ON FRIDAY MORNING, the Munster Council released their senior championship fixture arrangements for 2026.
Tipperary hosting Cork was already known as the glamour game on the opening hurling weekend. Now the date, venue and throw-in time have been nailed down, the little details supplied to spice the mix further.
Semple Stadium at 4pm on 19 April, will be a world removed from Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 7.30pm on 7 February.
71 days separating lukewarm Round 3 league fare from the searing heat that accompanies the Munster start.
We can appreciate the change there will be in mood and colour and tone, when last year’s All-Ireland finalists stage a rematch to ignite this year’s championship offering. And yet for now the league renewal of acquaintances is where the search for current meaning takes place in the Tipperary-Cork relationship.
Can anything be read into what unfolded last night in front of 30,910 fans, a hefty attendance for early February?
The notion that Cork couldn’t afford to lose, or certainly lose heavily, grew in prominence as the build-up progressed last week. That suggestion hardened as the second half progressed. By the time Brian Hayes nudged them 0-23 to 0-16 clear in the 54th minute, the thought crystallised that they definitely couldn’t consider losing in these circumstances and be overhauled again by Tipperary.
Their scoreboard advantage came under attack as Tipperary hunted them down. The All-Ireland champions were energised by the placed ball conversions of Eoghan Connolly and Darragh McCarthy. Connolly is such a pure striker from distance in finding his range, that his presence on the pitch becomes a major asset in those scenarios.
Eoghan Connolly collides with Eoin Downey. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
McCarthy remains faithful to his defined pre-shot routine, even amidst a cacophony of calls from irritated home fans. Together they supplied six points off the bench, Noel McGrath smashed over a glorious shot off his left from under the South Stand, and that blend helped them make inroads in Cork’s advantage.
It was a storm Cork needed to weather, and they did that eventually, despite some jittery moments. Their shot selection left them down and accuracy eluded them across the period from the 54th to 69th minutes, during which Darragh Fitzgibbon’s point on 58 was their solitary score.
In the finale Fitzgibbon stepped up to lead them in the business of closing the game out, while Alan Connolly was the other chief architect. Connolly finished with 0-8, his best performance of the league to date, a greater threat in open play and fulfilling the free-taking duties that have been passed on to him since Patrick Horgan’s retirement.
Fitzgibbon is Cork’s key figure. An All-Star midfielder for the past two seasons, the question is where Cork can benefit most from his deployment. His presence elevates their attack. He was electric along the right wing at times, popping over six points from play, and floating in a sublime first-half delivery to Declan Dalton, who batted narrowly wide.
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Tipperary's Jake Morris with Referee Liam Gordon and Cork's Darragh Fitzgibbon at the coin toss. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
In his absence from the middle, Cork are road-testing combinations with Tommy O’Connell and Brian O’Sullivan working together last week, Micheál Mullins and Ethan Twomey dovetailing last night. Settling on the right mix remains an important issue.
It wasn’t a night where Tipperary’s forward line fired freely. Connolly entered the game in the 45th minute and yet the Cashel King Cormacs man finished as his team’s top scorer. Jake Morris and Andrew Ormond worked in sync impressively for a couple early scores, yet that threat diluted as the game progressed.
They got minutes into the legs of John McGrath by bringing him on at half-time, while the juggling of Tipperary and UL commitments has an impact in what Oisin O’Donoghue from the start and McCarthy from the bench can produce right now. Jason Forde’s red robbed Tipperary of another scoring source, yet that corresponded with Cork missing the excellence that Shane Barrett contributes.
But overall it feels Tipperary’s forward picture will have a different look come April. Cork’s sampling of defensive alternatives has been noticeable with Daire O’Leary’s introduction at full-back and Eoin Downey’s stationing at wing-back. They provided a solidity to their sectors yet there is an acknowledgement they will soon be exposed to greater heat.
Between both sides, 11 players started – Ger Millerick, Cathal O’Reilly, Daire O’Leary, Johnny Ryan, Seamus Kennedy, Micheál Mullins, Ethan Twomey, Josh Keller, William Buckley, Darragh Stakelum, and Oisin O’Donoghue – that weren’t involved from the off last July.
The curiosity at this stage of the season is who is sparkling in these auditions. William Buckley was a leading light in that regard, bright and busy and inventive around the Cork attack as he clipped over three points.
Cork's William Buckley signs an autograph for a fan after the game. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
In the coming weeks the aim for both managers is to reintegrate starters from last year’s All-Ireland final sides and determine who, if any, of the emerging players have made a push effective enough to dislodge them.
Both managers can take some satisfaction in different ways. Defeat doesn’t dent Tipperary’s confidence and front-running standing that their champions status provides. They will be quietly pleased to notice how strong Bryan O’Mara looked at the edge of the square and how the clever positioning of Willie Connors as a spare defender made things uncomfortable for Cork at times. A week’s break will be welcomed before the visit of Limerick on 21 February.
Victory doesn’t insulate Cork from questions persisting, yet at the start of his spell as senior boss, Ben O’Connor will be pleased to have picked up three wins from three. Two Saturday nights in succession posed the type of challenges that his setup needs and the situations on the pitch where his players are required to problem solve. As starts go, it has been positive as he tries to usher in a new era.
In ten weeks Tipperary and Cork will be back together to face off. Much will have changed, their Saturday night league showdown drifting away from minds as a matter of interest.
Last night was never going to provide all the 2026 answers, but the All-Ireland final rematch gave both information to examine as they plot the road ahead.
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How much can be learned from an All-Ireland rematch in the February league arena?
ON FRIDAY MORNING, the Munster Council released their senior championship fixture arrangements for 2026.
Tipperary hosting Cork was already known as the glamour game on the opening hurling weekend. Now the date, venue and throw-in time have been nailed down, the little details supplied to spice the mix further.
Semple Stadium at 4pm on 19 April, will be a world removed from Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 7.30pm on 7 February.
71 days separating lukewarm Round 3 league fare from the searing heat that accompanies the Munster start.
We can appreciate the change there will be in mood and colour and tone, when last year’s All-Ireland finalists stage a rematch to ignite this year’s championship offering. And yet for now the league renewal of acquaintances is where the search for current meaning takes place in the Tipperary-Cork relationship.
Can anything be read into what unfolded last night in front of 30,910 fans, a hefty attendance for early February?
The notion that Cork couldn’t afford to lose, or certainly lose heavily, grew in prominence as the build-up progressed last week. That suggestion hardened as the second half progressed. By the time Brian Hayes nudged them 0-23 to 0-16 clear in the 54th minute, the thought crystallised that they definitely couldn’t consider losing in these circumstances and be overhauled again by Tipperary.
Their scoreboard advantage came under attack as Tipperary hunted them down. The All-Ireland champions were energised by the placed ball conversions of Eoghan Connolly and Darragh McCarthy. Connolly is such a pure striker from distance in finding his range, that his presence on the pitch becomes a major asset in those scenarios.
McCarthy remains faithful to his defined pre-shot routine, even amidst a cacophony of calls from irritated home fans. Together they supplied six points off the bench, Noel McGrath smashed over a glorious shot off his left from under the South Stand, and that blend helped them make inroads in Cork’s advantage.
It was a storm Cork needed to weather, and they did that eventually, despite some jittery moments. Their shot selection left them down and accuracy eluded them across the period from the 54th to 69th minutes, during which Darragh Fitzgibbon’s point on 58 was their solitary score.
In the finale Fitzgibbon stepped up to lead them in the business of closing the game out, while Alan Connolly was the other chief architect. Connolly finished with 0-8, his best performance of the league to date, a greater threat in open play and fulfilling the free-taking duties that have been passed on to him since Patrick Horgan’s retirement.
Fitzgibbon is Cork’s key figure. An All-Star midfielder for the past two seasons, the question is where Cork can benefit most from his deployment. His presence elevates their attack. He was electric along the right wing at times, popping over six points from play, and floating in a sublime first-half delivery to Declan Dalton, who batted narrowly wide.
In his absence from the middle, Cork are road-testing combinations with Tommy O’Connell and Brian O’Sullivan working together last week, Micheál Mullins and Ethan Twomey dovetailing last night. Settling on the right mix remains an important issue.
It wasn’t a night where Tipperary’s forward line fired freely. Connolly entered the game in the 45th minute and yet the Cashel King Cormacs man finished as his team’s top scorer. Jake Morris and Andrew Ormond worked in sync impressively for a couple early scores, yet that threat diluted as the game progressed.
They got minutes into the legs of John McGrath by bringing him on at half-time, while the juggling of Tipperary and UL commitments has an impact in what Oisin O’Donoghue from the start and McCarthy from the bench can produce right now. Jason Forde’s red robbed Tipperary of another scoring source, yet that corresponded with Cork missing the excellence that Shane Barrett contributes.
But overall it feels Tipperary’s forward picture will have a different look come April. Cork’s sampling of defensive alternatives has been noticeable with Daire O’Leary’s introduction at full-back and Eoin Downey’s stationing at wing-back. They provided a solidity to their sectors yet there is an acknowledgement they will soon be exposed to greater heat.
Between both sides, 11 players started – Ger Millerick, Cathal O’Reilly, Daire O’Leary, Johnny Ryan, Seamus Kennedy, Micheál Mullins, Ethan Twomey, Josh Keller, William Buckley, Darragh Stakelum, and Oisin O’Donoghue – that weren’t involved from the off last July.
The curiosity at this stage of the season is who is sparkling in these auditions. William Buckley was a leading light in that regard, bright and busy and inventive around the Cork attack as he clipped over three points.
In the coming weeks the aim for both managers is to reintegrate starters from last year’s All-Ireland final sides and determine who, if any, of the emerging players have made a push effective enough to dislodge them.
Both managers can take some satisfaction in different ways. Defeat doesn’t dent Tipperary’s confidence and front-running standing that their champions status provides. They will be quietly pleased to notice how strong Bryan O’Mara looked at the edge of the square and how the clever positioning of Willie Connors as a spare defender made things uncomfortable for Cork at times. A week’s break will be welcomed before the visit of Limerick on 21 February.
Victory doesn’t insulate Cork from questions persisting, yet at the start of his spell as senior boss, Ben O’Connor will be pleased to have picked up three wins from three. Two Saturday nights in succession posed the type of challenges that his setup needs and the situations on the pitch where his players are required to problem solve. As starts go, it has been positive as he tries to usher in a new era.
In ten weeks Tipperary and Cork will be back together to face off. Much will have changed, their Saturday night league showdown drifting away from minds as a matter of interest.
Last night was never going to provide all the 2026 answers, but the All-Ireland final rematch gave both information to examine as they plot the road ahead.
*****
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Cork GAA Hurling Round Two Tipperary