A huge, powerful Cork team defeated gritty Tipperary by 1-18 to 3-8 at idyllic Pairc Ui Rinn tonight.

The result means that the Rebels have captured a fourth successive provincial crown at this grade and will advance to face Connacht champions Roscommon for a place in the All-Ireland final.

Cork looked likely winners for most of the hour but Tipp refused to roll over and kept themselves in touch with three brilliant goals. Indeed, they were level ten minutes into the second half but Cork refused to panic and moved up through the gears to take the silverware.

Sean Hayes' charges dominated the first half and went into the break with a commanding 0-12 to 1-4 advantage, a goal from substitute Colman Kennedy five minutes from the short whistle giving the challengers hope.

Greg Henry pointed the Premier County into the lead in the second minute but Kevin Crowley and Dan MacEoin soon had the Rebels in front: 0-2 to 0-1 after five minutes.

A routine Michael Quinlivan free from 20 metres levelled the scores again but Brian O'Driscoll was on hand to restore the Rebel County's narrow lead. Mark Sugrue (free) and Crowley added more scores as the hosts led by three after nine minutes.

Alan Cadogan lofted over the sixth Cork point and the visitors responded with their third wide of the night before Cadogan clipped over his second successive score. Quinlivan replied for Tipp at the start of the second quarter with a point from play

Cadogan's third score of the night propelled the winners into a five-point lead and MacEoin (free) pointed after a foul on Sugrue: 0-9 to 0-3 after 23 minutes.

O'Driscoll blazed a shot over the bar but there was a twist to the script when - within seconds of entering the action - Tipperary substitute Colman Kennedy hammered his 25th-minute shot to the back of the Cork net: 0-10 to 1-3!

O'Driscoll and MacEoin added Cork frees either side of an inspirational point from play from Tipp talisman Quinlivan and there were five points between the teams at the turnaround.

Quinlivan opened the second-half scoring when he thumped a 32nd-minute free over the bar but John Corkery replied with a fine Cork point.

Tipp then stormed back into the match with a devastating run of 1-2: in the 38th minute, Steven O'Brien pounced for a fabulous goal and this was followed up quickly by points from Colin O'Riordan and Kennedy (free): 2-7 to 0-13 and all-square!

Cork moved back in front with points from MacEoin (two frees) and Cadogan before Sean Kiely blasted the ball to the back of the Tipp net to make it a six-point match with twelve minutes to go, 1-16 to 2-7.

Eight minutes from the end, Greg Henry added registered a third Tipp goal to reduce the arrears to three but Kiely replied for Cork with the insurance point after Quinlivan's free had drifted wide of the target.

There was time for the on-song Cadogan to tag on another Rebels point in the last minute of normal time and Kennedy hit a late consolation point for Tipp, who went out with their heads held high.

Cork - M Martin; J Davis, C Dorman, S Cronin; B O'Driscoll (0-3, 1f), S White, K Crowley (0-2); K Fulignati, I Maguire; K O'Hanlon, M Sugrue (0-1f), S Kiely (1-1); D MacEoin (0-5, 4f), J Corkery (0-1), A Cadogan (0-5). Subs: K McIntyre for M Sugrue, D Harrington for D McEoin, K Kavanagh for K Fulignati, S Ryan for J Corkery, D Murphy for I Maguire.

Tipperary - G Slattery; N O'Sullivan, J Feehan, C O'Sullivan; A McGuire, S Kennedy, B Maher; S O'Brien (1-0), C O'Riordan (0-1); J McGrath, I Fahey, G Henry (1-1); L McGrath, M Quinlivan (0-5, 3f), S Flynn. Subs: C Kennedy (1-1) for I Fahey, J Keane for L McGrath, K Fahey for N O'Sullivan, J Lonergan for G Henry, I Fahey for J McGrath, L Casey for C O'Riordan.

Referee - P O'Sullivan. Tweet

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