Semi-Final awaits for buoyant Banner

Clare 0-17 Cork 0-12

A scorching finish washed away any previous misgivings as Clare soared into the final three of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship in front of 1.491 in O’Garney Park Sixmilebridge on Tuesday evening.
Being their final group outing, Clare craved a victory to keep their fate in their own hands and they duly responded with a commanding display that arguably should have been much more comfortable than the final scoreline indicates.
Allied to their 17 points were 16 wides that highlighted just how dominant the home side were against a Cork side that were flawless up to Tuesday’s tie but were surprisingly lacklustre without their top-scorer Barry Walsh.
For long periods, it did seem as if Clare’s profligacy would come back to haunt them as a crossfield breeze proved tricky for two freetakers to master.
In contrast, Cork’s Johnny Murphy arrowed over three early frees that meant they matched their hosts for the opening quarter. A brace of Eoin Oige Fanning points finally put daylight between the sides at 0-7 to 0-5 but the frustration of the misses would only incite Cork’s challenge to regain parity for the fifth time by the half hour mark before Jack Mescall inch the Banner 0-9 to 0-8 in front by the interval.
An inevitably Rebel backlash including an excellent brace of Conor McCarthy points managed to edge Cork in front for the first time in 25 minutes at 0-11 to 0-10 by the 37th minute. However, it was only a temporary reprieve as it would be another 25 minutes before their next point, by which time Clare had unequivocally snatched back the whip hand to completely wipe out Cork’s puck-outs and respond with a seven point rally in just twelve minutes to blaze 0-17 to 0-11 clear entering the final ten minutes.
Michael Collins and Eoin Oige Fanning led the line superbly while spinal defenders Ronan Keane and James Hegarty lit up O’Garney Park as Clare powered into a semi-final in a fortnight’s time where they will meet the loser of next Tuesday’s final round showdown between Limerick and Cork in TUS Gaelic Grounds (7pm).
That tie is essentially a winner-takes-all derby to progress directly to the Munster Final, with a draw sufficient for Limerick to prevail.

Clare: Mark Sheedy (Sixmilebridge); Ronan Keane (Killanena), Eoghan Gunning (Broadford), Eoin Carey (Cratloe); Jamie Moylan (Cratloe), James Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), Matthew O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge); Jack Mescall (Inagh-Kilnamona), Emmet Mulcahy (Tulla); Sean Arthur (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Michael Collins (Clonlara), Ronan Kilroy (Banner); Eoin Ogie Fanning (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), Marc O’Brien (Cratloe), Michael Power (Newmarket-on-Fergus)
Subs: Evan Price (Clarecastle) for Mulcahy (37), Fred Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Kilroy (41, inj), Eoin Begley (Clonlara) for Fanning (46), Harry Doherty (Clarecastle) for Power (52), Mark O’Connor (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for Gunning (57, BS)

Scorers: James Hegarty (0-4, 3f); Marc O’Brien (2f); Michael Collins (0-3 each); Eoin Oige Fanning, Sean Arthur (0-2 each); Ronan Keane, Jack Mescall, Eoin Begley (0-1 each)

Cork: Oisin Walsh (Youghal); Oier O’Callaghan (Liscarroll Churchtown Gaels), Darragh McCarthy (Passage), Carthaigh Cronin (Midleton); Cillian O’Callaghan (Dungourney), Ben Walsh (Killeagh), David O’Leary (Ballincollig); James O’Leary (Lisgoold), Conor McCarthy (Glen Rovers); Jayden Casey (Youghal), Zack Biggane (Charleville), Johnny Murphy (Dromina); Sean Meade (Killeagh), Barry O’Flynn (Sarsfields), Finn O’Brien (Erins Own)
Subs: James O’Brien (Cloyne) for McCarthy (44), Ronan Dooley (Douglas) for O’Brien (46), Conor McCarthy (St Finbarr’s) for O’Leary (50), Patrick Walsh (Carrigtwohill) for Murphy (51), Johnny Galvin (Éire Óg) for Casey (54)

Scorers: Johnny Murphy (0-5f); Ben Walsh, Conor McCarthy (0-2 each); Finn O’Brien, Sean Meade, James O’Brien (0-1 each)

Referee: Alan Tierney (Tipperary)