Cork’s mettle well tested in McGrath Cup win

Cork 1-15 Clare 1-9: A third McGrath Cup title for Cork in five years was the outcome at Mallow last night, though not without some stiff questions from Clare.

In front of 804 spectators, it took some time for the hosts to shake off their visitors, with most of the first half a tight – and sometimes overly niggly – affair. However, after a well-worked Clare move ended with Eoin Cleary palming home to put them 1-3 to 1-2 in front in the 16th minute, they would add only a solitary point between then and half-time.

Cork, having looked like pushing on when Brian Hurley netted just before Cleary’s goal, eventually found more fluency in their play and by the break had created a six-point advantage, 1-10 to 1-4.