Cork outclass Clare to power into Munster camogie final

Clare 0-10 

Cork 2-22 

Routine for Cork, as expected for Ger Manley’s side. Clare were simply unable to mount a challenge at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg on Sunday morning in the Munster Senior Camogie Championship semi-final.

The gulf in class was far too large, but Cork did what needed to be done in the early stages. After 11 minutes it was a foregone conclusion.

Two white flags in succession from Orlaith Cahalane got them off the mark. Points from Ashling Thompson and Saoirse McCarthy moved them four clear.

Emma Murphy was next up for Cork. Cahalane added another. They moved the ball quick and passed it well.

All Clare had to show for it at this stage was a solitary point from Aoife Andersen – to her credit an excellent solo effort out wide. They had a short and a wide to go with that.

With 10 minutes elapsed Clare were already in trouble. McCarthy then set up Clodagh Finn for the first Cork goal, the hosts were left 1-8 to 0-1 behind.

The Rebels then hit their first wide after 12 minutes. They would hit another five wides on the trot. This was where Clare needed to get going. Still they failed. Not only to score, but to create chances.

They had just three shots from play for the remainder of the half. None of those yielded a flag of either colour. Zi Yan Spillane pointed two frees late in the opening period, leaving it 1-10 to 0-3 at the interval.

With the slight wind advantage, Clare needed a quick start to the second half. Instead, it was a near mirroring of the first period.

Cork fired away with five points unanswered to go 1-15 to 0-3 in front. With 22 minutes remaining, Clare simply had no answer to Cork’s midfield domination, aided by Laura Treacy’s sweeping.

While they did finally find some joy in front of the posts late on, particularly through substitute Aisling Cooney who finished with four points (three frees), Cork’s substitutes – eager to earn a place for the Munster final – came on with a point to prove.

Millie Condon and Ava Fitzgerald most impressive among them, with Condon bagging 1-1 while Fitzgerald got two points from play. When Condon’s goal did find the back of the net in the 56th minute, that left Cork in front by 2-20 to 0-7.

The Rebels were unfortunate not to find the back of the net thrice more in the final quarter, as Orlaith Cahalane and Kate Wall both blasted wide from close range, the latter then unfortunate to see her next goal attempt rebound off the crossbar.

Either way, it was a job well done for Manley’s side. They hardly moved through the gears, yet came away with an 18-point winning margin.

Amy O’Connor finished with four frees and three assists, while Saoirse McCarthy and Clodagh Finn were excellent in front of the posts. Thompson also stood out.

Munster final up next.

Scorers for Clare: A Cooney 0-4 (3 fs) ZY Spillane 0-3 fs, A O’Keeffe, A Andersen, A O’Loughlin 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cork: C Finn 1-3, S McCarthy 0-5 (1 f), M Condon 1-1, A O’Connor 0-4 f, O Cahalane 0-3, A Fitzgerald, E Murphy 0-2 each, A Thompson, H Looney 0-1 each.

CLARE: R Daly, S Daly, C Hehir, C Queally; L Daly, A Walsh, D Griffin; S O’Keeffe, C Carmody; A Andersen, A O’Loughlin (c), J Daly; C Cahill, ZY Spillane, N Mulqueen.

Subs: E Casey for Cahill (HT), A Cooney for Daly (40), G Carmody for Daly (41), M Hanrahan for Spillane, HM Neylon for Mulqueen (both 46), G Carmody for Queally, G McMahon for Hehir (both 49), A O’Keeffe for Andersen (52).

CORK: A Lee; L Treacy; L Coppinger, P Mackey; M Murphy, A Healy, M Cahalane (c); H Looney, A Thompson; C Healy, S McCarthy, E Murphy; C Finn, A O’Connor, O Cahalane.

Subs: K Wall for C Healy, C O’Sullivan for Looney (both 35), N O’Leary for Coppinger, R Harty for A Healy (both 41), A O’Neill for Finn (44), A Fitzgerald for E Murphy, M Condon for O’Connor (both 50).

Referee: Donnacha O’Callaghan (Limerick)