Two goals from Connolly help league leaders Cork recover to defeat Tipperary

A 3-13 to 0-21 victory for the Rebels in Thurles this evening.

Cork 3-13
Tipperary 0-21

John Fallon reports from Semple Stadium

CORK HAD TO stage a second-half comeback to preserve their perfect start to their Division 3 football league campaign as a brave Tipperary effort came up just short tonight.

Tipperary managed just 0-26 in their opening three games but while they came within five points of that total in front of a crowd of just 875, it wasn’t enough to prevent a second loss of the campaign.

But David Power’s men will take a lot of encouragement from a good display which came up short when Luke Connolly twice found the net in the second half.

Tipperary hit the ground running in perfect conditions at Semple Stadium and deservedly led by 0-5 to 0-0 after just ten minutes.

Riain Quigley marked his senior debut with a point after just 70 seconds and they pushed on from there with Steven O’Brien, Emmet Moloney, Sean O’Connor and Colman Kennedy hitting the range.

Cork, who kicked four wides in the opening eight minutes, finally got off the mark when Mattie Taylor scored after ten minutes, with Cian Kelly quickly adding another.

Tipperary hit back with efforts from Conor Sweeney and Quigley but then after John O’Rourke pointed for the Rebels, Ruairi Deane found the net and Cathail O’Mahony pointed to level at 1-4 to 0-7 after 26 minutes.

The Tipp response was excellent and they hit the next five points before Cork cut the gap before the break through O’Rourke and O’Mahony to trail by 0-12 to 1-6.

Kennedy and Liam Boland extended Tipperary’s lead after the restart before Connolly neatly slotted home a 41st penalty after Taylor was fouled by Quigley to cut the gap to 0-14 to 2-6.

Cork got the deficit down to a point by the 48th minute and then Connolly struck for his second goal to put them ahead for the first time in the game, with substitute Ciaran Sheehan quickly adding a point to lead by 3-10 to 0-16 going into the final quarter.

Sweeney and Brian Fox responded for Tipperary but two more points from Connolly and one from O’Mahony left Cork leading by 3-13 to 0-18 with seven minutes left and they held on for victory even with Ciaran Sheehan black-carded on the hour as a late Tipp rally came up just short.

Scorers for Cork: Luke Connolly 2-2 (1-0 pen, 0-1f, 0-1 mark), Cathail O’Mahony 0-5 (2f), Ruairi Deane 1-0, John O’Rourke 0-2, Sean Powter 0-1, Mattie Taylor 0-1, Cian Kiely 0-1, Ciaran Sheehan 0-1.

Scorers for Tipperary: Jack Kennedy 0-5 (0-4f), Conor Sweeney 0-4 (4f), Liam Boland 0-2, Emmet Moloney 0-2, Steven O’Brien 0-2, Riain Quigley 0-2, Brian Fox 0-1, Sean O’Connor 0-1 (mark), Evan Comerford 0-1 (’45), Colman Kennedy 0-1.

Cork

1. Micheál Martin (Nemo Rangers)

4. Paul Ring (Aghabullogue)
2. Sean Powter (Douglas)
3. James Loughrey (Mallow)

5. Tomás Clancy (Fermoy)
6. Mattie Taylor (Mallow)
7. Cian Kiely (Ballincollig)

8. Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s)
9. Killian O’Hanlon (Kilshannig)

10. John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers)
11. Sean White (Clonakilty)
12. Brian Hartnett (Douglas)

13. Ruairí Deane (Bantry Blues)
14. Luke Connolly (Nemo Rangers)
15. Cathail O’Mahony (Mitchelstown)

Substitutes

17. Liam O’Donovan (Clonakilty) for Taylor (21-27, blood)
25. Ciaran Sheehan (Éire Óg) for White (45)
17. O’Donovan for Kiely (49)
24. Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg) for O’Mahony (56)
20. Paul Walsh (Kanturk) for Powter (62)
21. Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadhg McCartháigh) for O’Hanlon (65)

Tipperary

1. Evan Comerford (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)

2. Alan Campbell (Moyle Rovers)
3. John Meagher (Loughmore-Castleiney)
17. Tadhg Fitzgerald (Moyle Rovers)

10. Kevin Fahey (Clonmel Commercials)
6. Robbie Kiely (Barryroe)
7. Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)

8. Steven O’Brien (Ballina)
11. Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials)

5. Emmet Moloney (Drom & Inch)
26. Colman Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials)
12. Brian Fox (Éire Óg Annacarty-Donohill)

14. Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen)
23. Riain Quigley (Moyle Rovers)
25. Sean O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials)

Substitutes

13. Liam Boland (Moyle Rovers) for Kennedy (30)
18. Liam Fahey (Rockwell Rovers) for K Fahey (45)
22. Jason Lonergan (Clonmel Commercials) for O’Connor (58)
15. Kevin O’Halloran (Portroe) for Quigley (58)
4. Joseph Niland (Loughmore-Castleiney) for Moloney (65)

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).

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Down 2-13
Longford 1-14

Elsewhere tonight in Division 3, Down ran out victors by two points over Longford with James Guinness and Corey Quinn both grabbing goals in the last quarter.

Down were in front 0-9 to 0-7 at the interval but Longford got a boost after the break in Páirc Esler when Liam Connerton’s goal put them in front.

However Guinness and Quinn raised green flags in the finale to clinch a vital success in Newry for Paddy Tally’s side.

Andy Dunne and Murray Kinsella join Gavan Casey to tee you up for Sunday’s big one. The lads try to figure out where the winning and losing of the game will be, field a The42 member’s question as to what extent the media plays a role in Ireland’s performance, and Andy explains why Henry Tuilagi haunts his dreams at night.