Clinical Cork get wind in their sails

Cork 0-23 Clare 0-15

Clare had their chances, and on several occasions it took desperate last-ditch defending to keep the Banner attack at bay. Outstanding Cork keeper Anthony Nash thrice denied them certain goals; a defender’s hurley here, a flick there denied them on other occasions; and finally their own lack of composure on the ball also cost Clare dear.

Had they managed any of those goals, however, given the ferocity of Cork’s display, their work rate from end to end and from first minute to last, it would probably have served just to put a gloss on the final scoreline because make no mistake about it, by far the better team won yesterday.