Inside Track with John McIntyre

The ruthless way Cork dismantled Tipperary in the opening half of Sunday’s National Hurling League Final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday must have sent shivers down the spines of the other major championship contenders this summer.    In collecting, remarkably, a first league title since 1998, the Rebels lived up to all the hype in front of a sell-out crowd. Their pace, athleticism and fluency had their traditional great rivals in all kinds of trouble, especially during the second quarter, as they careered into a commanding 13-point lead by the break.

Goals from the outstanding Darragh Fitzgibbon – who is making hay since his move from midfield to the forty – Alan Connolly and Ethan Twomey broke Tipperary’s resistance and ensured Cork had the spoils wrapped up with half the final to go. Not surprisingly, they couldn’t maintain that level of irresistible hurling, but there was never any major threat of a Tipp comeback.

Without an All-Ireland title since 2005 – the longest famine in the county’s history – and somewhat unlucky losers to Clare last July,  Cork are now understandably favourites to atone for two decades of misery in the months ahead. For years, the team’s defence was its Achilles heel, but not anymore.

The Downey brothers, Eoin and Rob, have become commanding figures in the central rearguard roles, while corner-backs Niall O’Leary and Seán O’Donohue are both tenacious and explosive off the mark. Ciaran Joyce is also a formidable competitor in the half-back line, ensuring Cork are virtually the complete package.

With Tim O’Mahony in the form of his life around midfield, Pat Ryan’s charges will be heading into the championship with serious momentum behind them. They desperately needed to get their hands on some national silverware and beating Tipperary by 10 points will only see their confidence levels surging.

Hype can be a dangerous thing heading into the championship, but these Cork players have come through the school of hard knocks and are unlikely to get carried away. Their passionate supporters have become the team’s sixteenth man, and the crowds which gathered on the pitch for Sunday’s cup presentation was a sight to behold.

Where does this trimming leave Tipperary? They salvaged some pride in the second-half, even if Cork got a bit sloppy. Unlike a couple of matches in the Munster championship last year, heads didn’t drop with Jake Morris and the long serving Jason Forde hitting seven points from play between them. Sam O’Farrell and Craig Morgan didn’t do badly either; while substitutes Darragh Stakelum and Seán Kenneally both raised a pair of white flags.

Pictured:  Cork’s Shane Barrett is chased by Michael Breen of Tipperary during Sunday’s Division 1A hurling league final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.