Many were predicting yet another instalment of one of the greatest rivalries of modern times in Sunday week’s National Hurling League final, but Jimmy Barry Murphy’s Cork side hadn’t read the script.
Cork 1-25 – 2-15 Tipperary
The Cork hurlers gave further notice of their renaissance under Jimmy Barry Murphy with a comprehensive victory over Tipperary on their own patch.
Some might say it is only the league, but there were no holds barred in Thurles this afternoon and the Rebels can take huge confidence from what was a powerful display.
Tipp, on the other hand, were far from their best and will have to go back to the drawing board ahead of a potential Munster championship rematch at the end of June, providing they can get over Limerick first, of course.
There was precious little between the sides during the first half, which finished dead even at ten points apiece, but like the first semi-final between Kilkenny and Clare, Cork assumed control in the second half.
Two goals from Brian O’Meara and Eoin Kelly gave Tipp an all too brief lead early in the second half but a peach of a goal from Luke O’Farrell gave Cork the advantage and they blitzed the Premier in the closing stages.
Pa Cronin was man of the match for Cork, but there were outstanding displays all over the field and they’ll go into Sunday week’s league final against Kilkenny thinking they have a real chance. The one sour note for the Rebels came with the forced withdrawal of goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack with a serious looking injury in the first half.
Early reports suggest that the Cork captain may have torn his Achilles tendon, which if confirmed, would rule him out for the rest of the campaign.
Kilkenny 1-20 – 0-14 Clare
The step up in class from Division 1B to 1A was always going to be a difficult obstacle for Clare to negotiate and so it proved in the first of the National Hurling League semi-finals today.
The Banner went down by nine points to Kilkenny at Semple Stadium, but only after a gutsy first half display which saw them trail by only a point after a first half which turned out to be a shootout between Kilkenny’s Richie Power and Clare’s Conor McGrath, who each struck five points apiece.
Davy Fitzgerald’s side actually matched their first half tally of seven points in the second half; it was just a pity for them that Kilkenny nearly trebled theirs as they blew the Munster men away in the second half.
The writing was on the wall for Clare when Matthew Ruth raised the game’s only green flag four minutes into the second half and although they didn’t exactly shoot the lights out thereafter, there was never going to be any doubt about the result.
Power went on to claim nine points in total, while Matthew Ruth finished with an impressive 1-3. Tommy Walsh was his usual brilliant self around the half backline and in midfield 2010 All-Ireland minor winning captain Cillian Buckley showed that the production line is being well-greased in the Marble County with a man of the match performance.
The Cats march onto a final date against and ominously for the would be heirs to their throne, they look to be purring even at this early stage of the season.
After an excellent campaign in Division 1B, meanwhile, there were also encouraging signs for Clare going into the championship and besides, they won’t have to play the best team in the country every week.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
