Clare stand off Cork in one-sided Munster final

WHATEVER chance Clare had of competing with Cork in the 2012 Munster final, they simply had to employ a legitimately aggressive approach in every sector of the Gaelic Grounds. On top of that, they had to defend resolutely, get men behind the ball, leave their most mobile forwards upfield and try to hit Cork on the break. Clare did none of the above and that’s largely why this game was over in the 20th minute when Aidan Walsh ambled through the Clare back line and shot Cork 2-5 to 0-4 up.
Getting beaten is one thing but losing without making a sustained fight of it was the most disappointing aspect of Clare’s display.
Let’s acknowledge that Gary and Shane Brennan, Rory Donnelly, Michael O’Shea and Joe Hayes all contributed manfully, while the full-back line did their best to withstand the first-half barrage, without any protection.
There is no point in ignoring the fact that Clare’s lack of a coherent, defensive game plan handed the game to Cork. In one way, management’s belief that their players were up to going man to man with Cork is admirable but it was too idealistic an approach for tackling a team of Cork’s proven calibre.
Throughout the first half, all Cork had to do was break one tackle and when they did that, there was acres of unmanned Gaelic Grounds pasture for the likes of Walsh, Fintan Goold and Paul Kerrigan to run into. The Clare half-back line all followed their men leaving treacherous space behind them. The half-back trio subsequently spent most of the first half running towards their own goal, chasing the man in possession, rather than defending deeper and meeting the runner. Had Clare put at least one extra defender between the full and half-back line, they would have cut down on their awarding of the freedom of Limerick to Cork. Not doing this exposed virtually every Clare defender in the opening half, with the half-back line particularly porous.
On top of this, Clare conceded just one free in the opening half, while Cork scored their entire match tally from play. The low free count tally is as damning as any statistic. Virtually every decent county team adopts a policy of fouling high up the field, thereby stopping their opponents at source. It’s not a very sporting approach but to compete, you have to do it.
First-half goals from Fintan Goold, Aidan Walsh and a Nicholas Murphy goal that should have been disallowed for either square ball or because Paul Kerrigan’s fist crossed the line before Murphy touched it, helped Cork into a 3-7 to 0-7 half-time lead.
Michael O’Shea scored three of his four points in the first half, while David Tubridy (two frees), Rory Donnelly and Gary Brennan kicked the remaining points.
A feature of both halves was David Tubridy playing too deep. Along with Donnelly and O’Shea, Tubridy is one of Clare’s most threatening forwards but not when regularly seen foraging 50 yards from goal.
Clare improved marginally in the second half but Cork were always in complete control and coasted along.
Rory Donnelly was unlucky not to goal in the fifth minute when Eoin Cadogan cleared off the line, although Tubridy pointed the rebound. Joe Hayes made an excellent ninth-minute save from Colm O’Neill, who hit the post from a 48th minute Cork free, just the second dead ball Clare gave away.
Late in the game, Laois referee Eddie Kinsella erred at least three times when Gary Brennan was clearly fouled by Eoin Cadogan, who was already on a yellow card, for pulling back Rory Donnelly in the first half. Two minutes from time, substitute Niall Browne should have goaled but his shot was saved by Alan Quirke.
Meanwhile, another Clare substitute, Kilmurry Ibrickane’s Martin McMahon, refused to come on when management asked him about six minutes from full-time. McMahon played at wing-back in the semi-final win over Limerick and at wing-forward in Clare’s pre Munster final challenge against Galway.
The best of the Clare substitutes was Graham Kelly who at least added vigour and aggression to their efforts, without going overboard.
Clare will play their fourth-round qualifier on the weekend of July 28 when hopefully, they will produce a more intense performance and not stand off their opponents, whoever they might be.

Cork: Alan Quirke; Ray Carey, Michael Shields (captain), Eoin Cadogan; Paudie Kissane, Graham Canty, Noel O’Leary; Alan O’Connor, Nicholas Murphy; Fintan Goold, Ciarán Sheehan, Paul Kerrigan; Donncha O’Connor, Aidan Walsh, Colm O’Neill.
Subs: Daniel Goulding for Nicholas Murphy (51), Denis O’Sullivan for Paudie Kissane (55), James Fitzpatrick for Alan O’Connor (57), Barry O’Driscoll for Ciarán Sheehan (65), Mark Collins for Fintan Goold (65).
Scorers: Ciarán Sheehan, Colm O’Neill (0-4 each), Aidan Walsh (1-1), Fintan Goold, Aidan Walsh (1-0 each), Donncha O’Connor, Paul Kerrigan, Daniel Goulding (0-2 each), Barry O’Driscoll (0-1).
Wides: 9; frees won: 6; 45s: 1.
Yellow cards: Eoin Cadogan and Ciarán Sheehan.
Clare: Joe Hayes; Kevin Hartnett, Barry Duggan, Laurence Healy; Enda Coughlan, Gordon Kelly, John Hayes; Gary Brennan, Ger Quinlan; Shane Brennan, Shane McGrath, Alan Clohessy (captain); Rory Donnelly, David Tubridy, Michael O’Shea.
Subs: Graham Kelly for Enda Coughlan (half-time), Niall Browne for Ger Quinlan (half-time), David Russell for Alan Clohessy (58), Shane McNeilis for Barry Duggan (67), Conor Talty for Shane Brennan (71).
Scorers: Michael O’Shea (0-4), David Tubridy (0-4, 0-2f), Rory Donnelly (0-3), Gary Brennan (0-2), Gordon Kelly (0-1).
Wides: 8; frees won: 21; 45s: 0.
Yellow card: David Tubridy.
Referee: Eddie Kinsella (Laois).