Tipperary 3-16
Cork 1-16
Fintan O’Toole reports from Páirc Uí Chaoimh
2011 ALL-IRELAND minor football winning captain Liam McGrath left his mark on the senior stage tonight as his brace of goals proved pivotal to Tipperary enjoying a successful trip to Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Last summer Tipperary were knocked out by Cork at the Munster semi-final stage but they reversed the result to claim a valuable Division 2 Allianz football league success on the opening night.
McGrath weighed in with a brace of excellent goals in the second half while 2016 All-Star Michael Quinlivan also found the net in style.
Cork’s 0-9 to 0-8 lead could have been greater at the interval. Sean Powter was felled and that yielded a penalty where Stephen Sherlock’s shot was tamely struck and goalkeeper Evan Comerford got down to tip the shot away.
Sherlock atoned with a pair of sweetly struck points from play after the interval but then Tipperary hit their stride, spurred on by the first goal of the game. Conor Sweeney smacked a shot against the crossbar but Tipperary gathered the rebound on the wing, recycled possession and Michael Quinlivan supplied the ball to Liam McGrath who lashed a shot to the net with his left foot in the 42nd minute.
Ten minutes later Quinlivan had bagged a goal for himself. He finished sublimely with his right foot past goalkeeper Mark White after a move that had been instigated by a key interception from Josh Keane. A Sweeney point soon after stretched Tipperary’s advantage to seven points – 2-13 to 0-12.
Cork rallied notably. Mark Collins and Ruairi Deane did the spade work for substitute Colm O’Neill to palm the ball to the net. O’Neill thumped over a point off his right and Sherlock slotted a free to cut the gap to two points.
Tipperary were suddenly under pressure but after McGrath converted a free in the 65th minute, he settled the contest by firing home his second goal of the match three minutes later with a fine finish.
Cork picked off points courtesy of Sherlock and Collins before Tipperary rounded off their positive night’s work through Sweeney and Quinlivan.
Scorers for Cork: Stephen Sherlock 0-5 (0-3f), Mark Collins 0-5 (0-1f), Colm O’Neill 1-1, Sean White 0-2, Sean Powter, Ruairi Deane, John O’Rourke 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tipperary: Liam McGrath 2-5 (0-2f), Michael Quinlivan 1-2, Jack Kennedy 0-3 (0-2f), Conor Sweeney 0-3 (0-1f), Steven O’Brien, Liam Boland, Brian Fox 0-1 each
Cork
1. Mark White (Clonakilty)
2. Sam Ryan (St Finbarrs)
3. Jamie O’Sullivan (Bishopstown)
4. Micheal McSweeney (Newcestown)
5. Kevin Flahive (Douglas)
6. Kevin Crowley (Millstreet)
7. Brian O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)
8. Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s — captain)
9. Daniel O’Callaghan (Clyda Rovers)
10. Sean White (Clonakilty)
11. Sean Powter (Douglas)
12. Ruairi Deane (Bantry Blues)
13. John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers)
14. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)
15. Stephen Sherlock (St Finbarr’s)
Subs
23. Colm O’Neill (Ballyclough) for Powter (inj) (48)
21. Cillian O’Hanlon (Kilshannig) for O’Callaghan (50)
22. Michael Hurley (Castlehaven) for O’Rourke (53)
19. Tomas Clancy (Fermoy) for O’Driscoll (57)
10. Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh) for Sean White (65)
18. Conor Dorman (Bishopstown) for Maguire (66)
Tipperary
1. Evan Comerford (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)
2. Shane O’Connell (Golden-Kilfeacle)
6. Alan Campbell (Moyle Rovers)
4. Emmet Moloney (Drom & Inch)
3. Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule)
7. Robbie Kiely (Carbery Rangers, Cork — captain)
5. Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)
8. Steven O’Brien (Ballina)
9. Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials)
14. Michael Quinlivan (Clonmel Commercials)
10. Josh Keane (Golden-Kilfeacle)
12. Brian Fox (Éire Óg Annacarty)
13. Liam Boland (Moyle Rovers)
11. Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen)
15. Liam McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
Subs
18. Liam Casey (Cahir) for Boland (half-time)
21. John Meagher (Loughmore-Castleiney) for Feehan (43)
17. Kevin Fahey (Clonmel Commercials) for Kiely (62)
24. Brendan Martin (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) for McGrath (70)
20. Colm O’Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan) for O’Connell (70)
19. George Hannigan (Shannon Rovers) for O’Brien (73)
Referee: Padraig O’Sullivan (Kerry)
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18. Conor Dorman (Bishopstown) for Maguire (66)
