Cork 3 

Clare 0 

THE Cork CSL side recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over Clare in the SFAI U15 Inter Leaguer clash at Ballea Park last Sunday afternoon.

They now sit on top of the Subway SFAI U15 league table with seven points from three games and a place into the next round.

Cork almost hit the back of the net within the first four minutes of play with Eoin Looney, Lewis Lenihan and Alex McSweeney all having chances straight after each other with all being denied by the Clare keeper Oisin Tierney, his defence and even the crossbar.

Moments later Lehihan had a chance but McSweeney’s cross from the near side was just a little too strong for him as the ball ran out of play.

Cork continued to press, with Darragh Sheehan’s effort from 20 yards well blocked by the Clare keeper Oisin Tierney as the home side looked for an early score.

Clare’s first real opportunity came in the 9th minute when Bobby Ferns’s effort came off the Cork post and travelled along the goal line only to be covered by Cillian Burke in the Cork goal.

The Clare keeper Tierney had to be sharp again in the 11th minute when he managed to cover Cian Daly’s effort at the far post at the expense of a corner, but moments later Cork took the lead from the resulting corner kick when Sheehan headed the ball into the Clare net at the far post for Cork’s opening score.

Clare attempted a quick response with an effort on goal being well covered by the Cork keeper Cillian Beale, but Cork had two good chances from Sheehan and Eoin Looney towards the end of the half which saw them lead at the break 1-0.

Cork continued to press forward in the second half and by the 43rd minute had doubled their lead when Darragh Sheehan’s controlled the ball in the area before passing it to Eoin Looney on the far side who made no mistake from 15 yards for Cork’s second.

Cork had a good chance to increase their tally even further in the 54th minute when Conor Burke’s cross spun off the boot of Darragh Lynch’s from eight yards out and went wide of the posts.

However, in the 58th minute Cork scored their third when Clare left themselves open at the back with Darragh Burke running towards goal from midfield and duly slotted the ball past keeper Oisin Tierney from 15 yards as Cork were well in control and had the game well and truly won at this stage.

Cork’s Burke was unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet moments later when his effort came off the post, and although Clare pressed forward in the closing stages with shots on goal from Colin Frawley and Evan O’Brien it was Cork who took the points on the day.

Cork: Cillian Beale, Aaron O’Mahony, Liam Lynch, Luke McDonnell, Dara Birdthistle, Darragh Sheehan, Alex McSweeney, Ben Fitzgerald, Eoin Looney, Lewis Lenihan, Cian Daly, Stephen Daly, David Scannell, Matthew Kiernan, Conor Burke, Diarmuid O’Riordan, Darragh Lynch 

Clare: Oisin Tierney, Darragh Connolly, Bobby Ferns, Devin Downes, Ade Adiniyi, Donal O’Leary, Patrick Lonergan, Luke Deedan, Jason Keane Hayes, Ryan McCarthy, Josh McInerney, Alex Guilfoyle, Flinn Carrig, Ricardo Lameda, Evan O’Brien, Adam Tariq. Colin Frawley, Saleem Ojulari Referee: Pat Ryan.