Premier Power- Tipp Hammer Cork in a One-sided Final.
By Dáire McConville
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling final took place between Cork and Tipperary in a fierce contest to determine which of the Munster giants would be travelling with the Liam MacCarthy cup on their backs.
In front of a roaring crowd at Croke Park on Sunday 20th July, Tipperary claimed a well-deserved victory over neighbours Cork in a gripping hurling final, to earn their 29th All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Both sides appeared to be neck and neck with each other in the first half, with Cork edging ahead at the half-time whistle. However, an immense second half performance from Tip, arguably the best ever, seen them sail ahead to comfortably seal the win in style with a finishing score of 1-18 to 3-27.
In what was the third meeting of the sides this season, this was without doubt the match that would hold the greatest significance. In previous meetings in both the league and the Munster championship, Cork had held the upper hand, and where firm favourites stepping into the final, having a dominant season up to this point.
The atmosphere had been building for weeks on the lead up to the game. Streets and villages paraded with the county colour bunting and flags, local GAA clubs hosting games for the kids to show off their rebel red or premier blue jerseys. It was setting up to be a big one. As supporters from both sides filed through the turnstiles and poured into Crokers, the game got underway as the sliotar was thrown in.
The opening half was a score-for-score battle within the first 25 minutes. Tipperary were clean cut early on, with sharp scores and fierce battles won by Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath and Willie Conor’s each managing to keep on the rebels toes, despite having nine wides in the first half of the game. Cork though, gradually gained more control with pinpoint accuracy frees scored from Patrick Hogan, However it was a smashing goal from Shane Barrett in the dying seconds of the first half that heavily added to the Rebel’s tally, setting them up to be in a strong position entering the changing rooms six points up at halftime, 1-16 to 0-13. ‘There is only 6 points in it’ said Antrim hurler Neil McManus at the break, ‘that is nothing in a game of hurling’.
And accurate Neil was. An early chance for a Cork score early into the beginning of the second half ruled wide by hawk eye seemingly left no damage to supporters as the Rebels roared on with a dominant sea of red in the stadium- their support clearly outnumbering the pockets of blue and gold of the Premier county. It was looking more and more like Cork’s day.
Tip had to dig incredibly deep to foster a 15 point over Cork to get their hands on the Liam MacCarthy cup, so how did they do it? Without doubt one of the shining stars for the county was Darragh McCarthy scoring an unfathomable 1-13 in just his 7th senior championship game (including 8 frees and a penalty), almost equalling scores entire first half scoring tally. The 19 year old only debuting in January 2025 earned himself widespread praise for this performance.
An older more experienced John McGrath was the knife that bladed through Cork’s poor defence scoring two out of the three goals, and earning the penalty scored by McCarthy. It appeared that Tip who were slowing up towards the end of the first half had some magic oranges in the changing rooms as they soared ahead in the 2nd half scoring 3-14 in total.
Just a measly two points was scored by the men in red in the entire second half, one from Barrett and one from Seamus Harredy, a mere fraction of their first half tally. It was a performance that left fans leaving with their tails between their legs, stuck for answers.
After just a six year wait for Tipperary, a magnificent second half of hurling deservingly earned them the title as worthy All-Ireland winners. The wait for Corks next title continues last lifting the cup in 2005. For Pat Ryan and his players, following back-to-back final defeats, and their third defeat in just five seasons, it was a long journey home. As for Tip and manager Liam Cahill, huge praise was issued for how the game was able to change so quickly and dominate a team so sure of their success to come.
