MMFC: Cork cruise into the Munster Minor Football final with an eight point win over Clare

Cork 1-13 

Clare 0-08 

CORK teed up a Munster Minor Football Final rematch with Kerry on home soil next Monday after a professional display kept hosts Clare at arm’s length in Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty.

Having been edged out by the Kingdom by two points in Tralee seven days earlier, the Rebels took out their frustration on the Phase 1 winners with a blistering start of 1-5 without reply by only the eleventh minute.

In truth, Danny Miskella’s clever reverse goal to the bottom right corner of the home net following good work from Ben O’Shea was sandwiched by some superb point-taking, with the electric Dylan O’Neill in particular proving a persistent thorn in Clare’s side for the entire hour.

Even when the home side opened their account through Sean Fennell at the end of the opening quarter, Micheál O’Sullivan’s side answered decisively to stretch their advantage to nine by the 20 minute mark thanks to points from O’Neill and Ben Delaney at 1-7 to 0-1.

A minute later, the game effectively ended as a contest after an apparent retaliation saw Clare’s centre-back Aidan Weaver handed a straight red card by referee Timmy McGrath.

That dismissal would have a dual effect as 14 man Clare upped the ante while the Rebels, knowing the the result was beyond doubt, perhaps subsconsciously took their foot off the gas for the remaining two-thirds of the contest.

With Cork’s radar slipping four late wides ensured that the visitors didn’t add to their tally by the break at 1-7 to 0-1 while they would be outscored by 0-7 to 0-6 by their numerically disadvantage hosts on the resumption who were unlucky with two Banner goal chances nearing the turn of the final quarter.

Cork did carve out a sighting at goal themselves at the three-quarters mark when the impressive Danny Miskella played in Ben Delaney, only to see his shot saved the advancing goalkeeper Eoin Bryne.

It mattered little in the overall context though as Cork expertly wound down the clock to ease into their fourth successive Munster Final, determined to exact revenge for their quarter-final reverse.

Scorers for Cork: D O’Neill 0-6 (1f); D Miskella 1-1; B Delaney (2f), S Whelton 0-2 each; B O’Shea, H Cogan 0-1 each 

Scorers for Clare: C Burke 0-5 (4f); S Fennell, S O’Connell, D Townsend 0-1 each 

Cork: J O’Flaherty (Douglas); J Mouret (Douglas), A Keane (Kinsale), N O’Shea (Urhan); C McCarthy (St Colum’s), C O’Connor (Ballincollig), O Harrington (KIlmeen); H Cogan (Glanmire), J French (Ballinora); D Miskella (Ballincollig), B O’Shea (Mallow), S Whelton (St James’); H Canty (Newcestown), B Delaney (Carrigaline), D O’Neill (Carbery Rangers) 

Subs: C Cooney (Clyda Rovers) for O’Shea (38, inj), B Ryan (Glenville) for Mouret (41), N O’Calla-ghan (Castlehaven) for French (45), D O’Donovan (Castlehaven) for Delaney (51), C Ahern (Ballin-collig) for O’Connor (61) 

Clare: E Byrne; A Killeen, C Hill, J Blunnie; S Murphy, A Weaver, L Switzer; D Boyle, C Downes; D Brody, S O’Connell, D Cahill; C Burke, S Fennell, D McMahon 

Subs: D Townsend for Cahill (21), C Walsh for Murphy (HT), L Clune for Brody (HT), C Casey for Switzer (49), G Fennell for Downes (62) 

Referee: T McGrath (Limerick).