Cork 1-25
Clare 1-20
Fintan O’Toole reports from Semple Stadium
THEY DID NOT feature in many pre-summer forecasts to be crowned Munster hurling champions but Cork concluded their provincial campaign in style this afternoon.
They saw off Clare to add to the earlier victories over Tipperary and Waterford, capping a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for Kieran Kingston’s side in 2017.
Patrick Horgan and Alan Cadogan pointed the way with some stunning markmanship. Horgan finished with 0-13 – ten from placed balls – while Cadogan bagged 1-4 from play.
From the off Cadogan was in a threatening mood and he made his mark to telling effect in the 12th minute. Luke Meade’s delivery fell perfectly for the Douglas man, who turned, had the presence of mind to bounce the ball on the ground back up to him and surged clear before finishing low to the net with assurance off his left side.
By half-time Cadogan had 1-2 from play to his credit and his marker Oisin O’Brien had been withdrawn by the 33rd minute as Seadna Morey was assigned to defensive duties.
Clare had a clear goal chance of their own in the 19th minute when a penalty was awarded for a Shane O’Donnell free. Tony Kelly sized it up but his shot flew over the bar and even though that tied the teams at 1-3 to 0-6, Cork then took over proceedings.
Five points in a row courtesy of Conor Lehane, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Horgan (2) and Cadogan sent the Rebels spirits soaring. They were fortunate to still be able to call upon Horgan after he was shown a yellow card following a high challenge in the 21st minute on Patrick O’Connor.
Cork were in front 1-10 to 0-8 at the interval but were forced to sweat at stages during the second half, particularly when Clare notched a superb goal in the 54th minute.
John Conlon bustled through to offload to Conor McGrath who crisply finished a low shot past Anthony Nash in the Cork goal.
Clare capitalised on that to cut the deficit to two points and that was the margin they faced again at 1-22 to 1-20 entering injury-time when McGrath pointed.
However Cork finished the game in a powerful fashion. Damien Cahalane produced a stunning solo run to pave the way for a Horgan point before Cadogan and Horgan from a free pushed Cork’s winning margin out to five.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-13 (0-10f), Alan Cadogan 1-4, Seamus Harnedy, Mark Coleman (0-1 sideline) 0-2 each, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Conor Lehane, Shane Kingston, Luke Meade 0-1 each.
Scorers for Clare: Tony Kelly 0-10 (0-6f, 0-1 pen), Conor McGrath 1-1, John Conlon 0-2, David McInerney, Seadna Morey, Aaron Cunningham, Jason McCarthy, Colm Galvin, Podge Collins, Aron Shanagher 0-1 each.
Cork
1. Anthony Nash (Kanturk)
4. Colm Spillane (Castlelyons)
3. Damian Cahalane (St Finbarr’s)
2. Stephen McDonnell (Glen Rovers)
5. Christopher Joyce (Na Piarsaigh)
6. Mark Ellis (Millstreet)
7. Mark Coleman (Blarney)
8. Bill Cooper (Youghal)
9. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville)
15. Luke Meade (Newcestown)
11. Conor Lehane (Midleton)
12. Shane Kingston (Douglas)
13. Alan Cadogan (Douglas)
10. Seamus Harnedy (St Ita’s)
14. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers)
Subs
21. Daniel Kearney (Sarsfields) for Kingston (57)
24. Luke O’Farrell (Midleton) for Fitzgibbon (60)
25. Michael Cahalane (Bandon) for Meade (65)
Clare
1. Andrew Fahy (Whitegate)
4. Patrick O’Connor (Tubber – captain)
3. David McInerney (Tulla)
7. Oisín O’Brien (Clonlara)
2. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge)
6. Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown)
5. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona)
8. Colm Galvin (Clonlara)
10. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
9. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
11. Podge Collins (Cratloe)
12. John Conlon (Clonlara)
14. Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones)
13. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)
15. Conor McGrath (Cratloe)
Subs
20. Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona) for O’Brien (32)
18. David Reidy (Éire Óg) for Collins (half-time)
17. Cian Dillon (Crusheen) for O’Connor (42)
19. Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones) for Shanagher (60)
22. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin) for Malone (65)
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
Well done Cork. Great fans as well.
@Eoin Mulhern: big bandwagon.
@John S: not as big a bandwagon as the pi$$ throwers on the hill!
@John S: go away boy will ya what support better than the dubs, what county can take over a whole stand ?no one but us,up the red army
@phil o c: What stand did the Dubs fill in Thurlas last night
@phil o c: spot on buddy
@Bognor regis: dubs have best support in country
@phil: football is main game up here
@Bognor regis: if I was watching a team withLehane,Coleman(especially),Cadogan and Horgan,all being mentored by the Rock(as analytical and meticulous in preparation as he is as a coach as he was a player),I’d be too excited to expend energy about alleged p*ss throwers on the hill. In fact, if I was on the hill I’d be more concerned about the p*ss taker in charge of the Dublin hurlers! Go off and enjoy a well deserved Munster title
@Ollie Watson: were Ollie in one place ?crow park, the cork fans were outstanding today as always but if RTÉ was in cork they would of spent more time filming the terrace than the match
@Ollie Watson: doubt that
With the exception of the commentary team every rte employee went on about how clare could’ve won it or how they left it behind. Cork not really getting the credit they deserved. So far at least..
@Bognor regis: Good. Let the pundits keep on focusing elsewhere and let the team keep on focusing on winning.
@Bognor regis: was the exact same against Tipp and Waterford. Let em at it.
Cork getting slightly carried away
@Bognor regis: It wasn’t in the script so they had to waffle off the cuff funny to see , no one expected Cork to even win a match never mind the Munster title ..
Same old same old from Clare. New set up but still trying to be too clever and over complicate a simple game
@Cathal Shannon: clare were beaten on the pitch and their management was beaten in tactics. No variation or plan b. Poor. Fair dues to cork.
@filthypete: I totally agree. The better team by a mile won. The only mystery for me is that Clare were still in with a chance with five mins to go…
@Cathal Shannon:
exactly just go out and hurl.
Despite Clare misses it always seemed Cork were doing enough.
The pitch was in poor condition due to the madness of the 2 games Saturday and the grass was cut tight. Cork will continue to grow in confidence.
May I eat humble pie and apologise to Damien Cahalane as he proved this armchair pundit wrong
About his ability play full back
He had a huge influence in Corks win today.
@filthypete: about sums it up alright
@Tim Brennan: and last two games Tim. If you’re cutting that pie you’d better cut me a slice too :-). Fair play to him!!
Cadogan and Horgan were excellent but I thought Coleman was outstanding and MOTM. Cork serious contenders for September glory. What would success starved counties such as Limerick and Wexford give for a day like today …
@John Ryan: Coleman was excellent but Alan Cadogan was the standout…absolutely ripped the Clare defence apart and took every chance he got.
Congrats to a class Cork team.Cahalane,Spillane,Coleman,Horgan and the man of the match Cadogan were immense.A totally deserved victory and winning Munster by beating Tipp,Waterford and Clare they certainly did it the hard way!
Clare have 3 championship wins since their All Ireland, Offaly, Laois and a bad Limerick side, enough said
@Ryan Mason: clare got a handy all Ireland in 2013 because Galway and Kilkenny had worn each other out in 2012.
@Finnster: still won it though. Best a good cork team in the final too
@Finnster: ya. Like 9-12 months isnt enough recovery time.
@Finnster: that’s total nonsense.
You’d swear they were after winning the All-Ireland.
@Ewan Scott: Ewan go such your bitter lemon … Great day for cork
@Ewan Scott: a Munster c’ship is nothing to be scoffed at….
@Ewan Scott: Ah ewan i see your from tipp shouldnt you be in bed with your sister or brother or both ???
@Ewan scott :No they are after wining the Munster senior hurling Final.Try not to be so bitter.
@Ewan Scott: one step at a time
@rowan hill: well said
@Ewan Scott: dry balls
@damien o brien: idiot
@Ewan Scott: To be fair, if you look at where they were in the last 12-18 months, it probably feels like it. Great credit to them. Hopefully the minors can keep it rolling and push the senior lads onto better things.
@Robert Clifford: agreed, you have to hand it to Kingston some balls picking all the young fellas and all of them have been immense
@Ewan Scott: see your a tipp man Ewan. The home of hurling makes me laugh ye have won 6 all Ireland’s in 50 years . Ye are still living off the glory of the great Tipp team of the early 60s.and haven’t put 2 all Ireland’s back to back since then.
@billy Dorney: Billy your a proper fan ! Well done today from a Dub
@Lorcan Quinlan: fair dues kid
Cadogan the main difference, he did serious damage.
Believe in this team,,go rebels
These teams were evenly enough matched, but that does not make them good teams. Both will need to improve considerably or Tipp and Galway will skin them in August!
@Lord Clanricarde:
You do know that cork have beaten tipp already. And cork cant lose against both tipp and galway in august though we can win against both.
So…your point is wrong on many levels
@Stephen Coveney: Tipp and Galway will skin “THEM”….The QF’s are open draw now, so yes ye can meet Tipp in a semi final, (dont be scared) and you are wrong you can’t beat both Tipp and Galway in August, ye can only meet Galway in a final..in September….Soooooo your point is wrong on many levels!
@Lord Clanricarde: you mean galway, the sh|t the togs experts? for the best part of 100 years they only had to win two serious matches to win an all-ireland and have 6 or maybe 7 championships to their credit. galway won’t be taking liam back west. they’ll fall asunder like they always do.
@Donncha Ó Ríordáin: Kinda like the Cork team who shit themselces in ’13?? Ye’ll be happy if the draw keeps ye away from Tipp in semi’s..Could very posibly be Tipp v Waterford in September!
@Lord Clanricarde: thats fair reaching for ’13. knocked out a good kk and dublin team and missed an all-ireland because of a point from a corner back. as for tipp, the one in a row experts.
@Lord Clanricarde: tipping couldn’t do it
@Stephen Coveney: so is farting in a lift
Senior team on a roll at the moment and an impressive minor team on the way up…we’re on our way back and not a minute too soon.
Clare needed a game like that. before today-to win this Munster championship, not what they got in the semi.
Very proud of all our Clare stars today. Started a bit tense but played brilliant later on.
@Patrick J McNamara: will u go way will you. Ye were lucky ye drew limerick or ye wouldn’t have been in the final.
Babs said in 1999 that donkeys don’t win derbies. He was referring to a cork hurling team. They won the all Ireland that year. Cork have now won Munster against all the odds. They will take each match as it comes. A fine bunch of hurlers.
@Paul Coughlan: and what does babs have to do with anything today?
@Paul Coughlan: lad he said that in 1990!
Mushrooms
Where we sported and played neath each green leafy shade, on the banks of my own lovely Lee.Corcaigh abu.
Cork would have to be favourites now I’d say.
@Tony Boyle: Stick to the bandwagon rugby threads. Leave the adults talk about the hurling
@Tony Boyle:Cork wont be favourites Galway and Tipp still look the best bet with the bookies.Cork have done super well to deliver a Munster title against all the odds and can now look forward to a day out in Croke park and are playing in bonus territory under no pressure and who knows!!
@John Carroll: Thats bull shit John, and you know it. Stop trying to play Cork down, they are Munster Champions, bonus territory FFS!
@Lord Clanricarde:What are you on lad??Of course its bonus territory. When the draws were made way back who would say Cork would be Munster champions in July beating Tipp Waterford and Clare BT i think.Galway were within a puck of a ball in beating last yrs winners Tipp in the All Ireland semi-final and are Lenister Champions now, dont be talking shite Tipp and Galway are still favourites to win the All ireland like it or not.
@John Carroll: 100% correct John
Great to see a good referee today. Well done fergal horgan.
@John: Clare should’ve had at least 3 more yellow cards with their policy of rugby tackling and tripping players running in on goal. Only got a friendly finger wag
Yet he gave Cork player a yellow card for doing similar once.. Inconsistent
But he did implement advantage rule well
@Jazz Buckler: in fairness now he could easily have givin horgan a red.. he dished out enuf yellow cards. At least he didnt screw ye over like kirwan continuesly does for tipp.
Still cant beat Cork in a Munster Final.Loughnane is 100%correct,Clares All Ireland win in 2013 was a fluke.
what’s wrong with cork hurling now?
Tony kelly greedy hole well done cork
@42 major trophies:
He was ridiculously selfish at times today.It must have killed Shanagher,O Donnell and McGrath to see so many Kelly shots drift harmlessly wide from way out the field.
Cork v Galway All Ireland Final. Galway by 4
@Finnster: Galway favourites but I always feel they implode when they get to Croker.
@Finnster: less 4 maybe
@Paul O Mahony: Don’t understand all this hype about Galway. They haven’t won an All Ireland since 1988 and I’ve lost count of how many finals they’ve lost since then. They have been capable of beating Tipp or OK in a semi final over the years but always flop in the final. Can’t seem to put 2 wins back to back in the latter stages of the championship. They’re a bit like the Mayo footballers. There must be something in the water (or maybe lacking in the water) West of the Shannon.
@Sloop John G:
They lost narrowly (i felt they should have won) to Cork in 1990 by 5-15 v 2-21 ,lost to Kilkenny in ’93,Tipp narrowly (another one they could have won) in 2001,Cork in 2005,Kilkenny (had cats on ropes drawn game) in 2012 and also were 3 points up at ht v Kilkenny in 2015.
That’s 6 finals and four where they had a great chance and were agonisingly close.
This is an excellent Galway side and they have a good chance of breaking their 29 year famine.
It wont be easy,though,as Cork are on fire,and Tipp,Clare and Waterford are capable of winning the big prize (i can’t see Wexford winning it.)
@mark kenny: that’s what I mean Mark, so near and yet so far. As a neutral I’d be delighted to see Galway end their famine but I won’t be putting any money on them.
Where can I watch this. Was out today and recording failed.
@Alan Leahy: rte player
Clare play some ugly hurling. Good riddance
@Michèal: they are not gone yet.
@Eoghan P O’Leary: they will struggle against most of the teams left to be honest.
@Paul O Mahony: ah here.. they weren’t that far behind and I’m no fan of Clare. Good game. Great to see the Rebels win a Munster against all the odds.
It was a good win but would the have won it if Horgan got sent off in the first half for that reckless tackle on o Connor. The ref shit himself
@Mikey Mc Inerney: Horgan went to shoulder him and the Clare player leaned down it wasn’t malicious accidental because of the Clare player ducking out of the challenge ..
Ya Shoulder him in the face. And he used his elbow. Watch it again. Sony Bill got sent off for the same thing against the lions.