Slick Cork skate past Clare in league opener

CORK……………….2-30
CLARE……………..2-21
By Michael O Connor

A LESSON in hurling movement and control with 13 different scorers was handed out to Clare by a Cork side that look stronger and more dangerous All Ireland contenders than in 2021.

Perhaps defeat to Limerick in last years decider has galvanised them also aided by a stunning crop of Under 20 talent. Clare were second in every respect as now attention moves onto the second round tie against Wexford in Ennis.

Another year and the opening salvo of double header fare in Pairc Ui Chaoimh with Brian Lohan locking horns with Kieran Kingston and two league points for the winner.

In a game that many expected to have a sizable number of frees it was the banner men who suffered most. Clare started the game with three changes to the announced lineout with Robin Mounsey, Aaron Fitzgerald and Shane Meehan starting with Mounsey making a league debut.

The visitors started the game brightly with David Reidy opening the scoring in the first minute. Cathal Malone added three in the most positive period of the game for Clare. Shane Meehan was also to the fore with Mark Rodgers also tagging on a point.

Cork, nonetheless had kept tabs on Clare and began to made inroads with their running game that Clare found hard to counter.

The future was seen in Clare hurling in the 21st minute when Shane Meehan a first year student in Mary I set up UL student Mark Rodgers who had the easy task of blasting to the net and seconds later Eibhear Quilligan was smartly done to deny Shane Barrett a sure goal.

The resulting 65 was popped over by Shane Kingston. However the ball was in the Clare net when a stray pass in the forwards was worked by Conor Lehane and Shane Kingston before being released to the onrushing Tim O Mahony who gave Quilligan no chance in the 26th minute as Cork regained a one point lead.

The strong breeze was favouring the home side and Cork with just Alan Cadogan inside on Conor Cleary they needed to score from distance.

Darragh Fitzgibbon and Mark Coleman (free) stretched the home side lead to three points on the 30 minute mark. Clare were overran at midfield as Cork pressed hard on Clare on every opportunity.

A crossfield ball from Rory Hayes went off target and Seamus Harnedy and a foul ball soon after by the Clare defence coughed up two more scores as Cork began to open up distance on the scoreboard.

Worse was to come from a Clare perspective as Kingston (2), Ciaran Joyce, Mark Coleman and Cadogan saw the home side hit (1-10) without reply in a 12 minute spell before half time. Half time Cork (1-19) Clare (1-9).

The first action of the new half was not memorable as David Reidy sent the ball wide from a placed ball. Clare hit two more wides in the opening five minutes as Patrick Crotty entered the fray for Mounsey.

Shane Kingston and Darragh Fitzgibbon made no mistakes for the home side before Clare through David Reidy and Mark Rodgers (both frees) matched the early Cork scores. With Patrick Collins acting more as a quarter back than a goalie gathering more yards with receiving the ball back from the puck outs Cork were pressurising Clare continuously.

Cathal Malone and Ciaran Joyce swopped scores in the 46th minute as Cork maintained a 11 points lead as the game was beginning to become at best challenge game in interest.

Cork brought on starlet Jack O Connor for Conor Lehane as Clare were devoid of any attacking options. Clare emptied the locker with three subs in one move in the 55th minute as Kingston once more from a free left Cork strolling on a (1-26) to (1-13) advantage.

Ryan Taylor and Crotty once again hit the target either side of a well executed Darragh Fitzgibbon effort. With Padraig Power now in on his own he grabbed another Cork score with eight minutes remaining quickly matched by wing back Robert Downey getting on the act as the full time whistle was wished for by all Clare supporters.

Mark Rodgers with three late scores allied to efforts from Diarmuid Ryan and Cathal Malone were negated by a late Cork goal from Luke Meade. The game finished brightly for Clare with Domhnall McMahon blasting home a late late goal to reduce the losing margin if it mattered to nine points.

CORK: Patrick Collins, Niall O Leary, Ger Mellerick, Sean O Donoghue, Tim O Mahony (1-0), Mark Coleman (0-5), Robert Downey (0-1), Ciaran Joyce (0-3), Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-4), Conor Lehane (0-1), Seamus Harnedy (0-2), Sean Twomey (0-1), Shane Kingston (0-9), Shane Barrett (0-2), Alan Cadogan (0-1). Subs: Conor Cahalane for Twomey, Jack O Connor for Lehane, Padraig Power (0-1) for Cadogan, Luke Meade (1-0) for Harnedy, Robbie O Flynn for Barrett
CLARE: Eibhear Quilligan, Aaron Fitzgerald, Conor Cleary, Paul Flanagan, Diarmuid Ryan (0-2), Jack Browne, Rory Hayes, Robin Mounsey, David Fitzgerald, Aaron Shanagher, Cathal Malone (0-5), Ryan Taylor (0-2), Mark Rodgers (1-5), David Reidy (0-3), Shane Meehan (0-1). Subs: Patrick Crotty (0-2) for Mounsey, Domhnall McMahon (1-0) for Shanagher, David Fitzgerald for Reidy, Paddy Donnellan (0-1) for McInerney,
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)