Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship Round 1
Clare 1-16 Cork 1-16

A wasteful Clare had to settle for an opening draw in the Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship after being reeled in by an obstinate Cork in front of a sizeable 2,358 attendance in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge on Wednesday evening.

Despite leading by five points at one stage, Terence Fahy’s side never reflected their full dominance on the scoreboard as 15 wides and three missed goal chances hampered their progress throughout.

In contrast, a dogged Cork side simply kept the scoreboard ticking over, predominantly through Barry Walsh’s placed balls, twelve in all over the hour, while a 26th minute goal for John Wigginton Barrett was also a timely jolt when needed most.

Perhaps it can be put down to first round jitters but Clare’s profligacy remained right to the final whistle as despite being presented with a glorious opportunity at redemption at the death, substitute James Organ’s 25 metre free just drifted agonisingly wide of the right post to ensure a stalemate.

All that after such a promising start that saw Sean Boyce light up the opening ten minutes with 1-2 to his name. The goal was superbly created by the outstanding Diarmuid Stritch whose electric pace and eel-like elusiveness made him the clear man-of-the-match from a long.

His ninth minute surge through the heart of the Cork defence was offlaoded to Boyce to control and expertly finish at 1-3 to 0-2, with Fred Hegarty’s frees finally carving out a five point cushion by the 24th minute.

It would be short-lived as Wigginton Barrett’s opportunist goal slashed the arrears to just two while up the other end, a Michael Collins shot would be excellently tipped away by centre-back Cillian O’Callaghan.

Clare went in 1-11 to 1-08 in front but despite resuming on top once more, a plethora of wides would remarkably ensure that the home side wouldn’t score in the third quarter and had even lost freetaker Fred Hegarty to a harsh red card at the three-quarters mark.

Jamie Moylan and Michael Collins were unfortunate to see goal chances go abegging but with only 14 men, it was leaders such as Diarmuid Stritch and Jack O’Neill that stood defiantly to keep the Rebels at bay.

Barry Walsh and John Wigginton Barrett did finally regain full parity by the 56th minute but any momentum dissipated when Ben Walsh and then Barry O’Flynn were both given their marching orders amidst a tense crescendo.

A Jack O’Neill point was inevitably equalled by Barry Walsh’s twelve point by the hour mark. However, Clare failed to capitalise upon a last gasp shot at redemption when a lineball was upgraded to a free after a Cork defender had thrown the ball away as the relieved Rebels left the Banner County with what could yet be a vital point.

Clare face a long Round 2 trip to Dungarvan to take on a fresh Waterford side next Wednesday while Cork host a scorned Tipperary in what seems a wide open round robin series.

Clare: Mark Sheedy (Sixmilebridge); John Cahill (Clooney-Quin), Fionan Treacy (Éire Óg), Eoghan Gunning (Broadford); Joe Casey (Kilmaley), James Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), Eoin McMahon (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield); Jamie Moylan (Cratloe), Matthew O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge); Michael Collins (Clonlara), Jack O’Neill (Clooney-Quin), Ronan Kilroy (Banner); Sean Boyce (O’Callaghan’s Mills), Fred Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara)

Subs: Dannan Fox (Clooney-Quin) for Moylan (48), James Organ (Corofin) for Collins (50), Ronan Keane (Killanena) for O’Halloran (53), Robert Loftus (Éire Óg) for Treacy (56)

Scorers: Fred Hegarty (0-5f); Sean Boyce (1-2); Diarmuid Stritch (0-4); Eoin McMahon, Ronan Kilroy, James Hegarty (f), James Organ (f), Jack O’Neill (0-1 each)

Cork: Daniel O’Connell (Dromina); Eoin Guinane (Valley Rovers), James O’Brien (Fermoy), Denis Cashman (Bride Rovers); Ben Walsh (Killeagh), Cillian O’Callaghan (Dungourney), Daniel Murnane (Carrigtwohill); Timmy Wilk (Cobh), Ryan Deasy (Ballymartle); John Murphy (Mallow), Barry Walsh (Killeagh), Johnnie Murphy (Dromina); Mark O’Brien (Douglas), John Wigginton Barrett (St Finbarr’s), Barry O’Flynn (Sarsfields)

Subs: Zach Biggane (Charleville) for Murnane (37), Óisín Fitzgerald (St Catherine’s) for Will (42), Ross O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) for O’Brien (44), Matthew Barrett (Carrigtwohill) for Deasy (54)

Scorers: Barry Walsh (0-12, 10f, 1’65); John Wiggington Barrett (1-3); Mark O’Brien (0-1 each)

Referee: Alan Tierney (Tipperary)