The first half may have been poor, but by God, the second half made up for it.
Tipperary went into the half time break leading by three points after what was a drab opening half to their Munster senior football semi-final clash with Cork.
The sides were only able to muster up five points between them in the first 35 minutes of the game with Tipperary leading 0-4 to 0-1.
Jimmy Feehan of @TipperaryGAA does his best @buff_egan impression! Drink it in maaaannnn! #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/24Yt1s3c2x
— AIB_GAA (@AIB_GAA) June 10, 2017
Tipperary, who began the game without at least ten of their squad due to injuries, were dealt a cruel blow in the 18th minute when their talisman Michael Quinlivan suffered a game-ending ankle injury.
Cork now ahead in the @MunsterGAA Championship Semi-Final! Tipp lost Michael Quinlivan early on through this nasty landing! #GAAclips pic.twitter.com/qpSbcPnnL8
— eir Sport (@eirSport) June 10, 2017
Liam Kearns’ side soldiered on doggedly without their former All-Star, however, with Conor Sweeney especially standing out. The Ballyporeen man scored a whopping 1-5 for The Premier men.
The game exploded into life immediately after the break.
Cork displayed a marked upturn in their hunger and desire. One of the key tactical aspects of their second half improvement was when they started to push up on the Tipperary kick out.
The Rebels emerged a completely different team and with two minutes left to play, their increased intensity rewarded them with a marginal lead.
That’s when the game was turned on its head by an amazingly opportunistic Sweeney goal for Tipperary.
The man-of-the-match Sweeney fisted a hopeful high ball into the net to put Tipp two points clear.
The Premier eyes were smiling but Cork responded in the quickest fashion possible.
They say a team is at their most dangerous after conceding, and Cork proved that analogy when from the resultant kick out they raced down to the other end of the pitch in a flowing attacking move before sub Luke Connolly netted.
WATCH!
Drab first half!
Thrilling second!@OfficialCorkGAA 1:10 – 1:09 @TipperaryGAA!
Cork are into the @MunsterGAA Final! #GAAclips pic.twitter.com/cOrgLPGbJp— eir Sport (@eirSport) June 10, 2017
Absolute scenes.
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