Cork v Tipperary: Routes to the All-Ireland final

RTÉ News​

2 days ago

An all-Munster All-Ireland Hurling Final for the third time in six years, but a first ever meeting of Tipperary and Cork in the decider.
The Rebels were many people's prediction to get to this stage from early in 2025, but Tipp have had to put a few bad seasons behind them to reach the decider.
But, how did they actually get here?
Tipperary
Coming into 2025 having failed to get out of Munster twice in the previous four years, and fallen at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage in the other two seasons, Tipperary were not many overly fancied to get out of the provincial round-robin.
But their National League performances suggested a team that was beginning to find form as they won five of their six games, including their only victory over Sunday's opponents, a 2-22 to 1-21 triumph at Thurles.
That run got them a spot in the Division 1A final, but they were outclassed by the Rebels losing by 10 points, with much of the damage being done in the first half.
The question was whether they could produce that league form when it really mattered, and we got our answer on day one.
They made a statement by drawing with the team that were chasing the seven-in-a-row of Mick Mackey Cups; Limerick.
Tipperary 2-23 Limerick 2-23
This was proper championship fare, with the teams level on no fewer than 12 occasions. The Treaty men led with little left in added time at the death, but Darragh McCarthy's free earned the Premier a crucial point.
A second meeting of Tipp and Cork in 22 days, and that was even more emphatic than the league final.
Darragh McCarthy's early red card put Tipp on the backfoot, and it was a case of déjà vu as the Rebels plundered the Premier for three early goals to take a stranglehold on the game.
Tipperary 4-18 Clare 2-21
Tipperary needed a response, with just one point from two games, and they secured it against the defending All-Ireland champions.
John McGrath and Andrew Ormond both scored two first-half goals and it looked as if they were cruising to victory.
The Banner, playing for their season, battled back and it needed a late flourish of points - four of the last five - to win the day for Tipp by three points.
Tipperary 1-30 Waterford 1-21
A first championship win over Waterford in five years, and a first championship triumph at Thurles in the same time, this one was close throughout before Oisín O'Donoghue's late goal - a first at senior level - killed off the Déise challenge.
Tipperary 2-28 Galway 2-17
Having lost to Galway at the same stage two years previously, Tipp were forewarned about the potential from a Galway side who had underperformed in their Leinster final defeat to Kilkenny.
Five up at the break, the gap was down to two when Colm Molloy got the Tribesmen's first goal, but the Munster men then upped it to move clear, with Oisín O'Donoghue's goal burying Galway.
Back to Croke Park for the first time in championship since they lifted the Liam MacCarthy in 2019, Tipperary and Kilkenny was close throughout.
The Cats made the better start but goals from John McGrath, Darragh McCarthy and Jason Forde had Tipp four up at the break.
And, they would need a late goal from Oisín O'Donoghue to finally put this game to bed, a finish worthy of any All-Ireland semi-final.
Back in the final for the first time in five years, Tipperary will need to find a massive performance against a side they've lost to by a combined 25 points in their last two games.
Cork
Cork entered 2025 having lost last year's final to Clare, and were being talked of as one of the potential champions from early in the year.
Their National League run suggested a team that were extremely determined to go that extra yard this time around. They drew with Limerick and lost to Tipperary in the league stage, but when it mattered they put the Premier to the sword in the Division 1A final.
The most successful county in the history of the Munster Championship, Cork headed for the provincial competition without a title in seven years.
And they were set to open up their 2025 championship campaign against the side who had claimed both national titles a year previously.
Cork 2-24 Clare 3-21
Cork appeared to be cruising to victory at Ennis, a satisfying way to give the side that beat them in last year's All-Ireland final a kicking. But then, incredibly, Clare came from 12 down at half-time to earn a share of the spoils, with Declan Dalton's equaliser at the death saving the Rebels from starting with a defeat.
Cork 4-27 Tipperary 0-24
Tipperary felt Cork's wrath a week later as the Rebels showed no mercy against a 14-man Tipp outfit, who had seen Darragh McCarthy sent off inside 60 seconds for some off the ball stuff.
Tim O'Mahony, Patrick Horgan and Alan Connolly got the early goals to remind everyone of how dangerous Cork could be in front of goal as they went in 10 up at the break.
Stung by the Banner comeback a week before, Cork were relentless in the second half with Declan Dalton's goal putting a nice sheen on the scoreboard.
A welcome three-week break after their league triumph, and Munster round-robin openers, Cork headed to the Gaelic Grounds looking to continue their 2024 form agains the Treaty men.
Instead, it was the lowpoint of the Rebels' 2025 campaign, as they were thoroughly outclassed by John Kiely's hyper-focused outfit.
15 down at the break, they would end up shipping as a big a defeat as they had in the 2021 All-Ireland final to the same opposition.
Cork 2-25 Waterford 1-22
It all came down to this clash with neighbours Waterford at the Páirc, with an end-to-end opening half finishing with the Rebels one up, despite playing against the breeze.
Goals from Brian Hayes and Patrick Horgan put Cork in control but the Déise battled, rattling the net themselves through Stephen Bennett.
But Cork showed character as Diarmuid Healy, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Cormac O'Brien and Conor Lehane hit late points to book a spot in the Munster final, and a rematch with Limerick.
Cork 1-30* Limerick 2-27
This was night and day from the Cork performance against Limerick in the round-robin as the sides were level 15 times over the course of the normal and extra time.
Four up at the break, the Rebels had their chances to win it in normal time, but they needed Darragh Fitzgibbon's late 65 to force penalties.
Alan Connolly's penalty eventually proved to be the winner after Declan Hannon missed his attempt.
Cork 7-26 Dublin 2-21
Dublin were the surprise package in the All-Ireland semi-final but Cork were not feeling charitable as they tore the Metropolitans apart early on.
A brace of goals each from Brian Hayes and Alan Connolly had the Rebels 10 up at the break and they pushed hard in the second half as Tim O'Mahony also scored two, before Connolly completed the hat-trick.
A third trip to the final in five seasons, Cork have the chance to bring 20 years of hurt to an end in the decider, and complete a clean sweep of trophies in 2025.