Clare 0-14
Cork 0-13
NOT for the first time at Cusack Park, Cork were undone by a late Clare score in the Munster senior football championship.
Twenty-six years after Clare’s last championship win against the Rebels, Martin Daly scoring a dramatic injury-time goal in 1997, Cillian Rouine fisted over a stoppage-time winner for the home side in this provincial quarter-final.
It was just what Clare deserved as Cork, second best for long stretches, were dumped out of the Munster SFC and now face a wait to see will they make it through to the new Sam Maguire competition.
Cork had led 0-6 to 0-4 at the break, and that lead was stretched to 0-9 to 0-5 seven minutes into the second half after three points in a row from Steven Sherlock (two frees) and Sean Powter. That was as good as it got for Cork, as Clare thundered back into the game. Four points in a row, including two from captain Eoin Cleary, dragged Clare level, 0-9 apiece, midway through the half.
Cork, missing the injured Brian Hurley, relied on the free-taking of Sherlock as the teams went point for point. 0-10 each. 0-11 apiece. 0-12 each. Then Clare moved into a one-point lead thanks to an Eoin Cleary free.
There was drama to come. Three minutes into injury time, Cork defender Kevin O’Donovan popped up with a leveller, and extra time looked on the cards. Clare had different ideas, and launched one last attack, ending with corner back Rouine scoring the winner, to send the home crowd into raptures.
Clare now move on to a home quarter-final against Limerick in two weeks, while Cork wait to see if their league position is enough for them to squeeze into the Sam Maguire Cup.
Scorers - Clare: E Cleary (2f), K Sexton 0-4 each; E McMahon 0-2; J Malone, P Collins, G Cooney, C Rouine 0-1 each. Cork: S Sherlock 0-10 (7f, 1 45); R Maguire, S Powter, K O’Donovan 0-1 each.
Clare: S Ryan; M Doherty, C Brennan, C Rouine; C Russell, J Malone, D Walsh; C O’Connor, D Bohannon; P Lillis, E McMahon, D Coughlan; E Cleary, K Sexton, P Collins. Subs: D O’Neill for O’Connor (ht), G Cooney for Coughlan (50), M McInerney for McMahon (68), A Sweeney for Collins (72).
Cork: MA Martin; K O’Donovan, D O’Mahony, T Walsh; L Fahy, R Maguire, M Taylor; C O’Callaghan, I Maguire; E McSweeney, S Powter, B O’Driscoll; R Deane, S Sherlock, C Óg Jones. Subs: K O’Hanlon for McSweeney (48), C Corbett for Jones (57), J O’Rourke for O’Driscoll (68), C Kiely for Fahy (68).
Referee: F Kelly (Longford).
