CORK proved the ultimate spoilers when a late penalty snatched an unlikely first victory for new manager Ben O’Connor in the Mallow GAA Complex.
Munster Hurling League Group B Round 3
Cork 1-18 Clare 0-20
Already out of the reckoning for a place in the Munster Hurling League final against Waterford, the Rebels instead rolled with the punches before unleashing a late sucker-punch to ensure that Clare would also exit the competition prematurely.
Instead, without pucking a ball, Limerick’s superior score difference was enough to inch through to an unexpected final showdown against Waterford, leaving a frustrated Banner to lick their wounds ahead of their National League bow against Dublin on home soil on Sunday week.
Unquestionably, Brian Lohan’s side were gunning for victory and led from the first to the final minutes of the hour, soaring as much as eight points clear at one stage. Crucially however, Clare were unable to close out the contest at any stage despite having ample scoring opportunities to do so and they would be duly punished when Alan Walsh was held for a 59th minute penalty that Ben Cunningham duly dispatched past the despairing Eibhear Quilligan to take the whip hand for the very first time at 1-17 to 0-18.
Substitute Mark Rodgers halved the arrears following a foul on Ryan Taylor, only to see it cancelled out when Walsh scored himself from the restart to restore a two point cushion by the 61st minute.
A long delivery was flicked goalwards by Diarmuid Ryan only to be deflected for a ’65 that Rodgers again converted. However, needing to win the next puck-out, a Cork wide was as good as a score as time inexorably ran out on Clare’s challenge.
It was a difficult pill to swallow for Brian Lohan and his men who had a far more experienced side at their disposal than their opponents and looked at their ease for long periods of the tie.
Under the guidance of 2024 All-Ireland Final referee Johnny Murphy, Clare could boast six of the 23 that featured in that decider from the start including a competitive bow for 2026 by captain Tony Kelly and by the game’s end had utilised ten.
In contrast, Cork had only four survivors from that final and all of those as subs in Croke Park, a factor which would have pleased new manager Ben O’Connor.
Ben Cunningham’s placed balls were unerring and therefore it gave Cork a chance when a more profligate Clare, backed by eleven wides, weren’t putting the result beyond doubt.
Wind-assisted Clare eased to the first four points as impressive long range efforts from Jack O’Neill, and half-back duo Diarmuid Ryan and Dylan McMahon were bolstered by a Keith Smyth opener that for a brief second could have been a goal chance when fizzed across the square by Tony Kelly.
With Alan Walsh causing problems in Clare’s last line, Ben Cunningham arrowed over the next three points, all from frees, a pattern that would be commonplace for the remainder of the hour despite the visitors finding their feet easier.
A five point unanswered blitz including second points for Diarmuid Ryan, Dylan McMahon, Keith Smyth and Jack O’Neill were accentuated by a first ever senior score for Senan Dunford at 0-9 to 0-3.
However, while Tony Kelly, Ryan and Niall O’Farrell stretched the gap to eight by the 27th minute, the Banner failed to maintain that drive and instead had their advantage slashed to just five by the break after Cunningham (2) and Brian O’Sullivan made it 0-12 to 0-07 by the midway mark.
Now facing into the conditions, Lohan’s men did start brightly with a second O’Farrell free after only 90 seconds of the restart but it was to be their only score of the third quarter as Cork began to gather momentum.
Fuelled by Clare sloppiness, the Rebels would be inspired by a five point rally, three from Cunningham including a superb interception that led to his only score from play over the hour to lower the arrears to just the minimum entering the final quarter.
Clare brought on Mark Rodgers and Shane Meehan to try and arrest that worrying narrative and it would be impactful as they responded with five of the next six points. Three stemmed from Rodgers frees while fellow replacements Meehan and Diarmuid Stritch also got in on the scoring action to seemingly avoid any grandstand finish at 0-18 to 0-13 entering the final ten minutes.
Nothing could have been further from the truth though as Clare took their foot off their opponents throats and with Cork allowed to breath, they used that oxygen to fuel a remarkably seven points turnaround in just nine minutes.
Unanswered points through Sean Desmond, Ben Cunningham, Ethan Twomey and captain Shane Kingston cut the deficit to just one by the 55th minute while also seeing goalkeeper Paudie O’Sullivan produce an outstanding save to deny the raiding Rodgers.
Jack O’Neill’s high delivery was gathered by the Scariff poacher and looked to have sealed Clare’s victory until a combination of goalkeeper and post somehow saved Cork.
That stop would be magnified only minutes later when the relieved Rebels would earn a match-winning moment of their own when a lofty delivery saw Conor Cleary and Alan Walsh embroiled in a grappling match that was deemed a penalty.
Up stepped Cunningham and from there, a buoyant Cork were not about to let the Banner even have the consolation of a draw which would have put them through to Saturday’s Munster Hurling League Final.
Scorers for Cork: Ben Cunningham 1-10 (1-0 Pen, 7f, 1’65), Brian O’Sullivan 0-2, Sean Desmond 0-2, Shane Kingston (Douglas) 0-2, Ethan Twomey 0-1, Alan Walsh 0-1
Scorers for Clare: Mark Rodgers 0-5 (4f, 1’65), Diarmuid Ryan 0-3 (1f), Jack O’Neill 0-2, Dylan McMahon 0-2, Keith Smyth 0-2, Niall O’Farrell 0-2 (2f), Senan Dunford 0-1, Tony Kelly 0-1, Shane Meehan 0-1, Diarmuid StrItch 0-1
Cork
1: Paudie O’Sullivan (Fr. O’Neill’s)
2: Darragh O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig)
3: Dáire O’Leary (Watergrasshill)
4: Shane Kingston (Ballinora)
5: Tom Hanley (Ballyhea)
6: Ethan Twomey (St. Finbarr’s)
7: Ciarán Doolan (St. Finbarr’s)
8: Brian Keating (Ballincollig)
9: Brian O’Sullivan (Kanturk)
12: Cian Darcy (Sarsfields)
11: Ben Cunningham (St. Finbarr’s)
10: Jack O’Connor (Sarsfields)
13: Shane Kingston (Douglas) (Captain)
14: Seán Desmond (Watergrasshill)
22: Alan Walsh (Kanturk)
Subs
19: Micheál Mullins (Glen Rovers) for Hanley (HT)
20: Jack Cahalane (St. Finbarr’s) for O’Connor (HT)
21: Colm McCarthy (Sarsfields) for Darcy (HT)
17: Ger Millerick (Fr. O’Neill’s) for O’Leary (43)
18: Eoin Roche (Bride Rovers) for S. Kingston (Ballinora) (49)
Clare
1: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
2: Adam Hogan (Feakle)
3: Conor Cleary (Kilmaley)
4: Fiachra Ó Braoin (Sixmilebridge)
5: Dylan McMahon (Clonlara)
6: Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
7: Aidan Fawl (O’Callaghan’s Mills)
8: Oran Cahill (Éire Óg)
9: Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin)
14. Colm O’Meara (Clonlara)
11: Jack O’Neill (Clooney-Quin)
12: Niall O’Farrell (Broadford)
13: Senan Dunford (Tubber)
26: Tony Kelly (Ballyea) (Captain)
15: Keith Smyth (Killanena)
Subs
10: Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge) for Cahill (HT)
20: Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara) for O’Meara (HT)
25: Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones) for Hogan (40)
18: Mark Rodgers (Scariff) for Dunford (44)
19: Shane Meehan (Banner) for Smyth (44)
24: Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones) for Kelly (54)
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)
