Clare 3-29
Cork 1-34
SEÁN HOLLAND REPORTS
SO near but yet so far. Cork hurling supporters will have to wait a little while longer for All-Ireland hurling title number 31 after falling to defeat to Clare by the narrowest of margins in a final for the ages.
These two sides could not be separated all day. Half-time, full-time, half-time in extra-time, Cork and Clare were level 14 times throughout this epic but in the end, it was the Banner that did just enough to take the spoils and claim their fifth Liam MacCarthy title.
A replay would have been fitting for two sides who gave it their all, but sport isn’t always fair. As Robbie O’Flynn’s late effort drifted narrowly wide, it was those in saffron and blue celebrating. Speaking afterwards to the media Cork manager Pat Ryan was incredibly proud of his team’s efforts and was also gracious in defeat.
‘Obviously, we're very disappointed,’ said Ryan.
‘We came up here to win and we didn’t get over the line. All credit to Clare, they performed fantastically and probably just about deserved their victory in the end. The lads can be very proud of how they performed, but, at the same time, we came up here to win and we didn’t.’
Ryan gave his thoughts on what was the difference between the two sides that left the Rebels going home empty-handed.
‘We probably didn’t take enough goal chances that we created,’ he admitted. ‘We probably had another four or five goal chances except for the one that we did take and we needed to take them. That was probably where the game lay.’
While Ryan rued his team's missed chances over the near 100 minutes of action, he could have no arguments with their start. Cork’s first nine shots accumulated to 1-8. The goal from Robert Downey was one of the best seen ever in Croke Park. It had the Rebels rocking and put them seven to the good, 1-7 to 0-3, after 11 minutes.
Cork's Shane Barrett races away from Clares' Diarmuid Ryan during Sunday's titanic clash.
The inevitable Clare fightback was ignited when Shane O’Donnell weaved his way through the Cork defence to set up Aidan McCarthy to rattle the Rebels' rigging. Clare scored three more times following the goal, with Patrick Horgan stopping the rot with his record-breaking 707th championship point. Clare finished the half the stronger with McCarthy, Mark Rodgers, and David Reidy to the fore. Darragh Fitzgibbon pointed in added time to leave it 1-12 a piece at the break.
On resumption, the Rebels tipped over points from Brian Hayes, Seamus Harnedy, and Tim O’Mahony only for Clare to reply to each instantly. The latter was followed by a goal from Mark Rodgers who coasted inside the Cork defence and rattled a powerful drive past goalkeeper Patrick Collins.
The Rebels responded immediately with Alan Connolly and O’Mahony pointing. A chance for a second Cork goal was spurned when Seamus Harnedy’s goal-bound shot was blocked by Conor Cleary but no 65 was given.
Points by Reidy and Horgan were followed by a goal that eclipsed Downey’s rocket. Clare captain Tony Kelly jinked and weaved his way through the Cork defence, flicking it over Seán O’Donoghue to then carefully place it in the top corner. The Banner were now in the driving seat.
To Cork’s credit they never wilted, and through Eoin Downey, Harnedy and Horgan the Rebels levelled matters. Like a heavy-weight boxing clash, the Banner punched back harder and they went up by three with time almost up. Horgan's free taking was as accurate as ever, keeping Cork within touching distance. Tony Kelly's wondrous point looked like it had won it for Clare but when Tommy O’Connell was fouled in the dying seconds underneath the Hogan stand, Hoggie stood up and sent this game into extra innings.
The opening half of extra time was a trade-off of points. Three each, but Clare had spurned a huge goal opportunity when Patrick Collins saved from Kelly. The Clare inspiration then flicked the rebound to David Fitzgerald but Ciarán Joyce stopped a certain goal.
Clare had the better of the second period and led by three, as bodies began to tire. Two late Horgan frees left us with the late drama but it wasn’t to be for Cork. The wait for the first senior hurling title since 2005 goes on.
Scorers
CLARE: A McCarthy 1-7 (3f, 1 65); T Kelly 1-4; M Rodgers 1-3; D Fitzgerald, D Ryan 0-3 each; S O’Donnell, D Reidy, P Duggan (0-1 sideline) 0-2 each; R Taylor, I Galvin, S Meehan 0-1 each.
CORK: P Horgan 0-12 (10f); S Harnedy 0-4; R Downey 1-0; T O’Mahony, M Coleman 0-3 each; S Barrett, B Hayes, D Fitzgibbon, S Kingston 0-2 each; A Connolly, E Downey, C Joyce, R O’Flynn 0-1 each.
CLARE: E Quilligan; C Cleary, A Hogan, C Leen; D Ryan, J Conlon, D McInerney; C Malone, T Kelly; P Duggan, M Rodgers, D Fitzgerald; A McCarthy, S O’Donnell, D Reidy.
Subs: D Lohan for C Malone (Temp, 37-38), R Taylor for A McCarthy (55), I Galvin for D Reidy (59), A Shanagher for P Duggan (66), D Lohan for C Cleary (70), R Mounsey for M Rodgers (70+3), S Meehan for S O’Donnell & C Galvin for D Ryan (80), S Morey for C Malone (87).
CORK: P Collins; N O’Leary, E Downey, S O’Donoghue (c); M Coleman, C Joyce, R Downey; T O’Mahony, D Fitzgibbon; D Dalton, S Barrett, S Harnedy; P Horgan, AConnolly, B Hayes.
Subs: T O’Connell for Joyce (Temp, 15-17), S Kingston for B Hayes (temp, 43-48), E Twomey for D Dalton (49), J O’Connor for A Connolly (64), S Kingston for S Barrett (66), R O’Flynn for S Harnedy (68), T O’Connell for R Downey (70+4), G Millerick for S O’Donoghue (79), L Meade for T O’Mahony (85).
Referee: J Murphy (Limerick).
