Gaelic Games

Cork move through the gears to ease past Clare and into Munster final

Donncha O’Connor penalty brings end to Clare fightback

Cork’s Conor Dorman has his shot saved by goalkeeper Joe Hayes of Clare. Photograph: Inpho/James Crombie
Cork’s Conor Dorman has his shot saved by goalkeeper Joe Hayes of Clare. Photograph: Inpho/James Crombie
Sun Jun 14 2015 - 19:58

Cork 1-20 Clare 1-8

Cork's class told as they enjoyed a comfortable win over Clare in the Munster Senior Football Championship semi-final in ideal conditions at Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday.

Cork impressed in many facets, ranging from the variation in goalkeeper Ken O’Halloran’s restarts to the new midfield partnership of the returning Alan O’Connor and Kevin O’Driscoll, to talented forwards who looked the part.

Debutant Stephen Cronin settled in quickly in a half-back line featuring Barry O’Driscoll, a converted forward. The one Cork negative was the number of goal-scoring opportunities created by Clare.

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In the opening seconds, captain Gary Brennan swept through only to fire a foot wide of the post and Keelan Sexton, Dean Ryan and Brennan again produced goal chances in the second half. Clare were eventually rewarded with their lone goal after 52 minutes, Cathal O’Connor finishing well after Brennan and Eoin Cleary combined to reduce the gap to 0-16 to 1-5.

Cork, though, cancelled it out at the other end within five minutes, when Donncha O’Connor expertly converted a penalty following a foot block by Kevin Harnett on Mark Collins. At 1-18 to 1-5, it was game well and truly over.

Clare had begun promisingly, edging 0-2 to 0-1 in front after six minutes, but Cork kicked the next five scores to assert their authority on the scoreboard. It took a brave save from goalkeeper Joe Hayes to deny Conor Dorman moments after Colm O’Neill unleashed a trademark thunderbolt which screamed wide of the far post.

Clare’s safety-first approach had a profound impact at the other end, however, as Cork outnumbered the visiting attack and regularly picked up loose passes or the breaking ball to begin another counterattack.

Visiting midfielders Brennan and O’Connor managed to sweep forward to kick impressive scores, but Donncha O’Connor, Collins and a couple of O’Neill frees left Cork in front with a comfortable looking 0-10 to 0-4 advantage at the break.

On the resumption, Cork reacted to Sexton’s miss by going on another scoring spree, five more unanswered points extending the lead to 11 as Donncha O’Connor landed a couple of frees and Paul Kerrigan, Colm O’Neill and Collins also finding the range.

Cork could afford to empty their bench in the closing quarter and there was a rousing reception for Alan O’Connor, who departed the scene for Ruairí Deane, back from a cruciate knee ligament injury, in the 54th minute.

And the introduction of 2010 All-Ireland winners in Paddy Kelly and Fintan Goold underlined the level of competition for places in the starting 15 with the injured Eoin Cadogan poised to return as well for the final in Killarney.

CORK: K O'Halloran; C Dorman, M Shields (capt), J Loughrey; S Cronin, Brian O'Driscoll (0-2), Barry O'Driscoll; A O'Connor, K O'Driscoll; C O'Driscoll, M Collins (0-2), P Kerrigan (0-2); C O'Neill (0-5, four frees), B Hurley (0-1), D O'Connor (1-5, 1-0 pen, three frees). Subs: P Kelly for Hurley (49 mins), R Deane for A O'Connor and F Goold (0-1) for C O'Driscoll (53 mins), T Clancy for Dorman (58 mins), J Hayes (0-2, one free) for D O'Connor (60 mins), P Kelleher for C O'Neill (67 mins).

CLARE: J Hayes; S Hickey, C Russell, K Harnett; D Ryan (0-1), G Kelly, M McMahon; G Brennan, (capt, 0-2, one free), C O'Connor (1-2, one '45); K Sexton, J Malone (0-1), S Collins; R Donnelly, E Cleary, P Burke (0-1). Subs: C Dunning for Donnelly (half-time), C O'Dea for Cleary (53 mins), D O'Halloran (0-1) for Burke (58 mins).

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan)