Cork produced an excellent display to begin their league campaign in the best possible fashion, with an emphatic 0-26 to 1-11 win over Tipperary.
Cork are 13/2 to win the National Hurling League with Boylesports.com.
Patrick Horgan was the star for the Rebels with the Glen Rovers player scoring 13 points during an entertaining match in front of over 6,000 supporters at Páirc Uí Rinn.
Defensively, Cork were excellent and restricted Tipperary to just two points in the first-half. Noel McGrath scored in the opening minute and Johnny O’ Dwyer doubled the Banner’s disappointing first-half tally with a point in added-time. Cork were equally as impressive in attack and notched 14 unanswered first-half points to stun the visitors.
Cork completely dominated the midfield battle, with Daniel Kearney and Lorcán McLoughlin putting in stellar performances. William Egan has been in superb form for University College Cork in the Fitzgibbon Cup and was at his industrious best again on Saturday night.
Although the introductions of Tipperary’s Lar Corbett, Jason Forde and Eoin Kelly improved the scoreline, Cork’s unassailable lead was never in doubt. Jimmy-Barry Murphy’s side finished with eleven different scorers and took their foot off the pedal in the second half. Eoin Kelly replied with a goal for Tipperary but it was merely a footnote at the end of a disappointing Tipperary display and Cork will be delighted with their performance.
CORK: A Nash; S O’Neill, S McDonnell, C O’Sullivan; S White, C Joyce (0-01), W Egan (0-01); D Kearney (0-03), L McLoughlin (0-01); C McCarthy (0-01), P O’Sullivan (0-01), C Lehane (0-01); S Moylan (0-02), L O’Farrell (0-01), P Horgan (0-13, 0-09f).
Subs used: T Kenny for Kearney (60 mins), M Walsh (0-01) for McLoughlin (63), A Mannix for O’Farrell (67).
TIPPERARY: B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Curran, C O’Brien; D Maher, Pádraic Maher, B Maher; S McGrath, J Ryan; N McGrath (0-03, 0-03f), J O’Dwyer (0-03), Patrick Maher; S Bourke, B O’Meara, S Callanan.
Subs used: A Ryan (0-01) for J Ryan (26 mins), L Corbett (0-02) for Callanan (32), J Forde (0-02) for Patrick Maher (half-time), E Kelly (1-00) for O’Meara (45), M Cahill for Stapleton (60).
