All-Ireland SFC Group Three
Cork 1-13 Clare 1-11
By Eoin Brennan at Cusack Park
Cork’s experienced bench came to their rescue to ignite their All-Ireland Senior Football Championship challenge in front of 3,262 in Cusack Park, Ennis.
Having seen a six point advantage eventually reeled in by hosts Clare entering the final quarter at 1-8 apiece, John Cleary wisely looked to fresh legs to get his side over the line as replacements Steven Sherlock and Mark Cronin both kicked braces to finally see off an obstinate Banner side.
Having been edged out by the minimum in last year’s Munster Quarter-Final at the same venue, the Rebels were forearmed this time around as they hit the ground sprinting and indeed never trailed at any stage of the contest.
Raiding for the first three points through Conor Corbett, Colm O’Callaghan and Brian Hurley, the visitors were also bolstered by a 16th minute goal for Sean Powter who expertly flicked O’Callaghan’s excellent delivery over onrushing goalkeeper Stephen Ryan at 1-4 to 0-1.
A surprisingly lacklustre Clare did keep in touch with a trio of Emmet McMahon frees, but failed to score from play by half-time whereas in contrast all of Cork’s total stemmed from play at 1-6 to 0-4.
Eager to redress the balance, Clare were far more recognisable on the restart as Daniel Walsh kicked a brace of early points to sandwich a decisive Cork goal chance that agonsingly came back off the crossbar.
Chris Óg Jones’ counter was centred to Brian O’Driscoll to flick off the woodwork, a miss that would be magnified when Aaron Griffin punished with a goal up the other end only five minutes later.
Manus Doherty’s trademark back-to-front run down the left was unloaded to Griffin whose ground shot nestled into the bottom left corner of the Cork net to cut the deficit to just one at 1-7 to 1-6 by the 43rd minute.
Brian Hurley did resist with a free but a momentum-fuelled Clare finally made up the ground with successive placed balls for Emmet McMahon and Ciaran Downes by the 57th minute.
Just regaining parity clearly took a lot out of the home side, who were ultimately powerless to stop Cork’s reinforcements from snatching back the whip hand for the Rebels in the remaining 15 minutes.
A Tommy Walsh fisted point edged them back in front before substitutes Sherlock and Cronin cooly restored a three point cushion by the 73rd minute.
There was a nervous moment when Dermot Coughlan’s last gasp delivery had to be scrambled over the bar by Cork goalkeeper Christopher Kelly.
Overall, however, it was a merited opening victory for John Cleary’s side who now welcome the Ulster champions Donegal in a fortnight’s time while the Banner make the equally long trip to Tyrone in search of redemption.
Scorers for Cork: Sean Powter 1-0, Brian Hurley 0-3 (1f), Paul Walsh, Steven Sherlock (1f), Mark Cronin (1f) 0-2 each, Conor Corbett, Colm O’Callaghan, Chris Óg Jones, Tommy Walsh 0-1 each
Scorers for Clare: Emmet McMahon 0-5 (5fs), Aaron Griffin 1-0, Daniel Walsh, Ciaran Downes (1f, 1’45) 0-2 each, Jamie Stack and Dermot Coughlan 0-1 each.
Cork: Christopher Kelly; Kevin Flahive, Daniel O’Mahony, Tommy Walsh; Maurice Shanley, Rory Maguire, Matty Taylor; Ian Maguire, Colm O’Callaghan; Paul Walsh, Sean Powter, Brian O’Driscoll; Chris Óg Jones, Conor Corbett, Brian Hurley
Subs: Mark Cronin for Powter (56), Steven Sherlock for Jones (59), Ruairi Deane for Corbett (59), Eoghan McSweeney for Hurley (67), John O’Rourke for P. Walsh (74)
Clare: Stephen Ryan; Manus Doherty, Cillian Brennan, Ronan Lanigan; Ikem Ugwueru, Cillian Rouine, Alan Sweeney; Darragh Bohannon, Brian McNamara; Gavin Murray, Dermot Coughlan, Daniel Walsh; Emmet McMahon, Aaron Griffin, Ciaran Downes
Subs: Micheál Garry for Sweeney (33, inj), Einne O’Connor for Murray (52), Jamie Stack (for Downes (58), Joe McGann for Griffin (67), Mark McInerney for Rouine (73)
Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary)
The Cork Minor Hurling team to play Wexford has been announced;
Rampant Cork topple Tipp
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
CORK 4-30 TIPPERARY 1-21
By Shane Brophy at FBD Semple Stadium
Cork backed up their impressive victory over Limerick has they handed an eighteen point beating to great rivals Tipperary to keep their Munster Championship hopes alive on Sunday.
Full forward Alan Connolly scored a hat-trick as they outscored Tipp 3-15 to 0-9 in the second half to stay in the hunt to qualify for the All-Ireland series.
Their win came despite the home side getting off to the perfect start with Mark Kehoe goaling after just eighteen seconds after Conor Bowe’s incision opened up the Cork defence.
Cork’s response was impressive through, led by Darragh Fitzgibbon, as the sides went point for point for much of the first half in sweltering conditions.
Tipp were almost in for a second goal when Mark Kehoe was fouled just outside the square, but the referee adjudged it wasn’t a black-card penalty with Jason Forde converting the free.
Cork’s mobility was already causing problems with Patrick Horgan (2), Shane Barrett (2) and Alan Connolly on target before Barrett nudged the visit into a tenth minute lead.
Gearoid O’Connor and Darragh Stakelum added their names to the Tipp scoresheet, but Cork were always moving better with Darragh Fitzgibbon and Declan Dalton nudging them 0-12 to 1-7 ahead on twenty minutes.
Under pressure, Tipp responded with three points in a row from Noel McGrath, Forde, and Alan Tynan to retake the lead and they went two clear on thirty minutes following a superb Jake Morris score, his second.
Shortly after, a collision between Ronan Maher and Ethan Twomey saw both forced off for treatment and the loss of the Tipp centre-back was keenly felt as Seamus Harnedy and Brian Hayes pointed before Alan Connolly buried a shot to the roof of the net right on half time for a 1-15 to 1-12 lead.
The sides traded the opening four scores of the second half to suggest the game would remain tight but a mistake from a short puckout led to Alan Connolly scoring his second goal on 41 minutes.
Tipp responded well with points from Ronan Maher (free) and Conor Bowe but Connolly’s hat-trick goal on 47 minutes following a flowing handpassing move through the middle broke Tipp’s spirit.
From there on it was a procession with sub Shane Kingston landing four points in succession not long after coming on with Patrick Horgan putting the tin hat on the win with Cork’s fourth goal on 61 minutes.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 1-9 (0-5 frees); Alan Connolly 3-1; Shane Kingston 0-4; Darragh Fitzgibbon, Seamus Harnedy 0-3 each; Brian Hayes, Robert Downey, Shane Barrett 0-2 each; Niall O’Leary, Declan Dalton, Luke Meade, Conor Lehane 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 0-5 (3 frees); Jake Morris, John McGrath (frees) 0-3 each; Mark Kehoe 1-0; Gearoid O’Connor, Noel McGrath, Darragh Stakelum 0-2 each; Ronan Maher (free), Conor Bowe, Alan Tynan, Sean Hayes 0-1 each.
Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Cathal Barrett, Michael Breen, Craig Morgan; Bryan O’Mara, Ronan Maher, Conor Bowe; Alan Tynan, Alan Tynan, Eoghan Connolly, Noel McGrath, Jason Forde, Gearoid O’Connor; Jake Morris, Mark Kehoe, Darragh Stakelum.
Subs: Paddy Cadell for R Maher (32-HT blood); Conor Stakelum for Connolly (HT); Dan McCormack for Barrett (41 inj); John McGrath for Forde (43); Patrick Maher for D Stakelum (48); Sean Hayes for O’Connor (56).
Cork: Patrick Collins; Eoin Downey, Sean O’Donoghue, Niall O’Leary; Tim O’Mahony, Robert Downey, Mark Coleman; Ethan Twomey, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Declan Dalton, Shane Barrett, Seamus Harnedy; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes.
Subs: Luke Meade for Twomey (32 blood); Shane Kingston for Dalton (45); Ger Mellerick for O’Donoghue (48 blood); Luke Meade for Barrett (62); Tommy O’Connell for Fitzgibbon (65); Sean Twomey for Connolly (67).
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)
Ciaran O’Regan appointed Munster Minor Hurling Final Reiteoir;
Jim McEvoy (Blarney)
All-Ireland qualifier victory for Cork at Ennis
All-Ireland SFC Group Three
Cork 1-13 Clare 1-11
By Eoin Brennan at Cusack Park
Cork’s experienced bench came to their rescue to ignite their All-Ireland Senior Football Championship challenge in front of 3,262 in Cusack Park, Ennis.
Having seen a six point advantage eventually reeled in by hosts Clare entering the final quarter at 1-8 apiece, John Cleary wisely looked to fresh legs to get his side over the line as replacements Steven Sherlock and Mark Cronin both kicked braces to finally see off an obstinate Banner side.
Having been edged out by the minimum in last year’s Munster Quarter-Final at the same venue, the Rebels were forearmed this time around as they hit the ground sprinting and indeed never trailed at any stage of the contest.
Raiding for the first three points through Conor Corbett, Colm O’Callaghan and Brian Hurley, the visitors were also bolstered by a 16th minute goal for Sean Powter who expertly flicked O’Callaghan’s excellent delivery over onrushing goalkeeper Stephen Ryan at 1-4 to 0-1.
A surprisingly lacklustre Clare did keep in touch with a trio of Emmet McMahon frees, but failed to score from play by half-time whereas in contrast all of Cork’s total stemmed from play at 1-6 to 0-4.
Eager to redress the balance, Clare were far more recognisable on the restart as Daniel Walsh kicked a brace of early points to sandwich a decisive Cork goal chance that agonsingly came back off the crossbar.
Chris Óg Jones’ counter was centred to Brian O’Driscoll to flick off the woodwork, a miss that would be magnified when Aaron Griffin punished with a goal up the other end only five minutes later.
Manus Doherty’s trademark back-to-front run down the left was unloaded to Griffin whose ground shot nestled into the bottom left corner of the Cork net to cut the deficit to just one at 1-7 to 1-6 by the 43rd minute.
Brian Hurley did resist with a free but a momentum-fuelled Clare finally made up the ground with successive placed balls for Emmet McMahon and Ciaran Downes by the 57th minute.
Just regaining parity clearly took a lot out of the home side, who were ultimately powerless to stop Cork’s reinforcements from snatching back the whip hand for the Rebels in the remaining 15 minutes.
A Tommy Walsh fisted point edged them back in front before substitutes Sherlock and Cronin cooly restored a three point cushion by the 73rd minute.
There was a nervous moment when Dermot Coughlan’s last gasp delivery had to be scrambled over the bar by Cork goalkeeper Christopher Kelly.
Overall, however, it was a merited opening victory for John Cleary’s side who now welcome the Ulster champions Donegal in a fortnight’s time while the Banner make the equally long trip to Tyrone in search of redemption.
Scorers for Cork: Sean Powter 1-0, Brian Hurley 0-3 (1f), Paul Walsh, Steven Sherlock (1f), Mark Cronin (1f) 0-2 each, Conor Corbett, Colm O’Callaghan, Chris Óg Jones, Tommy Walsh 0-1 each
Scorers for Clare: Emmet McMahon 0-5 (5fs), Aaron Griffin 1-0, Daniel Walsh, Ciaran Downes (1f, 1’45) 0-2 each, Jamie Stack and Dermot Coughlan 0-1 each.
Cork: Christopher Kelly; Kevin Flahive, Daniel O’Mahony, Tommy Walsh; Maurice Shanley, Rory Maguire, Matty Taylor; Ian Maguire, Colm O’Callaghan; Paul Walsh, Sean Powter, Brian O’Driscoll; Chris Óg Jones, Conor Corbett, Brian Hurley
Subs: Mark Cronin for Powter (56), Steven Sherlock for Jones (59), Ruairi Deane for Corbett (59), Eoghan McSweeney for Hurley (67), John O’Rourke for P. Walsh (74)
Clare: Stephen Ryan; Manus Doherty, Cillian Brennan, Ronan Lanigan; Ikem Ugwueru, Cillian Rouine, Alan Sweeney; Darragh Bohannon, Brian McNamara; Gavin Murray, Dermot Coughlan, Daniel Walsh; Emmet McMahon, Aaron Griffin, Ciaran Downes
Subs: Micheál Garry for Sweeney (33, inj), Einne O’Connor for Murray (52), Jamie Stack (for Downes (58), Joe McGann for Griffin (67), Mark McInerney for Rouine (73)
Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary)
Cork Development Squads in action this weekend;