No problems for Cork against Clare
Cork 1-24 Clare 0-17
Michael Moynihan witnessed an emphatic win for Cork hurlers in an entertaining Division 1A clash at Pairc Ui Rinn tonight.
Home supporters were far happier with their team after the disappointment of defeat to Kilkenny the previous week.
Cork trailed five points to two early on, with their defenders struggling to come to terms with Clare’s forward alignment - Colin Ryan started at centre-forward - but they got on terms at then of the first quarter, Patrick Horgan and Alan Cadogan catching the eye.
Clare stretched out to a three point lead again, a fine Brendan Bugler score the highlight, but then Cork struck for goal.
Seamus Harnedy broke through and placed Luke O’Farrell, and though the Midleton man needed a second bite, he found the net - 1-6 to 0-9 on twenty minutes.
Cork dominated from there to the break, hitting six points to Clare’s three, and dominating across the half-back and midfield areas.
They might have had another two goals, but it was 1-12 to 0-12 at the half.
The men in red hammered home their advantage in the third quarter, outscoring Clare 0-7 to 0-2, and from there to the end they dominated.
The victory gave them their first win in this year’s league, ahead of a challenging trip to Dublin in two weeks’ time, while Clare will welcome Tipperary to Cusack Park in a bid to collect their first points of the campaign.
Scorers for Cork: P. Horgan 0-14 (0-9 fs, 0-1 65); C. Lehane 0-4, L. O’Farrell 1-1; A. Nash (f), C. Murphy, A. Walsh, S. Harnedy and A. Cadogan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Clare: Colin Ryan 0-10 (0-8 fs, 0-1 65); J. Conlon 0-3; B. Duggan 0-2; B. Bugler and P. O’Connor 0-1 each.
CORK: A. Nash, D. Cahalane, C. Joyce, C. O’Sullivan, L. McLoughlin, M. Ellis, C. Murphy, A. Walsh, D. Kearney, C. Lehane, S. Harnedy, R. O’Shea, A. Cadogan, L. O’Farrell, P. Horgan.
Subs: P. Cronin for O’Shea 11-14 (bs); S. Moylan for O’Shea and P. Cronin for Walsh, both 59; A. Spillane for Horgan, 64.
CLARE: P. Kelly, D. O’Donovan, C. Dillon (jc), J. Browne, P. O’Connor, C. Cleary, Conor Ryan, B. Bugler, C. Galvin, B. Duggan, Colin Ryan, J. Conlon, P. Donnellan (jc), S. O’Donnell, D. Reidy.
Subs: S. Morey for O’Donovan, 34; C. McGrath for D. Reidy HT; S. Golden for Cleary and A. Cunningham for Donnellan, both 51; C. O’Connell for Duggan, 63.
Referee: J. Ryan (Tipperary).
