Hurling-Tipp turn the tide to crush Cork in crazy All-Ireland hurling final

Straits Times

5 days ago

Tipperary made a stunning second-half comeback and the underdogs pulled off one of the biggest ever All-Ireland hurling final shocks to defeat Cork by 15 points and lift the Liam McCarthy Cup at Croke Park in front of over 82,000 fans.
Cork, league and Munster champions, came into the decider as heavy favourites in the first final between these two provincial rivals, but a remarkable collapse combined with a Tipperary turnaround denied them a 30th title.
Two of hurling's three most successful counties, along with Kilkenny, served up a scarcely believable final, where Cork looked in control at the break but Tipperary dominated the second-half, and Cork's 20-year wait for a title continues.
Cork lost out last year to Clare by a single point after extra-time, but against more experienced opposition, 19-year-old Darragh McCarthy was the star of the show for Tipperary, scoring one goal and 13 points in the 3-27(36) to 1-18(21) victory.
"This one's for all the doubters now, to be honest," McCarthy told BBC.
"Even though it's all about us right now, this one's for all the doubters who doubted us since last year and throughout this whole championship."
Tipperary never managed to get in front in the opening half, but stayed within touching distance of Cork, despite hitting nine wides.
Cork have been ruthless in front of goal this season, putting seven past Dublin in the semi-finals, but Tipperary's defence frustrated their forward line for most of the opening half.
Tipperary had a goal disallowed just before halftime and deep into added time at the end of the first half, Cork finally found the net with what looked like being a sucker-punch goal to go in six points ahead at the interval.
Tipp scored five points without reply in the opening eight minutes of the second half to cut the gap to a single point, before John McGrath pounced on a loose ball to net the goal which put his side ahead for the first time in the game.
Cork responded with a point, their first of the second-half, and this final looked set for another close finish but Tipperary had other ideas.
Tipp were three points up when they were awarded a penalty, which saw Cork go down to 14 men after Eoin Downey's second booking, and McCarthy belied his years by coolly converting.
Cork's free-scoring forwards were unable to land the easiest of points after the break as their game fell apart under tremendous Tipperary pressure, and there were just four minutes left when they managed their second point since the interval.
Tipperary were 11 points up at that stage, and keeper Rhys Shelly rubbed salt in Cork wounds by first scoring a point from a long-range free and then saving Conor Lehane's penalty for what would have proved just a consolation goal.
The Tipperary team looked shell-shocked at the final whistle, hardly able to take in what they had just achieved, while Cork slumped to the turf, after another All-Ireland title slipped from their grasp.
All-Ireland hurling final day is the dream for these amateur athletes, a day when the nation gathers to watch them in action, but only one captain can climb the steps of the Hogan Stand to lift the trophy.
That honour fell to Tipperary's Ronan Maher, whose great grandfather John Maher won three All-Irelands, captaining Tipp to glory in 1945, and his great-great grandfather Dinny was the county's first ever captain back in 1887.
In his captain's speech Maher remembered his former teammate Dillon Quirke who died during a club game in 2022.
"You were in the dressing room with us, on the field, in our hearts and we hope we did you proud today," Maher said. REUTERS