Glory days a long way off for Cork hurling after disastrous defeat in the Páirc to Clare

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN'S Glory Days blazed over the speakers as the crowd made their way to the exits at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, but for the supporters in red a return to those, seems as far away as ever.

Cork wasted a seven-point advantage early in the second half and were shambolic defensively in the last 25 minutes. 

The season now hangs by a thread, victories over Limerick in the Páirc and Tipp in Thurles might not do to qualify from Munster, depending on results elsewhere.

It was all set up for Cork when they charged ahead, their pace and direct running punching holes down the middle. Yet once Clare started picking up the breaks in the middle third, Cork had few answers.

Clare were without their talisman Tony Kelly but up front Mark Rodgers, Shane O'Donnell and David Reidy caused endless problems with their pace and trickery. 

It didn't help that Seán O'Donoghue got a needless red card when Cork were up 1-20 to 1-19. The home supporters booed referee James Owens at the end but they were architects of their own downfall. 

They may not have gotten enough 50-50 calls from the officials but he had no choice but to dismiss O'Donoghue.

Clare had the momentum before Cork were reduced to 14 but really exploited the space from there. They were also able to protect their full-back line and shore up the centre.

Peter Duggan had an epic battle with Tim O'Mahony under long deliveries but eventually wore him down and grabbed vital primary possession. Up front, outside of Seamus Harnedy, Cork had no one capable of doing that.

Patrick Horgan was immense, stitching 2-10, including 1-1 from play, a rocket of a goal from a free and being fouled for 0-3 himself. Harnedy contributed three points and was pulled back for a Declan Dalton free.

MISFIRED

Otherwise, the attack failed to fully function. Dalton, Harnedy and Brian Hayes were replaced and while Shane Barrett had a very good first 45 minutes, the Clare half-back line cleaned up coming down the stretch, with Diarmuid Ryan especially prominent.

Alan Connolly was again a livewire, scoring 0-2, fouled for 1-1, but Cork didn't, or weren't able, to supply him enough.

There is depth to the Cork panel when you consider the replacements introduced but aside from Shane Kingston, none of them made them made their presence felt at all.

Now if Damien Cahalane had been able to finish a very difficult last-gasp sniff at the goal, the feeling might be different, but Cork really are running to stand still at the moment.

The first quarter was extremely cagey. Both counties were nervous and prone to errors. After last weekend's results and the pressure they were under it was to be expected. 

Cork were eager to feed the inside line, so much so that O'Mahony turned down two opportunities to go for points with the wind before splitting the posts.

The huge concern at half-time was if Cork would be left to rue only getting 0-1 from three goal chances. 

While Horgan raised two green flags in the second period, there were two more glorious opportunities spurned in the Rebels' volley of scores after the restart, up 1-17 to 0-13.

The game became shapeless after the O'Donoghue red for both sides but Cork were that bit more ragged. 

We saw O'Mahony getting injured as he lost possession for a Reidy score and Patrick Collins sent a couple of passes and puck-outs into Clare paws.

All the talk this week was about the need for an injection of youth but Horgan, 36 next week, and Harnedy were Cork's best two attackers along with Connolly. 

Under John Meyler, Kieran Kingston and now Pat Ryan, no matter what 15 is selected, you can never trust Cork to be secure at the back or win ball across the half-forward line.

New season, same problems. 

A far cry from glory days.