Clare 1-16

Cork 1-16

Páraic McMahon reports from O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge

CLARE AND Cork had to settle for a share of the spoils in the opening round of the Munster U20 hurling championship on Wednesday evening.

Opposing forwards Diarmuid Stritch (0-4) and John Wiggington Barrett (1-4) were the star men for either side on an evening where Cork finished with 13 and Clare 14 players on the field of play.

Fred Hegarty, Clare’s freetaker, was the first to get his marching orders with a straight red card. A second yellow was shown to Cork wing back Ben Walsh before his teammate Barry O’Flynn was flashed a red card.

Cork’s management included former goalkeeper and two-time All-Star Donal Óg Cusack while manning the line for the first time as a Clare coach was 2013 All-Ireland winner Conor Ryan.

Having led by five points, Clare were in the driving seat, but the concession of Wigginton Barrett’s goal when he cut through at pace and rifled to the net kept it as a one-score game for the remainder of the contest.

Clare responded to the setback with points from Ronan Kilroy and Stritch to hold a 1-11 to 1-8 advantage at the interval.

Wastefulness snuck into Clare’s play on the restart, it took until the final quarter for them to register a score, Stritch again coming up trumps while two pointed frees from the reliable Barry Walsh reduced the deficit to the minimum.

Frees from James Organ and James Hegarty plus Stritch’s fourth point made it a three-point game again before Cork fired over three scores in succession via Walsh on the double and an excellent individual effort from Wigginton Barrett.

Senior panellist Jack O’Neill pointed to see the hosts regain the lead, but it was cancelled out by a Walsh free.

In total, Clare hit eight wides over the course of the second half, their last effort a free from James Organ, which was awarded after Cork substitute Ross O’Sullivan pucked the sliotar away after conceding a sideline.

This miss prompted referee Alan Tierney to sound the final whistle and ensured the counties obtained a point each at the commencement of the round robin series.

Cork will welcome Tipperary to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in round two, while Clare will make the trip to Waterford.

Scorers for Clare: F Hegarty 0-5 f, S Boyce 1-2, D Stritch 0-4, R Kilroy, J O’Neill, E McMahon, J Hegarty (0-1 f), J Organ (0-1 f) 0-1 each.

Cork: Barry Walsh 0-12 (0-10 f, 0-1 65), J Wigginton Barrett 1-3, M O’Brien 0-1.

Clare:
1: Mark Sheedy (Sixmilebridge);

2: Eoghan Gunning (Broadford), 3: Fionnan Treacy (Éire Óg), 4: John Cahill (Clooney/Quin);

5: Joe Casey (Kilmaley), 6: James Hegarty (Inagh/Kilnamona), 7: Eoghan McMahon (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield);

8: Jamie Moylan (Cratloe), 9: Matthew O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge);

15: Michael Collins (Clonlara), 11: Jack O’Neill (Clooney/Quin), 10: Ronan Kilroy (Banner);

14: Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara), 12: Fred Hegarty (Inagh/Kilnamona), 13: Seán Boyce (O’Callaghans Mills).

Subs:
20: Dannan Fox (Clooney/Quin) for Moylan (48)
17: James Organ (Corofin) for Collins (49)
24: Ronan Keane (Killanena) for O’Halloran (53)
19: Robert Loftus (Éire Óg) for Treacy (55)

Cork:
1: Daniel O’Connell (Dromina);

2: Denis Cashman (Bride Rovers), 3: James O’Brien (Fermoy), 9: Eoin Guinane (Valley Rovers)

5: Ben Walsh (Killeagh), 6: Cillian O’Callaghan (Dungourney), 7: Daniel Murnane (Carrigtwohill);

4: Timmy Wilk (Cobh), 10: Ryan Deasy (Ballymartle);

20: John Murphy (Mallow), 12: Barry Walsh (Killeagh), 13: Johnnie Murphy (Dromina);

11: John Wigginton Barrett (St Finbarr’s), 14: Barry O’Flynn (Sarsfields), 23: Mark O’Brien (Douglas)

Subs:
21: Zach Biggane (Charleville) for Murnane (37)
22: Oisin Fitzgerald (St Catherines) for Wilk (42)
15: Ross O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) for O’Brien (43)
19: Matthew Barrett (Carrigtwohill) for Deasy (52)

Referee: Alan Tierney (Tipperary)