McGrath Cup:
Cork 1-10 Limerick 0-12
Clare 1-10 Tipperary 1-9
Cork 1-10 Limerick 0-12
Daniel Goulding rescued Cork with a couple of late points to hand new manager Peadar Healy a winning start in the McGrath Cup before an attendance of 565 in Mallow yesterday.
Limerick took the lead for the first time with a Danny Neville score 10 minutes from the end and backed by the wind, the visitors looked the more likely side, but seven wides hindered their progress.
Cork only led at the interval thanks to a Goulding pointed free, which nudged them 1-5 to 0-7 ahead, not much of an advantage with Limerick having the strong wind at their backs on the resumption.
Cork’s goal came after 14 minutes and it was a fine effort. Luke Connolly picked out Ruairi Deane on the run with a clever cross-field pass and he set-up Kevin O’Driscoll, who finished well for a 1-3 to 0-2 lead.
Limerick missed a great opportunity to cancel it out five minutes later after the enterprising Paul White was fouled by Tomas Clancy only for Seanie Buckley to drive the resulting penalty wide.
The visitors, though, didn’t lose heart and three consecutive points brought them level approaching the break.
Scores were more difficult to come by on the resumption though Limerick again managed a second trio to edge 0-12 to 1-8 in front only for Goulding to snatch the spoils.
Cork: M Martin; C O'Driscoll, J Davis, L Harrington; A O'Donovan, T Clancy, A O'Donovan; I Maguire, R Deane; S Beston, L Connolly (0-1 free), K O'Driscoll (1-0); D MacEoin (0-2), D Goulding (0-5, two frees), S Hickey (0-2). Subs: B Coughlan for Connolly, D Hazel for Harrington and K O'Hanlon for Beston, all half-time, P Kelleher for K O'Driscoll 58 mins, B Daly for Deane 64 mins
Limerick: B Scanlon; J McCarthy, P Browne, P White; S Cahill, I Corbett (0-2), S O'Dea (0-1); G Hegarty, D Tracey; B Fanning (0-1), P Ranahan, S Buckley; S McSweeney (0-3, one free), S Kelly (0-2), D Neville (0-2). Subs: C Moran for McCarthy 29 mins, S Flanagan for White injured 42 mins, J Naughton (0-1 free) for Ranahan 52 mins
Referee: A Kissane (Waterford)
Clare 1-10 Tipperary 1-9
Local clubman Kieran Malone’s late goal earned Clare an opening day victory over Tipperary in the first round of the McGrath Cup at Miltown Malbay.
The visitors were in command for the most part of the opening half, playing a slicker and more direct brand of football than their opponents.
After the break Clare regrouped and had a pair of early scores by Keelan Sexton from a free and substitute Gary Brennan, to reduce the deficit to just three. It remained nip and tuck from then on and with seven minutes left on the clock, the Premier county looked good for their 1-9 to 0-8 lead.
But Banner manager Colm Collins had an ace up his sleeve and introduced the experienced David Tubridy into the fray. He immediately kicked two fine points from either flank, to up the ante. The Doonbeg clubman then fielded a ball, beat his marker and hand passed to substitute Malone who crashed home from close range.
Scorers: Clare: K Sexton (0-4) 3 f's, K Malone (1-0), D Tubridy (0-2), E Cleary (f), C O'Connor ('45), G Brennan, S O'Donoghue (0-1) each.
Tipperary: K O'Halloran (1-3) 0-2 f's, B Hewitt (0-2), B Fox, A Moloney, C Sweeney, C O'Shaughnessy (0-1) each.
Clare: P De Loughrey, M Malone, K Harnett, M McMahon, S Haugh, E Coughlan, P Lillis, C O'Connor, S O'Donoghue, C O'Dea, S Collins, K Sexton, M O'Leary, A O'Neill, E Cleary. Subs: G Brennan for O'Dea (28), K Malone for O'Leary (half-time), E Ralph for O'Neill (49), D McMahon for Haugh (51), D Tubridy for Cleary (56).
Tipperary: C Kendrick, J Feehan, A Campbell, C O'Shaughnessy, J O'Callaghan, R Kiely, S Leahy, A Moloney, M Dunne, B Fox, C Sweeney, J Keane, K O'Halloran, L Casey, B Hewitt.
Subs: N O'Donovan for Moloney (54), D Leahy for Keane (61), L Boland for S Leahy (62), G Cronin for D Leahy, Black Card (63).
Referee: S Mulvihill (Kerry)
