2025 Dalata Hotel Group GAA Under 20 Munster Football Championship – Cork 1-11 Tipperary 0-14

Cork and Tipperary played out a 1-11 to 0-14 draw in Round 3 of the Dalata Hotel Group GAA Under 20 Munster Football Championship on Tuesday April 15th at Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Brian Hayes' controversial late free earns Cork draw with Tipperary and place in Munster U20 football final https://t.co/SKitUDRj0F

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) April 15, 2025

Brian Hayes’ controversial late free earns Cork draw with Tipperary and place in Munster U20 football final

Report by Eoghan Cormican courtesy of the Irish Examiner newspaper

Cork 1-11 (1-1-9) Tipperary 0-14 (0-1-12)

Cork squeezed into the Munster U20 football final on score difference after rescuing a 66th minute draw at home to Tipperary.

The hosts teetered on the brink of shock elimination when a three-point lead eight minutes from home swung to a one-point deficit entering the five minutes of injury-time allotted.

Tipperary will rue the injury-time chances they had to stretch their lead and put the contest beyond their hosts. Daithí Hogan eschewed a fisted white flag when opting to float possession across the square for potential green. His receiving teammate could not oblige.

Cork’s last stand saw a fisted Micheál Maguire effort flash right of the post and wide. Referee Jonathan Hayes, though, deemed Maguire to have been fouled as he went through. The 66th minute free was a tap over.

Bryan Hayes converted. Stalemate. Survival and progression for Cork on account of their superior score difference to the Premier. The same Premier furious over the 66th minute call, and grounds they had to be too.

Key Cork forward Dara Sheedy had not been included in the Cork matchday panel circulated 24 hours before the fixture.

At half-time, the small crowd in attendance were instructed that Sheedy was wearing No.24 and was now being introduced. It pointed to the pressure Cork were under. They had somehow finished the first half a point in front.

Sheedy’s class quickly told. He was fouled for a converted free, kicked two himself, and assisted another. When Aaron O’Sullivan added his second on 52 minutes, Ray O’Mahony’s side led 1-10 to 0-10.

Tipp were not finished. They sensed an upset was still alive. How right they were.

A pair of Daithí Hogan frees either side of a two-pointer from midfielder Joe Higgins that touched the crossbar in scraping over. 0-14 to 1-10. The visiting youngsters will be so disappointed that one-point lead did not become two thereafter and extinguish Cork’s challenge.

Where they achieved stalemate in the sixth minute of second-half stoppages, Cork hit the front in the sixth minute of first-half stoppages. It was only the second time across the opening 36 minutes that they held the lead. Despite a notable wind behind them, this was a first half of chasing and frustration.

Coming out of Tralee last week, manager Ray O’Mahony had pointed to unforced turnovers as the area where Cork had particularly let themselves down. Lessons were not heeded. The unforced turnovers continued apace here. We counted six avoidable first-half turnovers. Not to mention four wides and another point attempt short in the opening 12 minutes alone.

The above referenced six injury-time minutes were because of the lengthy treatment to Dylan O’Neill before he left the field, injured, just past the half hour mark. O’Neill’s departure represented a significant blow to the home side. The two scores they had on the board by this juncture both came from his boot. He won a free with his last involvement. That free fell short, but Aaron O’Sullivan did bring Cork within the minimum – 0-6 to 1-2 – on 33 minutes.

And it was the hosts who returned back down the tunnel ahead after a Tipperary free was taken off them by referee Jonathan Hayes, given to Cork, for whom Bryan Hayes converted from outside the arc.

Tipperary were three to the good before Cork opened their account. On the mark was Hogan and a Billy Tierney converted free outside the arc. They responded to O’Neill’s 1-1 through Ben Carey and Paddy O’Keeffe. 0-6 to 1-1 after 26 minutes.

They left Páirc Uí Chaoimh with a point. No use it was to them. They left in defeated state. Cork left relieved. Mightily relieved. They staved off what would have been a most regressive outcome for Cork football. They’ll meet Kerry on April 28.

Scorers for Cork: D O’Neill (1-1, 0-1 free); B Hayes (0-4, tp free, 0-2 frees); A O’Sullivan, D Sheedy (0-2 each); D Clifford, C Gillespie (0-1 each).

Scorers for Tipperary: D Hogan (0-5, 0-4 frees); B Carey (0-3, 0-2 frees); J Higgins (0-2, tp), B Tierney (0-2, tp free); C King, P O’Keeffe (0-1 each).

Cork: B Curtin (Valley Rovers); N O’Shea (Urhan), C Molloy (Nemo Rangers), C Clifford (Éire Óg); T Kiely (Mallow), G Daly (Mallow), A O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue); D Clifford (Éire Óg), C Gillespie (Aghabullogue); D Harrington (Clonakilty), D Miskella (Ballincollig), S O’Leary (Kilmurry); B Hayes (Nemo Rangers), D Gough (Clonakilty), D O’Neill (Carbery Rangers).
Subs: M Maguire (Castlehaven) for O’Neill (31 mins, inj); D Sheedy (Bantry Blues) for Gough (HT); B O’Connell (Ballincollig) for Kiely (44-55, temporary); L Shorten (Tadhg MacCartaigh) for Harrington (49); B O’Connell (Ballincollig) for O’Sullivan (60).

Tipperary: R McGrath (Galtee Rovers); E Bonner (Galtee Rovers), E O’Connell (Loughmore-Castleiney), B Tierney (Clonmel Commercials); K Butler (Moyle Rovers), C King (Ballina), J O’Keeffe (Clonmel Commercials); J Higgins (Clonmel Commercials), D O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials); D Cotter (Thurles Gaels), T Charles (Clonmel Commercials), JP Mbokha Tansia (Ballina); D Hogan (St. Patrick’s), P O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers), B Carey (Ballylooby Castlegrace).
Subs: L Freaney (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) for O’Keeffe (42); S Hall (Golden Kilfeacle) for Cotter (53).

Referee: J Hayes (Limerick).

Team Sheet

Fixture Details

Tuesday April 15th
2025 Dalata Hotel Group GAA Under 20 Munster Football Championship Phase 2 Round 3
Cork v Tipperary
Venue: Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 7pm
Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick)
Streamed Live on Sport TG4

Ticket Information

General Admission: €10
Students/OAPs: €5
Under 16’s: Free

Tickets are available from participating Centra and Supervalu outlets or online via the link below.

Click here to buy tickets

Live Match Streaming via Sport TG4 YouTube

Team News

The Cork U20 football team to play Tipperary in the Dalata Hotel Group Munster Championship phase 2, round 3 at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Tuesday 15th April 7pm has been announced. Best wishes to the Cork team & management. pic.twitter.com/8NapupYqgk

— Cork GAA (@OfficialCorkGAA) April 14, 2025

CORK (U20 v Tipperary): B Curtin (Valley Rovers); N O’Shea (Urhan), C Molloy (Nemo Rangers), C Clifford (Éire Óg); T Kiely (Mallow), G Daly (Mallow), S O’Leary (Kilmurry); D Clifford (Éire Óg), C Gillespie (Aghabullogue); D Harrington (Clonakilty), D Miskella (Ballincollig), A O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue); B Hayes (Nemo Rangers), D Gough (Clonakilty), D O’Neill (Carbery Rangers).
Subs: J Woods (Valley Rovers), K McCarthy (Carrigaline), M Maguire (Castlehaven), M Woods (Valley Rovers), B O’Connell (Ballincollig), G Kearney (Kinsale), L Shorten (Tadhg MacCártaigh), T O’Keeffe (St Finbarr’s), A O’Connell (Kilshannig).