David Reidy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Cork 2-30
Clare 2-21
Clare were unable to build on a promising opening as they fell to defeat to Cork in Saturday evening’s Allianz HL Division 1 Group A opener at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Leading six times in the opening 18 minutes, the Banner had been pegged back to 0-9 each when Rory Hayes won a good ball and fed Robyn Mounsey. His good delivery to Shane Meehan in the right corner allowed the attacker to slip Ger Millerick, giving him sight of goal but he opted to pass to Mark Rodgers, who finished to the net from close range.
Cork hadn’t led at all up to that stage but, instead of Clare pushing on, they wouldn’t score again for the remainder of the first half, with the hosts notching an unanswered 1-10.
After Shane Kingston pulled a point back in the wake of Rodgers’ goal, Cork hit the front as Tim O’Mahony broke Eibhear Qulligan’s puckout and continued his run as the ball was worked through Conor Lehane and Kingston, the wing-back then shooting past Quilligan.
The scores continued to flow for Cork after that as they got on top with Clare unable to win their own puckout and succumbing to pressure in defence. Debutant Ciarán Joyce and Fitzgibbon were linking very well at midfield and each finished the half with two points while captain Coleman continued to take his opportunities from distance. He had five registered by the break, as had Shane Kingston, who was on the frees in the absence of Patrick Horgan, while Alan Cadogan got off the mark just before the break after doing well to intercept a short Clare puckout.
Kingston and Fitzgibbon added further points on the restart as Cork opened up a 12-point lead, with Clare’s David Reidy missing two frees before their 19-minute drought was finally ended.
It was a strange situation considering how a Clare side missing Tony Kelly and John Conlan had impressed in the first half. Cathal Malone was on song at centre-forward, scoring three points in the opening ten minutes while Rodgers and Meehan also took advantage of lax Cork defending.
David Reidy and Malone had had the game’s first two scores for Clare and it wasn’t until the ninth minute that Cork restored parity through Joyce’s first point. Malone won the subsequent puckout to out Clare back in front, a Reidy free making it 0-6 to 0-4, and though Shane Barrett and Darragh Fitzgibbon replied for Cork, Rodgers and Ryan Taylor gave Clare a cushion again.
After Barrett and Conor Lehane had levelled once more, Meehan and Coleman exchanged points and then the Clare goal arrived but it was the last time they led.
Teenage sub Patrick Crotty did well after his introduction for Clare in the second half, scoring two points, but Cork were still cruising and they led by 1-30 to 1-15 after Kingston’s ninth point on 65.
Rodgers with two, one a free, and Diarmuid Ryan cut the lead slightly but Cork sub Robbie O’Flynn set up fellow replacement Luke Meade for a second Cork goal on 69. That was their last score though and Clare did at least finish with 1-3 on the bounce, points from Malone, Rodgers and Paddy Donnellan followed by a goal from sub Domhnall McMahon.
Brian Lohan’s side host Wexford next Sunday, looking to improvement on this first outing.
CORK:
Patrick Collins
Niall O’Leary
Ger Millerick
Seán O’Donoghue
Tim O’Mahony (1-00)
Mark Coleman (0-05, 0-03f)
Robert Downey (0-01)
Ciarán Joyce (0-03)
Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-04)
Conor Lehane (0-01)
Séamus Harnedy (0-02)
Seán Twomey
Shane Kingston (0-09, 0-05, 0-01 65)
Alan Cadogan (0-01)
Shane Barrett (0-03)
Subs:
Conor Cahalane for Twomey (43)
Jack O’Connor for Lehane (52)
Pádraig Power (0-01) for Cadogan (56)
Luke Meade (1-00) for Harnedy (60)
Robbie O’Flynn for Barrett (65)
Seán O’Leary Hayes for O’Leary (68, temporary).
CLARE
Eibhear Quilligan
Aaron Fitzgerald
Conor Cleary
Paul Flanagan
Diarmuid Ryan (0-02)
Jack Browne
Rory Hayes
David McInerney
Robyn Mounsey
Aron Shanagher
Cathal Malone (0-05)
Ryan Taylor (0-02)
Mark Rodgers (1-05, 0-02f)
Shane Meehan (0-01)
David Reidy (0-03f)
Subs:
Patrick Crotty (0-02) for Mounsey (40)
Domhnall McMahon (1-00) for Shanagher (56)
David Fitzgerald for Reidy (56)
Paddy Donnellan (0-01) for McInerney (56)
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)
