*Clare’s Gavin Browne holds onto the ball. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE’S minor footballers were blown away by an extremely impressive Cork in their Munster Championship Phase 2 opener.
Cork 4-25
Clare 0-12
Venue: Clarecastle
It was a bright start from Clare, with the sides level at 0-4 to 0-4 heading into the second quarter. Liam Keane grabbed the first point of the evening after winning the foul and slotting over the resulting free, scores from Robbie Kelly, Thomas Dillon and Eoin Soffe shortly followed.
From the offset, Cork’s goal threat was clear with Clare goalkeeper Conor Griffin making two excellent point-blank saves in the opening quarter.
The opening goal came in the eighteenth minute from Cork full-forward Jacob Barry, Griffin was again forced into action off the next restart, an area which gave them the platform in a rampant spell before the break.
The Rebels’ second goal came several minutes later with Griffin making yet another stop, before Dónal Herlihy slotted home the rebound.After a superb through the hands passage of play that began with their goalkeeper, the final member of the Cork full-forward line Tom Whooley got in on the act on the brink of the interval, with the scoreboard reading 3-13 to 0-5 at the break. The final member of the full-forward line Tom Whooley got in on the act on the brink of the interval, with the scoreboard reading 3-13 to 0-5 at the break.
The sides went tit-for-tat in the opening ten minutes of the second half on the scoring front, but Cork’s superior athleticism was evident in a six minute stint which they rampaged for 1-4 without reply, the goal coming from the boot of Joe Miskella.
With the game out of sight, substitute Ryan Brody got his name on the Banner score-sheet, as did Seán O’Callaghan with a tremendous two-pointer.
Cork substitute Alex O’Herlihy grabbed the last two points in a comprehensive victory for the visitors, bringing his personal total to three.
Keith Ricken’s side, who won the Leinster Development League in recent months, delivered a dominant performance all round, scoring an astounding 4-23 from play.
They controlled both their own and their opponents’ kickouts and repeatedly turned restarts into scores. Joe Hayes and his management team will be particularly disappointed with how their charges dealt with breaking ball.
Overall, it was a very tough night for the young Banner side, who struggled to match Cork’s intensity.
Clare’s next outing in phase two of the provincial championship sees them travel to Lemybrien next Monday to face off with a Waterford outfit that they lost to by three points in Quilty a month ago. The game will also have silverware on the line as it will coincide as the Daryl Darcy Cup final.
Scorers Cork: T Whooley (1-6), J Miskella (1-2), D Herlihy (1-1), B Hegarty (0-4, 2f), J Barry (1-0), C Murphy (0-3, 1TP), E Aherne (0-3), A O’Herlihy (0-3), C Garvey (0-1), C Downing (0-1), R Coakley (0-1)
Scorers Clare: L Keane (0-5, 4f), S O’Callaghan (0-2, 1TP), E Soffe (0-1), R Cotter (0-1), T Dillon (0-1), R Kelly (0-1), R Brody (0-1).
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Cork:
1: Rory Twohig (Kilmeen)
3: Gabriel Oronsaye Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels)
7: Éanna Walsh (Ballincollig)
4: Conor Garvey (St Finbarr’s)
6: Conor Downing (Adrigole)
2: Colm O’Riordan (Blarney)
8: Kieran O’Shea (Urhan)
5: Darragh O’Sullivan (Erin’s Own)
9: Conrad Murphy (Ibane Gaels)
12: Joe Miskella (Ballincollig)
11: Ben Hegarty (Ballinora)
10: Eoghan Aherne (Clonakilty)
15: Dónal Herlihy (Shamrocks)
13: Tom Whooley (Clonakilty)
14: Jacob Barry (Aghinah)
Subs:
17: Donncha O’Mahony (Newcestown) for B Hegarty (HT)
20: Alex O’Herlihy (St Finbarr’s) for J Barry (40)
19: Peadar Kelly (Naomh Abán) for C Murphy (45)
23: Rian Coakley (Éire Óg) for D Herlihy (45)
22: Morgan Corkery (Nemo Rangers) for T Whooley (50)
Clare:
1: Conor Griffin (Ennistymon)
3: Siney Neenan (Kildysart)
4: Tristan O’Loughlin (St Breckan’s)
2: Gavin Browne (Cooraclare)
5: Eoin Soffe (Kilrush Shamrocks)
6: Caelum Killeen (Lissycasey)
7: Steven O’Neill (Éire Óg Inis)
8: Shane Cahill (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
9: Jack Lavin (Ennistymon)
10: Ríon Cotter (Kilrush Shamrocks)
13: Robbie Kelly (Kildysart)
11: Zak O’Shea (Doonbeg)
12: Thomas Dillon (Doonbeg)
14: Liam Keane (Lissycasey)
15: Seán O’Callaghan (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield)
Subs:
21: Paddy Neylon (Shannon Gaels) for C Killeen (27, inj)
20: John Greene (Corofin) for Z O’Shea (HT)
24: Tadhg Bane (Banner) for J Lavin (HT)
19: Daniel Healy (Liscannor) for E Soffe (40)
22: Ryan Brody (Ennistymon) for T Dillon (48)
Referee: Eoghan Ó Muirchearthaigh (Kerry)
