Canter for Cork as young guns show terrific firepower

Cork 0-18 Clare 0-6

“Coming here is never easy, but we were very professional about the whole thing,” said Morgan. “We played some terrific football, the newcomers played extremely well, and I’m very excited about this team. There is a great future if they continue to work hard as I’m sure they will.”

Apart from the opening 10 minutes, during which the sides were level twice, there was never any doubt about the outcome once the visitors got into their stride.

Sadly, however, this game will not be remembered for the purity of its football. Three players were sent off, six yellow cards were flashed and there was a host of unsavoury antics.

Cork newcomer James Masters bore the brunt of the off-the-ball incidents as he was pulled, dragged and punched, before the referee finally took action.

David Russell was red-carded for a punch on the youngster early in the second half, and he was quickly followed to the line by the impressive Ronan Slattery for a similar offence on Graham Canty. Cork had Martin Cronin sent off for a second bookable offence, but it had little effect on the outcome.

Cork’s three debutantes - Masters, John Hayes and Fintan Goold - can be very pleased with their efforts, Masters and Hayes in particular being very impressive.

Mícheál Ó Croinín was another who made a big contribution with six points, while Conor McCarthy orchestrated the whole frontal division superbly from centre forward.

At the back, Gary Murphy, Anthony Lynch and Cronin showed great leadership, but they got it comparatively easy from a very weak Clare attack in which only Odhran O’Dwyer and Rory Donnelly can take some satisfaction.

Clare began brightly, and had the opening score after three minutes when Rory Donnelly pointed a free.

This massive 12 point defeat has certainly given coach John Kennedy and his fellow selectors plenty to ponder as they try and rally their troops for the qualifiers in three weeks’ time.

However, you cannot take from Cork’s outstanding performance. Apart from the opening minutes, they were never headed and once they got into their stride, there was an air if inevitability about the outcome long before the final whistle.

Playing the short passing game to perfection, they regularly carved open the Clare defence and in the space of 12 minutes, kicked over six points in a row to 0-7 to 0-2 after 25 minutes.

They might have had a goal but Anthony Lynch, who began a fantastic move, failed to hold James Master’s final pass 12 metres out.

Clare, by comparison, went 25 minutes before registering their first score from play. But their woes weren’t confined to attack as corner back Mark O’Connell and centre back Darragh Kelly were called ashore before the break following a horrid half hour.

It mattered little as Cork finished with points from Masters and Hayes to retire at the interval leading 0-10 to 0-3.

The Clare mentors tried desperately to halt the Cork scoring avalanche with a succession of switches and substitutions. But their efforts had little effect as Cork continued attacking and scoring freely.

O’Dwyer drove a piledriver against the Cork upright - the only hint of a goal in a totally one-sided contest but unfortunately that effort was overshadowed by the ugly events that scarred this affair.

Cork could afford to give five substitutes a run-out such was their dominance and they now await the winners of Sunday’s semi-final between Kerry and Limerick in the decider on July 10.

Scorers: Cork: M. Ó Croinín 0-6 (0-3 frees); J. Masters 0-5 (0-1 free, 0-1 45); C. McCarthy 0-2; F. Goold, J. Hayes, N. Murphy, K. O’Sullivan, A. Cronin 0-1 each. Clare: R. Donnelly 0-4 (0-2 frees); O. O’Dwyer 0-1 (0-1 free), S Hickey 0-1.

CORK: K. O’Dwyer; N. Geary, S. Levis, G. Murphy; E. Sexton, A. Lynch, M. Cronin; G. Canty, D. Kavanagh; J. Masters, C. McCarthy, N. Murphy; J. Hayes, F. Goold, N. O Croinin. Subs. N. O’Leary for Lynch; A. Cronin for Goold; K. O’Sullivan for Hayes; K. O’Connor for G. Murphy; D. Hurley N. Murphy.

CLARE: D. O’Brien; P. Gallagher, K. Dilleen, M. O’Connell; A. Cloghessy, D. Kelly, R. Slattery; G. Quinlan, David Russell; O. O’Dwyer, P. O’Dwyer, E. Coughlan; R. Donnelly, S. Hickey, M. O’Dwyer. Subs. G. Tubridy for M. O’Connell; M. O’Shea for D. Kelly; David Russell for G. Quinlan; D. Callanan for A. Cloghesy; S. O’Meara for K. Dilleen.

Referee: P. Fox (Westmeath).