Sharper Cork too good for Clare

Cork 1-25 Clare 1-20

A sharper Cork sent Clare hurling fans home disappointed from Semple stadium in Thurles this Sunday afternoon as they captured the Munster senior title for the first time in three years. The result completed a very very disappointing day for Clare hurling and a disappointing weekend for Clare GAA.

Beaten in the ladies intermediate football final on Saturday, Clare were then dumped out of the All-Ireland championship when beaten by Mayo leaving fans making the journey to Thurles hoping for a change in fortunes.

All is not lost however and both minor and senior hurlers now face All-Ireland quarter final ties in two weeks time, the minors against Ulster opposition and the seniors against either Tipperary or Waterford.

Before an attendance of 45,558, the game started at a very lively pace and the teams exchanged points three times before the twelfth minute when Cork struck for an Alan Cadogan goal after the cork corner forward had got away from Oisin O’Brien.

Clare had the margin back to a point when a foul of Shane O’Donnell resulted in a penalty in the nineteenth minute but Tony Kelly’s effort flew high over Anthony Nash’s crossbar, levelling the tie for the fourth time.

Cork had the better of the next ten minutes when they landed five points without reply and this was the margin at half time when the score was 1-10 to 0-8. Shortly before the half time whistle Clare introduced Jason McCarthy to their defence in place of Oisin O’Brien.

Points were exchanged four times in the third quarter before Cork hit teo in as row to go seven clear. A superb Conor\McGrath goal brought the Banner men right back into contention and a brace from Tony |Kelly closedthe gap to two points with fifteen minutes remaining.

That was as close as Clare go, however and the sharper Cork men held on for what ws a merited win on the day.

Scorers; Cork; Pat Horgan (0-13) Alan Cadogan (1-4), Seamus Harnady (0-2) Mark Coleman(0-2), Darragh Fitzgibbon, Conor Lehane, Shane Kingston, Luke Meade (0-1) each

Clare; Tony Kelly (0-10) Conor McGrath (1-1), John Conlon (0-2), David McInerney, Seadna Morey, Colm Galvin, Podge Collins, Aaron Shanagher, Aaron Cunningham, Jason McCarthy

Clare; Andrew Fahy (Whitegate); Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge), David mcInerney (Tulla), Patrick O’Connor (Tubber); David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona), Conor Cleary (Miltown St. Josephs), Oisin O’Brien (Clonlara); Colm Galvin (Clonlara), Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge); Tony Kelly (Ballyea), Podge Collins (Cratloe), John Conlon (Clonlara); Shane O’Donnell (Eire Og), Aron Shanagher (WolfeTones),Conor McGrath (Cratloe)

Subs; Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Oisin O’Brien; David Reidy (Eire Og) for Collins; Cian Dillon (Crusheen) for O’Connor. Aaron Cunnngham (Wolfe Tones) for Shanagher. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin) for Malone

Cork; Anthony Nash; Stephen McDonnell, Damian Cahillane, Colm Spillane; Christopher Joyce, Mark Ellis, Mark Coleman; Bill Cooper, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Seamus Harnady, Conor Lehane, Shane Kingston; Alan Cadogan, Patrick Horgan, Luke Meade

Subs; Daniel Kearney for Kingston; Luke O’Farrell for Fitzgibbon; Michael Cahillane for\Meade

Referee; Fergal Horgan, Tipperary

Cork always in control

Cork 4-21 Clare 0-16

The day started on a very disappointing note for Clare as they were comprehensively beaten by a very impressive Cork side in the minor final.

Tipped for major honours this season before a ball was struck in the championship, Cork were superior throughout the field and held a nine point lead at half time whenthe score was 2-11to 0-8

Cork; Ger Collins; Conor O’Callaghan, Sean O’Leary-Hayes (0-1), Eoin Roche; Aaron Walsh-Barry,James Keating, Ger Mellerick; Daire Connery (0-6), Diarmuid Linehan; Craig Hanahin (0-1), Liam O’Shea (0-2), Brian Roche (0-1); Evan Sheehan (2-2), Robert Downey (1-2), Brian Turnbull (0-4)

Subs; B. Murphy (1-1) for Linehan; D Hanlon for Hanafin; R. Howell for Walsh-Barry;; B. Buckley (0-1) for O’Shea; D. Jones for Roche

Clare; Eamonn Foudy (Inagh-Kilnamona); Cian McInerney (Inagh-Kilnamona), Ross Hayes (Crusheen), Bradley Higgins (Kilmaley); Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe) 0-1, Cian Minogue (Bodyke) 0-2, Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona) 0-1; Keith White (Inagh-Kilnamona), 0-1 Lee Brack (Clarecastle); Riain Considine (Cratloe)0-1, Tiernan Agnew (Sixmilebridge) 0-7, Eoin Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona); Conor Tierney (St. Josephs), Gary Cooney (O’Callaghans Mills), Breffni Horner (Crusheen)

Subs; Killian McDemott (Clarecastle) 0-3 for Brack; Colin Haugh (Ruan) for Considine; Gearoid Cahill (Corofin) for Fitzgerald; Paul Corry (Sixmilebridge) for Horner

Referee; Johnnie Murphy, Limerick

By Seamus Hayes