Division One A/Clare 0-18 Cork 0-16: An experimental Clare side caused quite a stir at Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday by winning their way through to a league semi-final while Cork's preparations for their championship assault was left in ruins.
Clare manager Anthony Daly was chirpy in the aftermath of a competitive if unexplosive fixture that lacked the cut and thrust that usually attends this fixture. In seven weeks we shall see plenty of that.
Daly laughed at the suggestion that this was first blood to Clare ahead of their Munster championship clash with Cork on May 28th. "Different game, different pace," he said.
Daly expressed his delight to be in a league semi-final and perhaps the prospect of winning it for the first time since 1978.
With Waterford succumbing meekly to Offaly, Cork's interest in the league ended and with it the reality of non-competitive hurling for the next seven weeks.
Coach John Allen again reiterated his disapproval of the new league structure that leaves him and his management team seeking friendlies that, in the end, are poor preparation for the championship.
"Overall I'm disappointed because we could have done with another match," said Allen. "Clare will be delighted to have another game but it means now we have no competitive match for the next seven weeks, which is a long time for everyone concerned."
Daly fielded a scarcely recognisable team against a Cork side that had eight of its All-Ireland winning contingent on duty, while Jerry O'Connor, Timmy McCarthy and Kieran Murphy (Sarsfields) also came on.
Though Daly packed his team with callow talent, the youngsters repaid the faith of their manager with some stirring individual displays. Tommy Holland and Paddy Vaughan moved closer to cementing championship places while Davy Fitzgerald knows that when he eventually steps down, there is another exciting prospect in Philip Brennan to take his place. The Tulla man exuded the confidence of a championship veteran.
Fergal Lynch, too, coped admirably on John Gardiner.
When Cork looked to be securing a monopoly of possession in a re-jigged half back line early in the second half, Lynch never shirked his responsibility and continued to cause problems.
Cork allowed Newtownshandrum's Cathal Naughton showcase his talents and the 19-year-old picked off three magical points over the hour.
But it was the contribution of Tom Kenny at left half forward that must have softened Allen's disappointment. In his search for a forward to alleviate the work load of Joe Deane, placing Kenny on the wing would allow him play Seán Ó hAilpín at midfield alongside Jerry O'Connor.
There were some stirring duels played out in front of 10,000 spectators: Frank Lohan on Brian Corcoran and Ó hAilpín on Colin Lynch. But the pattern of the game never allowed either team scorch too far in front.
Clare enjoyed a dream start with three points in as many minutes from James McInerney, Gerry Quinn and Seán McMahon. Cork could have snatched two goals when Brian Corcoran was put into good positions but he was foiled on both occasions by the excellence of Brennan.
Kenny's free-taking levelled matters by the eighth minute and though Niall Gilligan landed two frees, Cork's fringe players laid down a marker with Ciarán McGann, Conor Cusack and Cian O'Connor firing over three points by the 19th minute to make it 0-6 to 0-5.
Gilligan lofted over three successive points to give his side a 0-9 to 0-8 half-time lead.
It might not have been played at championship pace but the challenges were tough and uncompromising. Naughton struck over two delightful points after the break but that was followed by two efforts from Colin Lynch which pushed Clare 0-12 to 0-10 ahead by the 43rd minute.
The sides were level for the seventh time in the 55th minute when Jerry O'Connor arced over a lovely effort from the left wing before Cork had Darragh McSweeny sent off for a second yellow card in the 59th minute.
Scores were swapped with increasing regularity for the remainder of the game and, when Tom Kenny made it 0-16 apiece in the 66th minute, a draw looked very much on the cards.
But Clare scorched to victory with points from Seán McMahon and, when Diarmuid McMahon was hacked down in the square late in the game, Gilligan opted to take his point in the last puck of the match.
CLARE: P Brennan; T Holland, F Lohan, G O'Grady; P Vaughan, S McMahon (0-2, one free, one 65), G Quinn (0-1); C Lynch (0-2), J Clancy; D McMahon (0-1), F Lynch, J McInerney (0-1); N Gilligan (0-9, six frees, one pen), D O'Rourke, D O'Connell. Subs: B Nugent (0-2) for McInerney (h-t); T Carmody for O'Rourke (57 mins).
CORK: D Og Cusack; D McSweeney, D O'Sullivan, P Mulcahy (capt); R Curran, J Gardiner (0-2 frees), C O'Connor (0-1); S Og O hAilpín, S O'Neill; N McCarthy, C McGann (0-1), T Kenny (0-7, five frees); C Naughton (0-3), B Corcoran, C Cusack (0-1). Subs: R Conway for McCarthy (inj 30 mins); K Murphy (Sars) for C Cusack (48 mins); J O'Connor (0-1) for Curran (inj, 53 mins); K Harnett for Conway (70 mins).
Referee: M Haverty (Galway).