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Ciaran Sheehan surrounded by Tipperary defenders. INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
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McGrath Cup: Tipperary knock out Cork

Tipperary defeated the reigning champions this afternoon while there were also victories for Kerry, Limerick and Waterford.

TIPPERARY DUMPED REIGNING champions Cork out of the McGrath Cup this afternoon.

The Premier county claimed a 2-9 to 1-9 victory in Páirc Uí Rinn.

Peter Creedon’s side were making their 2013 competitive bow and they enjoyed a successful trip south in this quarter-final clash.

Tipperary made the early running to lead by 0-7 to 0-4 at the break with Barry Grogan, who was absent for last year’s championship, and Phillip Quirke, a county minor in 2012, shining in attack.

Cork were reliant on Donncha O’Connor, who contributed their entire first-half scoring total, to keep them in touch.

Tipperary upped the ante in the second-half with Grogan smashing the ball to the net from the penalty spot and Bill Maher, another graduate from the recent minor teams, also raising a green flag.

Seamus Kennedy and Stephen O’Brien, who both won All-Ireland minor football medals in 2011, were hugely impressive as Tipperary continued to hold their opponents at bay.

With ten minutes remaining Tipperary lead by 2-8 to 0-7 and despite a late Cork fightback which featured an injury-time goal from Ciaran Sheehan, Tipperary held on for a fully-merited success.

Kerry’s Patrick Curtin. Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan.

Elsewhere in the McGrath Cup quarter-finals, Kerry were 2-12 to 0-10 victors over UCC in Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney with Patrick Curtin grabbing two goals for the Kingdom.

UCC raced into an early 0-3 to 0-0 lead with Conor Cox, who shot 0-8 overall, Gavan O’Grady and Brian Coughlan all raising white flags.

But then Kerry bounced back as they registered four points on the trot before then Curtin put the ball in the net to leave them leading by 1-4 to 0-3.

And they built on that advantage before the break with Curtin hitting his second goal and Paul Geaney featuring prominently amongst their point-scorers.

By the interval Kerry were in front by 2-7 to 0-5 and they maintained that advantage to run out eight-point winners.

Kerry will meet Limerick at the semi-final stage next weekend after the Shannonsiders were 2-16 to 2-13 winners after extra-time against Clare in Foynes.

Clare lead by 1-7 to 0-6 at the interval with Podge McMahon grabbing their goal. In the second-half it was Clondegad club man McMahon again who raised  the green flag and despite Ian Ryan fisting the ball to the net for Limerick, it was Clare who enjoyed a 2-10 to 1-8 lead in the finale.

However Limerick mounted a strong late rally with Seamus O’Carroll firing home a dramatic late goal that sent the game to extra-time.

And with Derry O’Connor, Ryan, O’Carroll and Eoghan O’Connor displaying accuracy in front of goal in the added period, Limerick ultimately ran out three-point victors.

Finally Waterford booked their berth in the semi-finals of the McGrath Cup with a 0-16 to 0-12 victory after extra-time against UL.

Waterford will now face Tipperary in the last four next Sunday after today’s success in the Waterford IT sports grounds in Carriganore.

The teams were evenly-balanced throughout and they were tied at 0-6 apiece at the interval. But it took a Tony Grey point to grab a draw for Waterford at 0-10 apiece at the conclusion of normal time and the Déise ran out winners by a four-point margin at the finish.

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