Easy opening win for Cork over understrength Clare

Visitors Clare had the better of the opening exchanges, defying the wind, but Cork took over

Alan Cadogan, Cork about to fire over a first half point. Picture: Larry Cummins.

Allianz Hurling League: Cork 2-30 Clare 2-21 

A facile win for Cork over injury-riddled Clare in this 2022 National Hurling League opener at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Visitors Clare had the better of the opening exchanges, defying the wind to take the lead, with Cathal Malone particularly impressive. David Reidy’s accuracy from frees meant they led at the end of the first quarter, 0-8 to 0-7, Cork relying on Mark Coleman’s long-range shooting.

Good work by Shane Meehan set up Mark Rodgers for a Clare goal on 21 minutes, making it 1-9 to 0-9, but then Cork took over. 

Sparked by a fine Tim O’Mahony goal on 26 minutes, the home side hit 1-10 without reply in the last ten minutes of the half to lead 1-19 to 1-9 at the break.

Clare needed a good start to the second half but Kingston and Darragh Fitzgibbon hit points to stretch Cork’s lead even further. 

Reidy and Rodgers kept the scoreboard ticking over but Clare were unable to narrow the gap significantly - at the three quarter stage it was 1-24 to 1-12 - and Cork ran out comfortable winners, with both sides emptying their benches to get game time into panellists.

Cork’s late goal from sub Luke Meade underlined their superiority on the night, with sub Domnall McMahon getting a very late consolation goal for the Banner.

Scorers for Cork: M. Coleman (3 frees, 0-5); S. Kingston (1 65, 5 frees, 0-9); S. Barrett (0-3); T. O'Mahony (1-0); D. Fitzgibbon (0-4); C. Joyce (0-3); L. Meade (1-0); S. Harnedy (0-2), C. Lehane, A. Cadogan, P. Power, R. Downey (0-1 each).

Scorers for Clare: M. Rodgers (3 frees, 1-5); C. Malone (0-5); D. Reidy (frees, 0-3); D. McMahon (1-0) P. Crotty, R. Taylor, D. Ryan (0-2 each); S. Meehan, P. Donnellan (0-1 each).

CORK: P Collins; N O’Leary, G Millerick, S O’Donoghue; T O’Mahony, M Coleman (c), R Downey; C Joyce, D Fitzgibbon; C Lehane, S Harnedy, S Twomey; S Kingston, A Cadogan, S Barrett.

Subs: C. Cahalane for Twomey (42); J. O’Connor for Lehane (52); P, Power for Cadogan (inj, 55); L. Meade for Harnedy (60); R. O’Flynn for Barrett (65); S. O’Leary Hayes for O’Leary (blood68).

CLARE: E. Quilligan; R Hayes, C Cleary, P Flanagan; D Ryan, A Fitzgerald, D McInerney; J Browne, S Meehan; C Malone (c), D Reidy, R Mounsey; M Rodgers, R Taylor, A Shanagher.

Subs: P. Crotty for Mounsey (40); D. McMahon for Shanagher, D. Fitzgerald for Reidy and P. Donnellan for McInerney (all 55) 

Referee: J. Murphy (Limerick).