Tyrone 2-15
Cork 2-12
Paul Keane reports from Croke Park
A STORMING SECOND-half performance at Croke Park saw Tyrone come from behind in impressive fashion to record back to back wins in the Super 8s, keeping their All-Ireland title hopes bang on track.
Mickey Harte’s side, beaten in last year’s final, looked in real trouble when they conceded two first-half goals and they trailed the Munster finalists by seven points after 26 minutes.
But that was the high point of a game that slowly got away from the Rebels with battle hardened Tyrone at their best in the periods either side of half-time.
The Ulster outfit outscored Cork by 2-4 to 0-1 between the 27th and 48th minutes to put themselves in a winning position.
They didn’t blink late on either despite Cork drawing level twice and finished in style with seven points in the final 10 minutes.
Second-half goals from Peter Harte and Cathal McShane, both of whom scored 1-5, were crucial to the 2008 All-Ireland winners who will wrap up their Super 8s campaign with a tie against Dublin in Omagh.
Courageous Cork lost no face in defeat and, a week after losing to Dublin by 13 points, netted after just 14 seconds through the influential Luke Connolly.
The stylish forward was fed by the rampaging Ian Maguire and finished cleverly, turning onto his right foot and blasting home in one neat move.
A second Cork goal came in the 18th minute and this time James Loughrey was the player who took on the responsibility.
Ruairi Deane broke Tyrone’s cover with a hand pass over the top and Loughrey, in space, took his time and guided a right-footed shot to the left corner of the net.
Cork led by seven points approaching half-time and were sitting pretty with a 2-4 to 0-5 interval lead.
But they were buried by that brilliant second-half Tyrone performance with McShane palming in a 44th minute goal and Harte slamming home a penalty two minutes later after a foul on Niall Sludden.
Cork recovered to draw level at 2-9 and 2-10 apiece but the scoring power of Tyrone edged it with McShane, Harte, Mattie Donnelly and sub Tiarnan McCann all on the mark when the need was greatest.
Scorers for Tyrone: Peter Harte (1-0 pen, 0-3f) & Cathal McShane (0-4f) 1-5 each, Mattie Donnelly 0-3, Tiarnan McCann & Conor Meyler 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cork: Luke Connolly 1-3 (0-2f), Michael Hurley 0-4, James Loughrey 1-0, Mark Collins 0-2 (0-2f), Mattie Taylor, Sean White & John O’Rourke 0-1 each.
TYRONE
1. Niall Morgan (Edendork)
4. Rory Brennan (Trillick)
3. Ronan McNamee (Achadh Ui Arain)
2. Hugh Pat McGeary (Pomeroy)
15. Conor Meyler (Omagh)
6. Kieran McGeary (Pomeroy)
5. Michael McKernan (Coalisland)
8. Colm Cavanagh (Moy)
9. Brian Kennedy (Doire Lochain)
12. Peter Harte (Errigal Chiarain)
11. Niall Sludden (Dromore)
10. Mattie Donnelly (Trillick)
13. Darren McCurry (Edendork)
14. Cathal McShane (Eoghan Rua)
7. Frank Burns (Pomeroy)
SUBS:
17. Michael Cassidy (Arboe) for HP McGeary (h/t)
19. Richard Donnelly (Trillick) for McCurry (h/t)
20. Padraig Hampsey (Coalisland) for Kennedy (h/t)
23. Tiarnan McCann (Killyclogher) for McKernan (52)
21. Connor McAliskey (Clonoe) for Sludden (56)
CORK
1. Mark White (Clonakilty)
18. Stephen Cronin (Nemo Rangers)
3. Thomas Clancy (Clonakilty)
4. Kevin Flahive (Douglas)
5. Liam O’Donovan (Clonakilty)
6. Tomas Clancy (Fermoy)
7. Mattie Taylor (Mallow)
8. Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s)
9. Killian O’Hanlon (Kilshannig)
11. Sean White (Clonakilty)
10. Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)
12. Ruairi Deane (Bantry Blues)
15. Luke Connolly (Nemo Rangers)
14. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)
13. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)
SUBS:
2. James Loughrey (Mallow) for Tomas Clancy (12)
24. Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers) for Hurley (49)
25. Michael Hurley (Castlehaven) for Collins (52)
19. Sean Powter (Douglas) for Sean White (59)
23. John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers) for O’Driscoll (59)
26. Stephen Sherlock (St Finbarr’s) for Cronin (67)
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois).
