Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Cork hurler Patrick Horgan and his son Jack with GAA President Jarlath Burns.James Crombie/INPHO AnalysisSilverware 5 talking points after Cork and Waterford lift hurling league trophies Cork defeated Tipperary 3-24 to 0-23,while Waterford saw off Offaly 1-27 to2-20. 6.16am, 7 Apr 2025 Share options 1. Cork group make national breakthrough The public address plea to stay off the Páirc Uí Chaoimh surface was ignored afterwards by Cork supporters as they spilled on to salute a first hurling league title in 27 years. Captain Rob Downey delivered a low-key winning speech, and the Cork camp were swift to dampen any outbreak of celebrations. The Easter Sunday date in Ennis is too close on the calendar and too important in the championship context, to permit any basking in the glow of this victory. And yet there was a signifiance to it for this Cork group. At the fourth time of asking they triumphed in a national final after the All-Ireland defeats to Limerick (2021) and Clare (2024), and the league final loss to Waterford in (2022). Their squad has a wider range of talents now and they have absorbed the lessons from not performing in some of those previous finals. Just like it was for Clare twelve months ago, this will be a boost for Cork that they have amended their national trophy record. It’s not the major prize they crave but it does represent a step in the right direction. 2. Second quarter surge illustrates Cork strength When Cork lost to Tipperary in February, Pat Ryan pinpointed the goal chances they had failed to convert in his Semple Stadium summary. Since then Cork have become clinical, a dangerous weapon for opponents to face. They smashed six past Clare, fired four againts Galway, and notched another three today in a phase where the game was won. In full flow Cork were brilliant to watch in that second quarter, anchored by the powerful forces of Rob Downey and Tim O’Mahony as they unlocked the Tipperary rearguard. The full-forward trio of Horgan, Connolly, and Hayes had displayed menace early on, yet Tipperary were sturdy and coped. Advertisement Darragh Fitzgibbon of Cork celebrates his goal.James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO Once Connolly wriggled clear to knock home the first goal, Cork accelerated clear. The manner in which Darragh Fitzgibbon and Ethan Twomey netted, illustrated Cork’s athleticism and running power, while also showcasing how valuable Brian Hayes is to the team as his work rate yielded turnovers in the build up to both strikes. 3. Tipperary hit with setback After a regular league series filled with optimism, Tipperary landed on final day and were floored by a ten-point defeat. The scoreline threatened to get ugly when they trailed by 14 points early in the second half, but they chipped away at the scoreboard to claw it back to some respectable shape. Tipperary's Ronan Maher after the game.James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO The game ultimately was a reminder of Cork currently behind ahead of them as a unit with greater strength, experience, and hurling power. Tipperary had shone in Division 1A as they won five from six, and they fired nine goals in their first five games. But they failed to pack a goalscoring punch here and didn’t pose a question of Patrick Collins in that aspect of play, Cork defenders Robert Downey and Cormac O’Brien executing hooks on separate occasions to deny Tipperary forwards that were preparing to pull the trigger. Half of the Tipperary starting forward line had been hauled off by the 44th minute. Youngster Sam O’Farrell impressed, while Jake Morris and Jason Forde kept the points flowing in the second half, but after an upbeat first quarter Tipperary struggled thereafter. A rematch in three weeks offers a chance to make amends. 4. Waterford wrap up league and set for summer tests Given the early reversal against Carlow, Waterford will be pleased at how they wrapped up their league business. That defeat on 2 February transpired to be an isolated setback. The Peter Queally era has since progressed on an upward curve – yesterday was their sixth win on the bounce. Waterford manager Peter Queally and Paddy Leavey celebrate.James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO Stephen Bennett top-scored with a dozen points, Patrick Curran and Jamie Barron produced eye-catching attacking play, while Mark Fitzgerald was superb. Their position of supremacy unravelled though as Offaly made substantial inroads in the last quarter, making life uncomfortable for the Waterford defence. It was a reminder of the need for consistecny of performance in the Waterford camp. They have a three-week gap now until they step out in Munster, hosting Clare and Limerick in the space of eight days. After a spring in the second tier, the summer will see them rub shoulders with the elite again. 5. Offaly boosted by late rally It’s been a spring full of positivity for Offaly hurling, building on the momentum generated by the double last June of Joe McDonagh Cup and All-Ireland U20 glory, as they clinched promotion from Division 1B of the hurling league. Securing a spot at the league top table in 2026 is a boost but a chastening defeat in the final today would have been a sombre note on which to enter the championship. That looked on the cards when Patrick Curran’s 51st minute goal left Offaly trailing by 15 points, yet they produced a rousing comeback, inspired by Brian Duignan (0-12) and Oisin Kelly (2-1). They lost by four in the end, yet will be heartened by that rally. Between 19 April and 10 May, Offaly play Dublin, Galway, and Kilkenny in their first three Leinster ties. After years spent in off Broadway shows, they will relish taking centre stage. Fintan O'Toole Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “5 talking points after Cork and Waterford lift hurling league trophies”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “5 talking points after Cork and Waterford lift hurling league trophies”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. 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