LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS are multi-purpose but it’s always easier to be positive about having won one than having lost. Eoin Cadogan, miracle of evolution as a dual player in a world genetically engineered to consign the species to extinction, now looks forward to two league finals for the second time in three years.

The hurling part of his existence yesterday featured further evidence of his settling in at centre back, this time in the often demanding company of Noel McGrath.

He remained sufficiently alert to cut off one of Tipperary’s despairing efforts on goal in the last minute but afterwards spoke highly of the view up the pitch and most tellingly of the way Cork hit back each time they conceded a goal.

“It was something that we focused on in training, when you get setbacks in games you don’t sit back, you have to try and pick yourself up. The movement of our forwards and the way they were moving it was great for a back to be looking at down the field, seeing the points going over like that and the goal as well.

“There is great credit due to everyone, whether it be the starting 15 or the three, four or five lads that came on. We are moving in the right direction.”

Cork manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy was particularly pleased by the evidence of developing panel depth. Two of the exciting, younger talents, Conor Lehane and Darren Sweetnam had been kept in reserve because of exam duties but the team responded and the scholars made late, telling appearances.

“I think that’s what’s good today. We have a number of players who have exams in the next couple of weeks and we have to be careful with them.

“That’s why they weren’t playing and we had a couple of injury problems with Brian Murphy and Cathal Naughton. So it gave us an opportunity to bring in players in a very, very competitive arena and that’s why I was pleased with winning today.”

His Tipperary counterpart Declan Ryan didn’t play the game of pretending he had learned enough from the league.

The counties are due to meet in a Munster semi-final, provided the defending champions defeat Limerick.

“Ah sure I suppose from a Tipp perspective it was a very flat performance,” he said.

“We never seemed to ignite at any stage during the game. The first half was pretty average hurling I’d say on both sides and we were probably lucky to get in level at half-time. Just a very disappointing performance.”

The match was open up until the last 10 minutes but the home team fell away disappointingly.

“Yeah it was very flat finishing up. It looked like, into the second half, we were getting back into the game but in fairness Cork looked a lot sharper than us today and they moved the ball very well and they took their scores and when they were on top they drove on.”