TG4 MUNSTER JUNIOR FINAL

TG4
MUNSTER JUNIOR FINAL SUNDAY 7 AUGUST

FITZGERALD’S
STADIUM, KILLARNEY, 2.30PM
CORK 2-13 TIPPERARY 3-7

This
wasn’t one for the faint hearted. With five
minutes remaining Cork were dead and buried
in this TG4 Munster junior championship final
in Fitzgerald’s Stadium, but they pulled off
a majestic resurrection with two goals from
substitute Emma Harrington. Tipperary must be
kicking themselves and wondering where did all
go wrong. Over the 60minutes the better team
won, albeit if they decided to go the long way
about it. Cork were slow to settle and the gaps
exposed in defence will surely be a concern
for management when facing Fermanagh in the
quarter finals on August 27. Initially it looked
to be heading in Tipperary’s favour who seemed
to have all the room in the world and they began
to catch the Cork backline off guard, launching
high ball over the top for Claire Tobin and
Siobhán Costello to run on to. Had it not been
for Fiona Crowley and Rose Cogan, Cork could
very well have been in a compromising situation
early on.
Eventually, Costello was fouled out of frustration
and she pointed from a free to open the scoring.
In contrast Cork were over elaborating but when
they did leave the ball do the work, it found
it’s way to Ciara O’Sullivan who calmly pointed.
Susan Power added a superb point minutes later
and the champions began to settle, however on
the 16minute they were dealt a blow with the
loss of wingback Blathnaid Wiseman to an ankle
injury. The persistence of captain Annie Walsh
was a joy to watch as she rallied the troops
from her midfield perch, alongside the ever
reliant Elaine Cotter. The duo began to spray
options either side of the pitch and scores
were reaped by Triona Lucey, Ciara O’Sullivan
and Eleanor Twohig.
Tipperary narrowed the margin with scores from
Costello and Tobin and should have equalised
but two successive wides saw them trail 0-4
0-6 at the half. But the action was yet to come.
Cork began to pull away but a hat-trick and
it looked all good when Sheelagh Carew found
herself in the sin bin but captain Mairead Morrissey
goaled in the 3, 6 and 11minute to give her
side a comfortable five point lead. It was an
agonising 18minute wait before Cork registered
a score but once they did so the floodgates
miraculously opened. The atmosphere was electric
as the crowd sensed a comeback and it will be
one for the history books. With five minutes
remaining, substitute Emma Harrington cleverly
chipped the keeper to find the back of the net
and it was game on. Tipperary tried to keep
procession but it was to no avail with Cork
captain Annie Walsh steadying the ship. A Susan
Power point sandwiched a second Harrington goal
with minutes remaining and Cork now led by a
solitary point.
Morrissey threatened for Tipp but Ann Marie
Walsh was on hand and further scores from Lucey
and O’Sullivan saw Cork retain their provincial
crown. At the beginning of this championship,
many would have laughed at the thought of the
champions defending their title, but they worked
hard to get here and were fully deserving of
the win. The failure of Cork to capitalise on
their one player advantage and conceding three
goals in that time frame will be an issue management
will need to address. But for now it’s mission
accomplished and all are content.

Scorers
for Cork: E Harrington 2-0, C O’Sullivan 0-4
(0-1free), S Power 0-3, T Lucey 0-2, N Hickey,
R Cogan, E Twohig, A Walsh 0-1each.

Scorers
for Tipperary: M Morrissey 3-1, E Hanley 0-4,
C Tobin 0-1, S Costello 0-1(free).

CORK:
O Murphy, T Galvin, F Crowley, V Power, AM Walsh,
R Cogan, B Wiseman, A Walsh, E Cotter, E Twohig,
S Power, T Lucey, N Hickey, C O’Sullivan, J
Hennessy. Subs: S Buckley for B Wiseman (16)(Inj),
K O’Sullivan for T Galvin (43), E Harrington
for N Hickey (45).

TIPPERARY:
H Kennedy, M Crowe, M Corcoran, C Lambert, J
Grant, A McDermott, SJ Coady, M Morrissey, S
Carew, C Peters, A Staunton, C Tobin, S Costello,
D Fitzgerald, E Hanley.

Referee:
P White (Kerry)

Player
of the Match: Annie Walsh (Cork)