oneills.com Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship Final

Cork 1-23 Clare 1-21

By gaa.ie

Cork overturned a ferocious Clare charge with a late scoring burst to earn them a third Munster U20 Hurling title in four years.

Powered by the sharp-shooting of Ben Cunningham (0-9), son of ex-Cork goalie Ger, and captained by goal-scorer 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 under the noses of the 5,402 fans along the Mackey Stand sideline.

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

Both sides lined up without their senior stars, Eoin Downey and Adam Hogan, as Clare had the edge in the opening minutes.

They had fine points from Jack O’Neill and Patrick Crotty, but once Cork began to stream through the middle, they found themselves in trouble.

William Buckley, Mullins, Colin Walsh, and Cunningham each opened them 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 handpass opened up the space. He would give Shanahan no chance, stitching the sliotar to the roof of the net.

That made it 1-7 to 0-5 although Clare stayed in touch through the free-taking of Keith Smyth (0-11).

They also required the rescue work of corner-back Ian MacNamara, who made the first of three goal-saving interventions to deny Walsh after Shanahan had blocked Ben O’Connor’s initial effort.

Cunningham’s 65 moved them six clear, 1-11 to 0-8, but crucially Clare would land the two final points of the half, from Seán Rynne and Oisín O’Donnell.

They continued that scoring streak into the third quarter, blitzing the stunned Rebels for 1-8, with only 0-3 in reply.

Midfielder O’Donnell took his contribution to 0-3 and Smyth kept totting up the frees, while half-time sub Keelan Hartigan added another point.

When their first sight of goal arrived, Clare were clinical. Smyth grabbed the break and fed 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 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 64thminute free the insurance score.

Scorers for Cork: Ben Cunningham 0-9 (6fs, 1 65), Michael Mullins 1-0, Tadhg O’Connell, Diarmuid Healy 0-3 each, William Buckley, Colin Walsh, Ross O’Sullivan 0-2 each, Adam O’Sullivan, Jack Leahy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: Keith Smyth 0-11 (9fs), Seán Rynne 1-1, Oisín O’Donnell 0-3, Jack O’Neill, Patrick Crotty 0-2 each, Keelan Hartigan, Niall O’Farrell 0-1 each.

Cork: Brion Saunderson; Seán Daly, Shane Kingston, Darragh O’Sullivan; James Dwyer, Ben O’Connor, Mark Howell; Tadhg O’Connell, Michael Mullins; William Buckley, Ben Cunningham, Colin Walsh; David Cremin, Diarmuid Healy, Ross O’Sullivan.

Subs: Timmy Wilk for Daly (HT), Adam O’Sullivan for Cremin (32 inj), Jack Leahy for Walsh (37).

Clare: Aaron Shanahan; Oisín Clune, John Conneally, Ian MacNamara; Keelan Hartigan, Daithí Lohan, Oran Cahill; Seán Rynne, Jack O’Neill; Oisín O’Donnell, Patrick Crotty, Keith Smyth; David Kennedy, Senan Dunford, Gearóid Sheedy.

Subs: Niall O’Farrell for Sheedy (HT), Colm Cleary for Kennedy (40), Diarmaid Stritch for Dunford (54), Ja Collins for Clune (59), Conor Whelan for O’Donnell (60).

Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).