Cork pip Clare to book SHC final spot

Cork 0-16 Clare 0-15

Champions Cork came from six points down to stun Clare and book their place in next month’s All-Ireland SHC final at Croke Park today.

The Rebels, who trailed 0-7 to 0-13 early in the second half, won through to their third consecutive decider after midfielder Jerry O'Connor struck the point that separated the sides on 69 minutes.

50,596 spectators were held spellbound as Clare pushed the reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions to the limit of their powers, and led for upwards of 40 minutes.

A five-point push at the start of the second half had the Banner men 0-13 to 0-7 in front, but Cork manager John Allen reacted brilliantly by taking off Brian Corcoran and Ronan Curran - both stalwarts of last September's Liam McCarthy Cup win - and switching the colossal John Gardiner to centre back.

His tactics paid off, shoring up the Rebels' defence that had been uncharacteristically leaking scores. At the other end, Cork begin to work some change out of the Clare backs and they mustered four of the game's final five points to squeek through.

Anthony Daly’s Clare side, who were forced to start Andrew Quinn at the top of the right due to Barry Nugent’s niggling hamstring injury, bumped the champions well-and-truly off their stride in the first half.

Corcoran and Joe Deane were both held scoreless in the opening 35, and while Sean Og O hAilpin did burst forward for a hair-raising point, the Cork skipper twice gave away frees for failing to clear his lines at the rear.

In truth, Clare’s 0-9 to 0-7 interval buffer should have been more, and they knew it. Midfielder Colin Lynch skewed three point attempts wide in the opening eight minutes.

Still, they matched Cork, who mustered an early 0-4 to 0-2 lead. Despite this, Niall Gilligan’s second free on 18 minutes had matters back level for the third time at 0-5 apiece.

Four minutes later, Tom Kenny should have done better when racing through on goal, but his weak 15-yard shot was saved impressively on the bounce by the dive of Clare's Davy Fitzgerald.

The Banner's number one, who punched the air in defiance at every available opportunity, immediately set up a second Tony Griffin point, and Gilligan’s third free pushed Daly’s charges two in front.

Cork replied with their first point for ten minutes – a sizzling Ben O’Connor sideline – but two points, nearing the half-hour, from late inclusion Quinn and Tony Carmody widened the Clare lead to three - 0-9 to 0-6.

Sarsfields’ Kieran Murphy chalked up a much-needed seventh point for Cork before the break, but weathering an early storm from their near neighbours in the second half, Clare stood firm.

They looked the hungrier and charged into a six-point lead by the 48th-minute. A clever ball from Gilligan found Griffin unmarked, six minutes into the second half, and Cork were struggling at 0-7 to 0-10 down.

Then, Gilligan’s fourth free was followed by a well-drilled effort from Brian O’Connell. Cork had brought in Erin’s Own attacker Kieran Murphy for Timmy McCarthy at the interval, but there was little dividend there.

Carmody landed a skyscraper for rampant Clare and everything looked sweet for Daly, who was aiming to secure Clare a final date for the first time since 2002.

He could not have predicted what was to follow. Cork rallied superbly and clipped over the next five points to draw within one of Clare - 0-12 to 0-13.

Joe Deane got motoring with two, Ben O'Connor and John Gardiner were also on target. Yet, Quinn and Carmody sandwiched a score from Cork sub Neil Ronan to reopen a two-point gap, on the hour, at 0-15 to 0-13.

Could Clare hold on? The decision was in some doubt. Jerry O'Connor soon set up his twin brother Ben for what looked like the game's opening and closing goal on 61 minutes. The latter flashed his close range shot over the bar, and the Banner breathed again.

Poor Cork misses followed from Pat Mulcahy and Sarsfields' man Murphy, but overs from Niall McCarthy, who tied it up for a fifth time on 68 minutes, and O'Connor, who was fed superbly by Tom Kenny's handpass, denied brave Clare at the death.

CORK: D Og Cusack; B Murphy, D O'Sullivan, P Mulcahy; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Og O hAilpin (capt); J O'Connor, T Kenny; K Murphy (Sarsfields), N McCarthy, T McCarthy; B O'Connor, B Corcoran, J Deane. Sub used: K Murphy (Erin’s Own) for T McCarthy (half-time), N Ronan for Corcoran, W Sherlock for Curran (both 51 mins), J O’Callaghan for Murphy (Sarsfields) (67)

CLARE: D Fitzgerald; F Lohan, B Lohan, G O'Grady; D Hoey, S McMahon (capt), G Quinn; C Lynch, B O'Connell; D McMahon, T Carmody, A Markham; A Quinn, N Gilligan, T Griffin. Sub used: C Plunkett for Hoey (22-24 mins), F Lynch for Markham (60), J Clancy for O’Connell (63), D O’Rourke for Quinn (70)

Referee: Dickie Quinn (Wexford)