Cork made a flying start with full-forward Diarmuid O'Sullivan latching onto a third-minute through ball to grab a goal.

Tipp fought back before Jonathan O'Callaghan swiped home another Cork goal in the 24th minute.

Paul Kelly then found Danny O'Hanlon with a lovely pass and the 19-year-old walloped to the net for a 1-8 to 2-4 Tipp lead at the break.

Babs Keating's charges edged the second half to get one up on their old rivals ahead of the National League.

In a titanic early-season battle, it was the Kelly brothers from Mullinahone, Eoin and Paul, who dictated most of the play. The pair scored 0-13 and were constant threats to a Cork defence that include rare starter Wayne Sherlock.

Regular full-back O'Sullivan looked the most comfortable he has been this year in his attacking role, and the Cloyne man won a second-minute free for Deane to point.

His goal saw him rasp a cracking strike past Brendan Cummins from 15 metres out, after he grabbed a neat hand-pass from Graham Callanan and out-muscled his marker Philly Maher.

Former AllStar Maher had his hands full with O'Sullivan and the duo obviously irked each other as, late on, they got involved in an off-the-ball incident, which saw referee Ambrose Heagney brandishing two yellow cards.

An O'Callaghan point followed the early goal before Tipp, who had John Leahy patrolling the sidelines with manager Keating in the stands, got up and running.

The Kellys quickly swung into action, linking with ease, but O'Sullivan set up Cork's second green flag when he flung a great pass through for O'Callaghan to net from close range.

The Kellys struck two points in reply at the other end and, in between, O'Hanlon popped up with the visitors' only goal.

The desination of the trophy, which Limerick won last year, was up in the air as the sides were level three times before Tipp truly took the tie by the scruff of the neck.

The final 20 minutes saw the Kellys terrorise the Cork backs, who turned over an amount of ball when put under pressure. Tipp shot seven points to a single score from Cork in a devastating 13-minute period to stretch ahead.

Niall McCarthy sent over two points in the closing minutes to edge Cork closer, but Tipp held firm for a morale-boosting victory.

CORK: M Coleman; W Sherlock, C O'Connor, E O'Sullivan; G Callinan, R Curran, J Gardiner; K Murphy, T Kenny; C McGann (0-1), N McCarthy (0-3), K Canty; J O'Callaghan (1-3), D O'Sullivan (1-0), J Deane (0-4 (2f)).

Subs used: M Harrington for Canty (42 mins), M O'Connell for McGann (47), P Kelly for Gardiner (51).

TIPPERARY: B Cummins; E Buckley, P Maher, D Fanning; V Doheny, S Maher, D Fitzgerald; S Lillis, C Morrissey; T Scroope (0-1), D Egan (0-1), L Corbett (0-1); E Kelly (0-9, 5f, 1 '65'), D O'Hanlon (1-1), P Kelly (0-4).

Subs used: I Delaney for Fanning (42 mins), J Woodlock for Lillis (46), J Carroll for Donheny (53), P Burke for Scroope (64).

Referee: Ambrose Heagney (Clare).