Munster MHC: Cork minors fall short against Clare

Cork 0-19 

Clare 2-22 

Cork will have to contest an Electric Ireland All-Ireland MHC preliminary quarter-final after they fell to defeat against Clare at SuperValu Páirc Ui Chaoimh on Thursday night.

Going into the final round of fixtures in the Munster championship, Clare were on six points with Cork and Tipperary both on four, meaning that a home victory was needed if John Meyler’s side were to make the provincial final on Monday, May 20.

Ultimately, Clare’s ability to convert goal chances was a major difference, with strikes in each half from Liam Murphy giving them a platform.

The first came after Cork had enjoyed a good start and led by 0-5 to 0-3; the second was with seven minutes remaining, turning a 1-17 to 0-17 lead into a six-point advantage that was augmented in the closing stages.

Defeat does not end Cork’s campaign, however; along with fourth-placed Waterford, they go on to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals, where they will face one of the beaten Leinster semi-finalists.

There was little to separate the sides in a first half that began at break-neck speed, with Clare ahead by 0-2 to 0-1 before the first minute had elapsed.

After a fine long-range effort by wing-back Kevin Beechinor levelled for Cork, they began to get on top, with Michael Tadhg Brosnan to the fore. Three in a row from Mark O’Brien – two frees sandwiching a 65 – gave them a cushion and, though Harry Doherty pulled one back for Clare, Cork might have fashioned a goal as Brosnan did well and found Fionn Lardner but he was caught into minds.

Moments later, the ball was in the net but it was Clare scoring the goal. Paul Rodgers – brother of Mark, who was so impressive for the senior side at the venue 11 days previously – was involved as he tested Josh Goulding with a good shot. Though the goalkeeper kept the ball out, Liam Murphy was on hand to convert the rebound. The corner-forward then made it 1-4 to 0-5 after centre-back James Cullinan had done well to pick him out.

Cork were not too ruffled by the setback, however, and might have produced an immediate response. When Cian Denis O’Connor found Brosnan with a great delivery, the attacker did well to claim possession and fired a low shot which Matthew Crotty diverted out for a 65.

O’Brien sent that over and the lead oscillated between one and two points for much of the remainder of the half, with midfielder Jack Hegarty firing over a great Cork point while Beechinor doubled his tally.

As half-time approached, Lardner was fouled for an O’Brien free to level at 0-11 to 1-8 and then the full-forward had them ahead again but Patrick Finneran equalised for Clare in injury time.

When Clare scored four of the first five points of the second half, with Finneran and Jerry O’Connor on target and James Cullinan strong at centre-back, they were 1-13 to 0-13 in front.

Two O’Brien frees brought Cork back to within one and, after Murphy and Doherty added Clare points, the latter after a great move, Cork sub Joe Twohig landed a great point. Unfortunately for Cork, Clare were claiming too many of their puckouts and Murphy punished them with his third point to leave it 1-16 to 0-16 with 12 minutes left.

With the next play, Cork might have levelled as Brosnan drilled a shot goalwards from a tight angle but Crotty saved brilliantly. Midfielder Jack O’Brien did get a Cork point to soften the blow but an excellent effort by Clare’s Cullinan was followed by Murphy’s second goal, the corner-forward finding himself in space from Michael Vaughan’s delivery.

Cork sub Peter Barrett did get on the scoresheet late on but Clare pulled clear in the closing stages, finishing the round-robin section with maximum points.

Scorers for Cork: M O’Brien 0-11 (0-6f, 0-2 65), K Beechinor 0-2, J Hegarty, L Murphy, F Lardner, J Twohig, P Barrett, J O’Brien 0-1 each.

Clare: L Murphy 2-3, H Doherty 0-6 (0-4f), P Rodgers, P Finneran 0-3 each, J O’Connor 0-2, D Moroney, J Cullinan, M Corbett (0-1f), R Hayes, D Ball 0-1 each.

CORK: J Goulding (Glen Rovers); CD O’Connor (Millstreet), R O’Riordan (Blackrock), L Kelleher (Douglas); K Beechinor (Éire Óg), C Noonan (Kanturk), J Murphy (Mallow); J O’Brien (Douglas), J Hegarty (Ballinora); L Hennessy (Ballymartle), M O’Brien (Douglas), L Murphy (Barryroe); A Lee (Cloyne), F Lardner (Fermoy), MT Brosnan (Glen Rovers).

Subs: J Twohig (Valley Rovers) for Lardner (half-time), P Barrett (Midleton) for Twohig (35-36, blood), D Enright (Inniscarra) for O’Riordan (40), Barrett for Lee (44), O O’Connell (Carrigaline) for Hennessy (47).

CLARE: M Crotty; D Moroney, S McNamara, S Óg Kilkenny; D Kennedy, J Cullinan, R Mulcahy; G Ball, M Corbett; D McNamara, P Finneran, H Doherty; J O’Connor, P Rodgers, L Murphy.

Subs: M Vaughan for McNamara (half-time), R Hayes for Corbett (47), D Ball for Finneran (54), J Gibbons for O’Connor (59), E Crimmins for G Ball (60).

Referee: A Tierney (Tipperary).