Hurley hat-trick helps Cork coast into McGrath Cup final

Injury-time goal from debutant Gerard Stack earns Limerick a place in decider

Cork’s Michael Hurley scores  one of his three   goals during the McGrath Cup game against Tipperary in Mallow. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Cork’s Michael Hurley scores one of his three goals during the McGrath Cup game against Tipperary in Mallow. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho

Cork 3-19 Tipperary 0-14

A hat-trick of goals from Michael Hurley highlighted Cork's progress to the McGrath Cup final after a big win over Tipperary in Mallow on Thursday night.

All his goals came in the first half as Cork turned around 3-11 to 0-5 in front having blitzed the visitors with their speed and finishing ability.

Dynamic wing back Cian Kiely and Stephen Sherlock supplemented Hurley's scoring exploits.

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Tipp were more competitive in the second half, but Cork’s victory was never in doubt.

CORK: J Creedon; S Hickey, S Wilson, S Ryan; T Corkery, S Meehan, C Kiely (0-3); B Hartnett (0-1), T Clancy; C Barrett (0-1), M Collins, P O'Driscoll (0-1); C Dorgan (0-2, two frees), S Sherlock (0-3), M Hurley (3-4).

Subs: C O'Callaghan for Clancy, R Harkin (0-2) for Sherlock, J O'Rourke (0-1) for Collins (all half-time); S Fitzgerald for Hurley and L O'Donovan (0-1)for Ryan (both 50 mins).

TIPPERARY: E Comerford; L Fahey, G Whelan, J Harney; M Kehoe, R Kiely, D Leahy; S O'Brien, J Nyland; J Lonergan (0-2), A Moloney (0-1), L Treacy; L Boland (0-7, six frees), S O'Connor (0-3 frees), R Quigley.

Subs: D Carew for Whelan and C Kennedy (0-1) for Leahy, half-time, D McEnroe for Quigley, M Stokes for Treacy, J Keane for Moloney 53

Referee: B Griffin (Kerry).

Waterford 0-10 Limerick 2-10

An injury-time goal from debutant Gerard Stack fired 14-man Limerick past Waterford and into a McGrath Cup final with Cork on January 11th.

In front of a tiny crowd of 187 at Fraher Field, Stack delivered 1-2, Danny Neville netted on 32 minutes and goalkeeper Donal O’Sullivan nailed two dead balls in the first half.

Billy Lee’s charges enjoyed an eight-point advantage at the break. They went 25 minutes without a score in the second half however and lost Josh Ryan to a straight red before points from Cillian Fahy, Jamie Lee and Séamus O’Carroll lifted the siege.

Waterford, spurred on by Jason Curry, Darragh Corcoran and Michael Kiely, closed to within a single point after a storming second-half comeback as the hosts struck seven unanswered points. They squandered five dead-ball chances however and ended the game on 11 wides.

A depleted Déise only had 18 players available. Darach Ó Cathasaigh, Aaron Jones, Robbie Flynn, Niall McSweeney, James Beresford and Adam O’Sullivan all got their first taste of senior football.

WATERFORD: P Hunt; A Jones, D O Cathasaigh, R Flynn; D Corcoran (0-2), S O'Donovan, M Kiely (0-1); M Curry, J Gleeson; S Curry, J Curry (0-5, three frees), D Guiry; E O'Brien, B Lynch (0-2), D Fitzgerald.

Subs: N McSweeney for Fitzgerald (61), J Beresford for Kiely (61), A O'Sullivan for O'Brien (64).

LIMERICK: D O'Sullivan (0-2, one free, one 45); D O'Doherty, G Noonan (0-1), M Donovan; T McCarthy, I Corbett, B Childs; J Ryan, A Enright; R Glynn (0-1), J Lee (0-1, free), G Stack (1-2); P Scanlan (0-1), D Neville (1-0), K Daly.

Subs: C Fahy (0-1) for McCarthy (h/t), T Griffin for Enright, S O'Carroll (0-1) for Daly (both 47 mins ), P De Bruin for Glynn (52), L Murphy for Childs (58).

Referee: S Lonergan (Tipperary).