Cork 2-27
Tipperary 1-26

Shane Kingston and Michael Cahalane struck the second-half goals as Cork shocked Tipperary in a classic Munster senior hurling championship opener in Thurles this afternoon.

Conor Lehane scored 0-10 while substitute Cahalane fired in the decisive 68th minute goal before a crowd of 30,103 at Semple Stadium, where the Rebels gained their first championship victory over the Premier County since 2010.

The sides had been level on 0-15 apiece at half-time before Kingston struck the game's first goal in the 43rd minute and John McGrath would respond in kind 14 minutes later to make sure this one went down to the wire.

Kieran Kingston's men had plenty left in the tank however, and landed their crucial blow with two minutes remaining to set-up a provincial semi-final date with Waterford on June 18th.

During a first-half which saw the sides level no less than 12 times, it was the 7/2 outsiders that made the better start thanks to Lehan's first free of the afternoon and fine point from Seamus Harnedy three minutes in.

Those scores had set tone for what was to come as Noel McGrath booted over Tipp's first score before Rebels debutant Luke Meade restored the two-point margin.

Brendan Maher had a goal chance for the hosts tipped over by Cork 'keeper Anthony Nash afterwards and Sean Curran's sole point for the day levelled matters up - a pattern which would be followed right up to half-time as the teams went in all-square at 0-15 each.

Kingston's strike seven minutes into the restart was exactly the boost the Leesiders required and the score itself was something which Tipp net-minder Darren Gleeson won't want to look back on any time soon.

The All-Ireland champions made the perfect response however, with McGrath's rocket shot to the Cork net coming off the back of some brilliant work by full-forward Seamus Callanan, scorer of 0-6 over the 70 minutes along with Michael Breen, and put the holders a point up heading into the last quarter.

Scores from the reliable Lehane and Kingston after McGrath's major demonstrated that Cork weren't willing to die wondering, having lost out by nine points to the same opposition 12 months ago.

This was a different looking Rebels outfit however and the margin stayed close from there until the salient strike from Cahalane, which was superbly taken, to leave Michael Ryan's charges chasing the game until the very last whistle as the men from Leeside held on for their county's first championship win on Tipp's home ground in 11 years.

Cork - A Nash; S McDonnell, D Cahalane, C Spillane; C Joyce, M Ellis, M Coleman; B Cooper, D Fitzgibbon; S Harnedy (0-2), C Lehane (0-10, 4f, 1'65), S Kingston (1-4); A Cadogan (0-3), P Horgan (0-4), L Meade (0-3). Subs: L O'Farrell (0-1) for A Cadogan, M Cahalane (1-0) for L Meade, L McLoughlin for D Fitzgibbon.

Tipperary - D Gleeson; C Barrett, J Barry, J O'Keeffe; S Kennedy, R Maher, Padraic Maher (0-1); B Maher (0-2), M Breen (0-6); D McCormack (0-3), S Curran (0-1), N McGrath (0-3); J O'Dwyer (0-2, 1sl), S Callanan (0-6, 2f), J McGrath (1-1). Subs: N O'Meara (0-1) for S Curran, J O'Dwyer for S Kennedy, A Flynn for C Barrett.

Referee - J Owens.

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