-3(0-2fs); E Murphy 0-4; S McCartan 0-3; M Condon 1-0; O Cahalane, O Mullins 0-2 each; L Hayes, S McCarthy 0-1 each

Scorers for Tipperary: E McGrath 0-8 (6fs, 2 45s); G O’Brien 0-3; E Heffernan, C Stakelum (1f) 0-2 each; C Hennessy, E Heffernan, C McIntyre 0-1 each

CORK: A Lee, I O’Regan, IL Coppinger, M Cahalane, A Fitzgerald, M Murphy, I Sheehan, A Thompson, L Hayes, E Murphy, S McCarthy, M Condon, A O’connor, S McCartan, O Cahalane.

Subs: O Mullins for Murphy (52), H Ryan for Thompson (56).

TIPPERARY: L Leenane, A Quinlisk, M Eviston, E Loughman, C McCarthy, K Kennedy, C Guinan, K Blair, C Hennessy, E Heffernan, R Howard, C McIntyre, C STakelum, E McGrath, G O’Brien.

Subs: L Purcell for Hennessy (48), K Ralph for McIntyre (51), C Quirke for Loughman (51), N Treacy for McGrath (60).

REFEREE: B Nea (Westmeath).

*****

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