*Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

Clare’s senior footballers opening outing of the year has ended in defeat.

Cork 2-09
Clare 0-10
Venue: Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay

Conditions were wild by the Atlantic as Miltown Malbay hosted the meeting of Clare and Cork in the McGrath Cup.

It marked the first competitive outing for Keith Ricken as Cork boss while it was game number one of Colm Collins’ ninth season in charge of Clare.

Little else from the game will be referenced over the coming months, except the fact that a total of ten players made their senior debuts for Clare, namely Mark McInerney, Darragh Conneely, Manus Doherty, Ronan Lanigan, Padraig Kelly, Maccon Byrne, Dan Keating, Tom McDonald, Brian McNamara and Andrew Shannon.

With the elements at their back, Clare needed to have a strong advantage at the break but only led by two points. The concession of 1-03 in the final five minutes of the first half costly in this regard.

Cork kicked on at the restart and slotted 1-03 without reply. Keelan Sexton kicked Clare’s first score of the half on sixty six minutes, their late revival was insufficient to change the outcome.

Arguably the eight half-time substitutes could be pointed to when assessing why along with the elements that Clare’s performance on the resumption was slightly off. However, the principle objective of the pre-season provincial competition is to try out new players and experiment which Collins and his management team duly did.

Match sharpness will improve over the coming weeks for Collins’ side, it simply has to as far as their League aspirations are concerned. Aaron Griffin was as lively as ever in attack and stood out as Clare’s best over the afternoon.

Scorers Cork: B Hurley (1-06 3f), D O’Connell (1-00), M Cronin (0-02 1f), R Maguire (0-01)

Scorers Clare: A Griffin (0-03), M McInerney (0-03 2f), K Sexton (0-03 2f), E McMahon (0-01).

Cork:

1: Christopher Kelly (Éire Óg)

19: Kevin Crowley (Millstreet)
3: Sean Meehan (Kiskeam)
4: Paul Ring (Aghabullogue)

30: Rory Maguire (Castlehaven)
2: Seán Powter (Douglas)
5: Cian Kiely (Ballincollig)

9: Joe Grimes (Clonakilty
17: Paul Walsh (Kanturk)

10: Daniel O’Connell (Kanturk)
25: Fionn Herlihy (Dohenys)
12: Colm O’ Callaghan (Éire Óg)

15: Damien Gore (Kilmacabea)
11: Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)
13: Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers)

Subs:
22: David Buckey (Newcestown) for O’Connell (HT)
18: Paudie Allen (Newmarket) for Allen (HT)
23: Blake Murphy (St Vincents) for Gore (40)
7: Tadhg Corkery (Cill na Martra) for Crowley (40)
20: Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers) for Kiely (50)
21: Cillian O’Donovan (Macroom) for Walsh (50)
26: Luke Fahy (Ballincollig) for Maguire (57)
27: Kevin Cremin (Bothar Buí) for O’Callaghan (62)
6: Diarmuid Phelan (Aghada) for Powter (62)

Clare:

1: Stephen Ryan (Kilrush Shamrocks)

2: Darragh Conneely (Ennistymon)
3: Eoghan Collins (Ballyhaunis)
4: Ciaran Morrissey (Kilmurry Ibrickane)

5: Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora) (Capt)
6: Alan Sweeney (St Breckans)
7: Daniel Walsh (Kilmurry Ibrickane)

9: Darren O Neill (Éire Óg)
8: Darragh Bohannon (Shannon Gaels)

12: Ciaran Downes (Kilmihil)
11: Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
10: Emmet McMahon (Kildysart)

13: Mark McInerney (Éire Óg)
14: Joe McGann (St Breckans)
15: Aaron Griffin (Lissycasey)

Subs:
16: Tom O’Brien (St Josephs Doora Barefield) for Ryan (HT)
17: Ronan Lanigan (Éire Óg) for Conneely (HT)
19: Maccon Byrne (St Breckans) for McMahon (HT)
20: Dan Keating (Kilmihil) for McGann (HT)
21: Padraig Kelly (St Breckans) for Downes (HT)
23: Manus Doherty (Éire Óg) for Morrissey (HT)
24: Andrew Shannon (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for Walsh (HT)
26: Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen) for O’Neill (HT)
22: Tom McDonald (St Josephs Doora Barefield) for McInerney (54)
18: Jack Sheedy (St Breckans) for Collins (54)
25: Brian McNamara (Cooraclare) for Bohannon (54)

Referee: Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry)