Clare minors must take the Waterford route

Cork 2-10 Clare 0-11

ANY realistic chance that this doughty Clare minor side had of winning in Pairc Uí Rínn on Wednesday evening imploded when Cork full-forward Stephen O’Mahony netted the home county’s second goal 17 minutes into the second half. That score put Cork 2-7 to 0-8 ahead, leaving the reigning Munster champions reasonably comfortably ahead.
To Clare’s credit they didn’t lose hope and kept going right until the end of the 60 minutes. Aside from that killer second Cork goal, Clare will reflect on a succession of second-half wides and the fact that it took them 14 minutes to add to their half-time total.
Niall Hickey landed two of Clare’s four second-half points, with Eoin Cleary and William Flynn notching the others. While Clare played some very impressive attacking football in the opening half, Flynn’s point was their only second-half score from play.
Clare looked energetic and up for it right from the off and mounted a couple of early attacks. However, they kicked a couple of early wides and their good start wasn’t reflected on the scoreboard. Hickey pointed the game’s opening score, however, when he pointed a free after Adrian Murrihy was fouled.
At the far end, Dan McEoin notched an equalising point from a free conceded by Murrihy, who worked exceptionally hard in the opening half.
McEoin and the silken Martin O’Leary traded a point apiece before McEoin buried Cork’s first-half goal, linking up with David Harrington and mammoth full-forward Stephen O’Mahony.
Cian O’Sullivan put Cork 1-3 to 0-2 up but Clare responded positively when Jamie Malone picked up a break from a Martin O’Leary shot and pointed.
O’Sullivan kicked his second score but Niall Hickey replied, after linking up with Jamie Malone, leaving Clare 1-4 to 0-4 down, eight minutes from half-time. O’Leary added a second sublime point.
Conor Cleary arrowed over an equally impressive effort, while Cian O’Sullivan landed Cork’s seventh and final first-half point. A minute into injury time, Niall Hickey drew Clare to within a point of the hosts, with a pointed free won by Jamie Malone.
Clare played some superb attacking football in the first half, while they looked more solid defensively when Alan O’Neill was moved to full-back from midfield, allowing Craig O’Brien to play as an extra defender.
This Clare team can be proud of the fact that they gave everything they had and will surely look to Saturday’s game against Waterford in Dungarvan with real confidence.
The winners of the losers group will eventually play Cork in the Munster semi-final.

Clare: Darren Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Conor Gavin (Clondegad, captain), Craig O’Brien (Wolfe Tones), Oisin Vaughan (Ennistymon); Jarlath Colleran (St Joseph’s, Doora-Barefield), Stan Lineen (Kilmihil), Darragh Bolton (Kilrush); Alan O’Neill (St Joseph’s, Doora-Barefield), Darragh McDonagh (St Joseph’s, Miltown); Eoin Cleary (St Joseph’s, Miltown), Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s, Miltown), Adrian Murrihy (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Martin O’Leary (Kilmihil), Niall Hickey (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Jamie Malone (Corofin).
Subs: William Flynn (Wolfe Tones) for Jamie Malone, Joey Rouine (Ennistymon) for Darragh Bolton, Ciaran Devitt (Ennistymon) for Martin O’Leary, James Sweeney (Éire Óg) for Craig O’Brien and Jack Scanlon for Adrian Murrihy.
Scorers: Niall Hickey (0-5, (0-4f), Martin O’Leary (0-2), Conor Cleary, Jamie Malone, Eoin Cleary (f) and William Flynn (0-1) each.
Wides: 9; frees: 24; booked: Adrian Murrihy.
Scorers: Dan McEoin (1-3, 1f), Cian O’Sullivan (0-3), Stephen O’Mahony (1-0), Brian O’Driscoll (0-2f) and Kevin Crowley (0-2).
Referee: Richard Moloney (Limerick).