Cork hurlers squeeze out Clare to set up winner-take-all tie with Limerick

Cork 1-24 Clare 0-24

CORK withstood a late Clare fightback at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday to belatedly open their Co-op SuperStores Munster Hurling League campaign with a win.

With 11 minutes left, the home side looked to be coasting as they led by 1-22 to 0-18 but six Clare points in a row had the game up for grabs as the end of normal time neared. However, late frees from Cork sub Darragh Flynn and goalkeeper Bríon Saunderson secured the victory.

Pat Ryan’s side will now travel to Rathkeale on Wednesday night for their re-arranged game against a Limerick side that also beat Clare – the victors will advance to face Waterford in the final next Sunday.

It’s unlikely that the tally of 22 wides – against just three for Clare – will be affordable against the All-Ireland champions but the Rebels management will take positives from the display, not least never trailing after the opening seconds.

While Robin Mounsey – lively for Clare – began the scoring inside the first minute, Cork had an immediate response as a powerful Conor Lehane run ended with him sending a low shot to the net.

The goal was the difference between the sides for almost all of the first half; with Cork wasteful at times, Clare did draw level at one stage before the Rebels pushed on to a hold a half-time advantage of 1-16 to 0-14.

Robbie Cotter, named at corner-forward, had two good early points and added a smart effort coming up to half-time. Lehane also had three points before he was one of four players withdrawn at the break while Shane Kingston had eight points to his name by the interval.

Twice in the opening period, Jack O’Connor might have had another goal for Cork. In the 12th minute, he did well to force a turnover but was denied by a Cian Broderick save and then, on 25, good work from Cathal McCarthy, Lehane and Brian Roche saw the ball worked to the Sarsfields man. He raced towards goal but his shot flew just over the crossbar, leaving Cork 1-9 to 0-10 in front.

Good Oran Cahill defending prevented Seán Twomey from having a goal chance but Cork pushed on as the half ended, scoring four of the last five points through Kingston (two), Lehane and Cotter to retire with a 1-16 to 0-14 advantage.

Four substitutions for each side ahead of the second half perhaps contributed to the disjointed opening after the restart. In contrast to the high-scoring start to the first period, it took nearly five minutes for the scoreboard to be altered, with McCarthy getting his eighth of the day for Clare.

Things were even overall, with the gap oscillating between four, five and six points. On 53 minutes, Saunderson showed his capabilities with good anticipation to cut out a Clare pass close to goal and then pick out Robbie O’Flynn on the left wing. The Erin’s Own man, just on as a sub, pointed to make it 1-20 to 0-17.

While McCarthy replied with his tenth, Cork subs Cormac Beausang and Darragh Flynn had points to open up a seven-point advantage. However, other chances continued to be wasted and four in a row from Clare – three McCarthy frees and one by sub Keith Smyth – left a goal in it.

When Clare’s number 23 Colm O’Meara landed their 23rd point of the day and Smyth got his second, there was just a point in it but Cork avoided conceding an equaliser and made sure of victory through Flynn and Saunderson.

Scorers for Cork: S Kingston 0-8 (0-3 f, 0-1 65), C Lehane 1-3, R Cotter 0-4, D Flynn 0-3 (0-2 f), E Carey, B Saunderson (f), C Beausang, J O’Connor, B Hayes, R O’Flynn 0-1 each.

Clare: A McCarthy 0-13 (0-10 f), R Mounsey 0-4, C Barron, K Smyth 0-2 each, K O’Connor, C Malone, C O’Meara 0-1 each.

CORK: B Saunderson (Midleton); G Millerick (Fr O’Neills), R Downey (Glen Rovers), C McCarthy (Sarsfields); C Joyce (Castlemartyr), T O’Connell (Midleton), C O’Brien (Newtownshandrum); E Carey (Kilworth), B Roche (Bride Rovers); S Twomey (Courcey Rovers), C Lehane (Midleton), S Kingston (Douglas); J O’Connor (Sarsfields), B Hayes (St Finbarr’s), R Cotter (Blackrock).

Subs: D O’Leary (Watergrasshill) for Joyce, S Quirke (Midleton) for Roche, S Dalton (Fr O’Neills) for Twomey, D Flynn (Ballygiblin) for Lehane (all half-time), S Barrett (Blarney) for Dalton (42, injured), R O’Flynn (Erin’s Own) for Kingston (44), C Beausang (Midleton) for O’Connor (49), E Roche (Bride Rovers) for O’Brien (58), S O’Donoghue (Inniscarra) for Carey (69).

CLARE: C Broderick; D Tuohy, C Cleary, S Morey; T Dean, D McMahon, O Cahill; A Moriarty, C Malone; G Sheedy, R Mounsey, K O’Connor; C Barron, A McCarthy, S Conway.

Subs: R Hayes for Cahill (32, injured), C Smyth for Malone, P Donnellan for Moriarty, C O’Meara for O’Connor, E Crimmins for Conway (all half-time), K Smyth for Mounsey (47), J Kirwan for Sheedy (50), K Hartigan for McMahon, D Cahill for Barron (both 58).

Referee: E Stapleton (Limerick).