Gaelic Games

Cork halt ferocious Clare comeback to claim Munster under-20 crown

Ben Cunningham stars with nine points as Rebels win a record 22nd Munster title

Cork's Ross O'Sullivan dives in for the team photo with the Munster under-20 hurling trophy after the win over Clare at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Stephen Barry at the TUS Gaelic Grounds
Mon May 15 2023 - 22:01

Cork 1-23 Clare 1-21

Cork overturned a ferocious Clare charge with a late scoring burst to earn a third Munster under-20 hurling title in four years at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick on Monday night.

Powered by the sharpshooting of Ben Cunningham (0-9), son of ex-Cork goalie Ger, and captained by goalscorer Michael Mullins, son of former Rebel forward Mickey, they advance to an All-Ireland final against either Offaly or Wexford.

Ben O’Connor’s charges reeled off six of the final seven points, with Cunningham slotting three and setting up another for Tadhg O’Connell after a sublime pick up in front of 5,402 fans.

Cork move outright top of the provincial roll of honour on 22 titles, one clear of Tipperary.

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Clare had the edge in the opening minutes but once Cork began to stream through the middle, they found themselves in trouble.

William Buckley, Mullins, Colin Walsh, and Cunningham opened Clare up with direct running as Cork strung together five points in a row.

Their goal chances would soon follow. Cunningham sent one wide when half-hooked by Oisín Clune and would later force a save from Aaron Shanahan from a close-range free.

In the 13th minute, Mullins picked up the ball on the sideline and his dummy hand-pass opened up the space. He would give Shanahan no chance, stitching the sliotar to the roof of the net.

Clare stayed in touch through the freetaking of Keith Smyth (0-11) and the rescue work of corner back Ian MacNamara, who made the first of three goalsaving interventions to deny Walsh after Shanahan had blocked O’Connor’s initial effort.

It was 1-11 to 0-10 at half-time but Clare blitzed the Rebels by 1-8 to 0-3 in the third quarter.

When their first sight of goal arrived, Clare were clinical. Smyth grabbed the break and fed Seán Rynne to finish. By the 46th minute, they were four ahead, 1-19 to 1-15.

Cork stuck to their task and slowly began to pull them back, although Clare’s last-ditch defending was holding them out.

MacNamara saved from Jack Leahy with Shanahan beaten and robbed Mullins when through, while Shanahan denied Timmy Wilk and Oisín O’Donnell blocked Tadhg O’Connell’s follow-up with his helmet.

But Cork were eating up the opposition puck-out and Clare couldn’t hold out, with Cunningham’s 64th-minute free the insurance score.

CORK: B Saunderson; S Daly, S Kingston, D O’Sullivan; J Dwyer, B O’Connor, M Howell; T O’Connell (0-3), M Mullins (1-0); W Buckley (0-2), B Cunningham (0-9, six frees, one 65), C Walsh (0-2); D Cremin, D Healy (0-3), R O’Sullivan (0-2).

Subs: T Wilk for Daly (h-t), A O’Sullivan (0-1) for Cremin (32 mins, inj), J Leahy (0-1) for Walsh (37).

CLARE: A Shanahan; O Clune, J Conneally, I MacNamara; K Hartigan (0-1), D Lohan, O Cahill; S Rynne (1-1), J O’Neill (0-2); O O’Donnell (0-3), P Crotty (0-2), K Smyth (0-11, nine frees); D Kennedy, S Dunford, G Sheedy.

Subs: N O’Farrell (0-1) for Sheedy (h-t), C Cleary for Kennedy (40 mins), D Stritch for Dunford (54), J Collins for Clune (59), C Whelan for O’Donnell (60).

Referee: M Kennedy (Tipperary).