Cunningham stars as Cork extend perfect U20 record

Cork 1-28 Tipperary 1-19

Ben Cunningham fired 1-13 (1-05 from play) as Cork continued their perfect underage record in 2023 with an U20 hurling victory over Tipperary.

Brendan Cummins' side brought the gap back to three heading down the final stretch but Cork replied with seven of the final eight points, four from Cunningham.

Tipp, with one draw from two games, face a battle to progress in the top-three with unbeaten Limerick next up.

Tadhg O’Connell had the hosts on the board straight from the throw-in but Tipp had the next four points, with Jack Leamy stepping into free-taking duties in the late absence of Stephen Ferncombe.

James Morris was flying early on in defence and his St Mary’s clubmate Peter McGarry picked off two points up front, either side of a breather for some attention as part of a blood substitution.

Tipp’s lead was out to five but Cork began to find space to attack, with Colin Walsh drifting out to pick off two points, the latter after a soaring catch from Eoin Downey drew roars from the crowd. That final brace left Cork 0-12 to 0-11 ahead at the break.

Darragh Stakelum scored one and won another free to level the game a third time but from there, Cork forged ahead.

The big move came in the 39th minute. After a point from corner-back Darragh O’Sullivan, Adam O’Sullivan turned over Tipp from the puck-out and fed Cunningham who clattered his shot to the far corner.

William Buckley and Cunningham added another two each as the gap grew to seven, 1-19 to 0-15. It could have been more but for two Robert Doyle interventions, a hook on Eoin O’Leary and a goal-saving interception.

McGarry came close to a Tipp goal and soon after Seán Kenneally doubled a long-range free to the net. Leamy made it a three-point game but