Like the days of old at first. Sunshine, with cans outside by the river. Rebels chants. The crowd kept coming. Looked like a full house before throw in. Cork hit the ground running with a goal that released all emotion from Declan Dalton. The ground rocked then Tipp woke up. A Cork short puckout ran aground and the Tipp forwards swarmed it. Signs were good for Tipp. Seamus Kennedy, after a teammate blocked down the clearance, tapped over the bar.
Alan Tynan drove over a long one from midfield. The crowd down for the day got going. Tipp edged ahead Noel foraged and slipped the ball to the forwards. After half an hour Tipperary led 0-13 to 1-5 with the tempo high.
Cork faded after the goal but the skilful 'Hoggie' caught a ball in one hand and sent it over the bar with a swivel. The crowd loved it but Tipp bossed the first half. Liam Cahill danced on the line. Pat Ryan did a jog at a couple of high challenges on his players but Tipp looked physically the stronger side.
Cork had their chances before the break. Robbie O'Flynn sent wide when scoring looked easier but the hits were hard. On 34 minutes he took the hits though. Four hard shoulders failed to knock him off his stride and boom were back with chants about 'Rebels' ringing out again. A cool finish over the hapless Barry Hogan made it Tipp 0-13 Cork 2-6. Just a point in it after all Tipp mustered before it.
Before half time Cork broke through again and a point by Shane Kingston was ruled out as he had travelled too far. The free out Tipp scored a point from it. Small gains all the time in a close game as Tipp went in 0-14 to 2-6 up. The crowd loved it but Corkonians lamented hitting just six points in a half of hurling with a fast 21st century ball. They changed it a bit after the break but Tipp rolled on and when Gearoid O'Connor struck a goal on 45 minutes it was a tonic for Tipp supporters. Somehow he purst through and a tired Cork defence left the keeper with no chance from close range. Tipp had a good ten minutes with Ronan Maher clearing ball unmarked, Mark Kehoe won ball, Conor Bowe too and Tipperary grew in to the game with each passing minute.
Shane Kingston and Mark Kehoe traded points. 'Hoggie' took a handy free. Then Noel McGrath took a wallop but steadied himself and pointed on 63. Kehoe added one more. Then Cork tore into life and went for goal again. It paid off. Darragh Fitzgibbon was on hand to roll the ball to the Tipp net. Down the field again Tipp goaled through Mark Kehoe as the full back line let him off. Cork pointed and everyone gasped again. Serious stuff. By the 68th minute it was Cork 3-18 Tipp 2-24.
Brian Hayes tapped in another goal then as everyone lost track of the score. The place was hopping. By the 73rd minute it was level again and by the 75th too. What happened at the finish? Both sides channelled the legends of old, and got the crowd on their feet. Hasn't happened for a long time. Take a bow lads. Epic stuff. What an advertisement for hurling. 'Should have been on telly!' a Cork man says as he walks by. He has a point. The more people we can share this sport with the better but those there loved every minute of it. Phew! You just can't beat Munster hurling. It finished Cork 4-19 Tipp 2-25.
