Clare 1-25
Cork 2-19
JOHNNY CAROLAN REPORTS
CORK boss Pat Ryan will be looking for a response from their opening day loss when the Rebels host Kilkenny in an Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A tie this Saturday evening.
A slow start to the second half – with the wind – was costly as Cork fell to defeat in their Division 1 Group A opener on Sunday. The final winning margin at Cusack Park was three points in favour of Clare, who had led by one at half-time. A pair of Cork goals in the first half, by Patrick Horgan and Tommy O’Connell, left the visitors in a fairly good position as they trailed by 0-14 to 2-7.
However, Clare added five points on the restart before the Cork tally was augmented. While they did battle back well to reduce a seven-point deficit down to just two, Clare’s late goal, scored by Séadna Morey, gave their lead a security that would not be eradicated.
Nevertheless, Cork manager Pat Ryan could find some positives.
‘We were happy with the first half,’ Ryan said.
‘We moved the ball and made a few goal-scoring opportunities, probably could have had one or two more.
‘We were in a very good place at half-time but just didn’t come out for the first part of the second half. In fairness, they worked the ball well and got a few scores, a few turnovers, and built up a lead.
‘We were in a great spot with seven or eight minutes to go but Séadna Morey got inside us and got a great goal and that probably killed the game then at that stage.’
Cork's Sean Twomey goes to ground under pressure from Clare's Sean Rynne during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 tie at Cusack Park.(Photo: George Hatchell)
Cork almost had a great start as Robbie O’Flynn had a goal chance from a Brian Roche pass but he found the side-netting. They struggled in the early stages, with Mark Rodgers’ frees helping Clare into a 0-9 to 0-3 advantage before the first Cork goal.
Seán Twomey was heavily involved with a surging run through the middle before feeding Shane Kingston and he in turn laid off to Horgan, who finished well.
It was 0-11 to 1-5 when Cork raised another green flag, Robbie O’Flynn’s clever pass opening things up for O’Connell to crash a shot home and it left things finely poised at half-time.
Parity was elusive, though, as Clare’s physicality gave them a platform in the third quarter and Cork struggled to land attempts on goal. The home side had seven of the first eight points before Cork, with Ciarán Joyce leading the way, came back well.
Sub Shane Barrett had two points as they ate into the lead, but they couldn’t come closer than two. The excellent David Fitzgerald’s pass allowed Morey to score Clare’s crucial goal and three points separated the teams at the end.
‘We knew in the first half when we were against the wind that we had to work hard, really hard,’ Ryan said.
‘I thought we did that and created some great opportunities and goal-scoring chances and could have had a few more.
‘We’ll discuss it and look into that as regards what our mindset was coming out at half-time. It was a bit of a disappointing thing from our point of view and it’s something to work on going forward.’
There’s little time for Cork to dwell on the loss as they welcome Kilkenny to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday night – the Cats lost at home to Wexford at the weekend.
‘We’re at home next,’ Ryan said.
‘Obviously, we knew coming up to Clare that it wasn’t going to be easy, it’s never easy up here and Clare have a good record. We’re disappointed that we didn’t get the result but there are lots of good things that we’ll take and move on with it.’
Scorers
Clare: Mark Rodgers 0-13 (10f, 1 65); Séadna Morey 1-1; David Fitzgerald, David Reidy, Robin Mounsey, Cathal Malone 0-2 each; David McInerney, Shane Meehan, Gearóid Sheedy 0-1 each.
Cork: Patrick Horgan 1-7 (7f); Shane Kingston 0-3; Tommy O’Connell 1-0; Conor Lehane, Shane Barrett 0-2 each, Seán Twomey, Robbie O’Flynn, Cormac O’Brien, Seán O’Donoghue, Ciarán Joyce 0-1 each.
Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Conor Cleary, Paul Flanagan, Adam Hogan; Diarmuid Ryan, David McInerney, Darragh Lohan; Cathal Malone, Seán Rynne; David Fitzgerald, Robin Mounsey, Gearóid Sheedy; Mark Rodgers, Aidan McCarthy, David Reidy.
Subs: Séadna Morey for Donnellan (half-time), Peter Duggan for Sheedy (50), Shane Meehan for McCarthy (54), Patrick Crotty for Mounsey (60), Keith Smyth for Reidy (69).
Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Eoin Roche, Seán O’Donoghue; Tommy O’Connell, Ciarán Joyce, Cormac O’Brien; Brian Roche, Eoin Carey; Shane Kingston, Conor Lehane, Seán Twomey; Robbie O’Flynn, Patrick Horgan, Brian Hayes. Subs: Luke Meade for Brian Roche (48), Shane Barrett for Hayes (55), Micheál Mullins for Carey (62), Robbie Cotter for O’Flynn (68), Jack O’Connor for Lehane (69).
Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).
