Patrick Kelly: Clutch Clare punish Cork amid lack of real scoring threats in red

After a fairly positive league campaign this is a huge setback for Cork and John Cleary 

MIDFIELD TUSSLE: Ruairí Deane of Cork in action against Darren O'Neill of Clare. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Sunday’s momentous victory for Clare over Cork in championship may have come as a surprise to many but in my mind this was always going to be a close and hard fought battle between two evenly matched teams. 

While this game may have finished in a welter of excitement the first half was anything but.