Cork 1-24
Clare 0-22

Páraic McMahon reports from Cusack Park, Ennis

CORK’S U20 HURLERS have a Munster semi-final at least to look forward after emerging victorious in Ennis on Wednesday evening. 

Ben Cunningham struck for 1-3 in the final ten minutes of normal time to see Ben O’Connor’s side record their third win from as many games and in the process end Clare’s unbeaten streak.

Seven missed scoreable frees over the hour proved costly for the hosts who are left depending on results in the final round when they have a bye to determine if they will progress to the semi-finals.

Level eleven times in total over the course of the contest, Cork pulled away in the final ten minutes, Cunningham’s goal on fifty four minutes seeing the Leesiders build up a four point advantage that they were never going to relinquish.

Although Cork raced into a 0-6 0-2 advantage within the first ten minutes, Clare produced a strong second quarter notching nine of the last thirteen scores of the opening half to hold a slender 0-12 0-11 half-time advantage.

Timmy Wilk was the last player to score in the first half and the first on the board for the second half with Cork proving that bit livelier over the hour. Energy was zapped from the hosts through the inaccuracy from placed balls.

Diarmuid Healy, Ben Cunningham and Tadhg O’Connell impressed for the winners while Clooney/Quin duo John Conneally and Jack O’Neill were the standout player for Terence Fahy’s Clare.

Scorers Cork: B Cunningham (1-5 5f), T Wilk (0-5), D Healy (0-4), T O’Connell (0-2), D Cremin (0-2), W Buckley (0-2), R O’Sullivan (0-1), S Kingston (0-1), C Walsh (0-1)

Scorers Clare: K Smyth (0-6 4f), O O’Donnell (0-3), D Kennedy (0-2), P Crotty (0-2), J O’Neill (0-2), N O’Farrell (0-2), S Dunford (0-1), S Rynne (0-1), J Collins (0-1), C Cleary (0-1), C Whelan (0-1 1f).

Cork:
1. Brion Saunderson (Midleton)

2. Seán Daly (Randal Óg), 3. Shane Kingston (Ballinora), 4. Darragh O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig)

5. James Dwyer (Ballincollig), 6. Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers), 9. Timmy Wilk (Cobh)

8. Tadhg O’Connell (Ballincollig), 7. Micheál Mullins (Whitechurch)

12. Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold), 11. Ben Cunningham (St Finbarrs), 14. Colin Walsh (Kanturk)

10. William Buckley (St Finbarrs), 23. David Cremin (Midleton), 15. Ross O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh)

Subs:
18. Mark Howell (Douglas) for Daly (27),
21. Mikey Finn (Midleton) for O’Sullivan (43)
19. Cillian Tobin (Bride Rovers) for Dwyer (51)
24. Brian Keating (Ballincollig) for Walsh (56)
20. Cillian Tobin (St Finbarrs) for O’Connell (59)

Clare:
1. Aaron Shanahan (Tulla)

5. Jarlath Collins (Éire Óg), 3. John Conneally (Clooney/Quin), 4. Ian MacNamara (Killanena)

6. Daithí Lohan (Wolfe Tones), 2. Oisin Clune (Feakle), 7. Oran Cahill (Éire Óg)

10. Oisin O’Donnell (Crusheen), 8. Sean Rynne (Inagh/Kilnamona)

9. Jack O’Neill (Clooney/Quin), 11. Patrick Crotty (Scariff), 12. Keith Smyth (Killanena)

13. David Kennedy (Sixmilebridge), 14. Senan Dunford (Tubber), 15. Gearoid Sheedy (Ogonnelloe)

Subs:
21. Niall O’Farrell (Broadford) for Smyth (42)
18. Colm Cleary (O’Callaghans Mills) for Kennedy (44)
24. Killian O’Connor (Corofin) for Sheedy (56)
22. Keelan Hartigan (Scariff) for O’Donnell (56)
20. Conor Whelan (Whitegate) for Rynne (59)

Referee: Conor Doyle (Tipperary)

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