Late Clare winner downs Cork and keeps Banner in frame for Sam Maguire
WINNING SMILE: Darren O'Neill of Clare, behind, and Colm O'Callaghan of Cork, 8, tussle during the Munster GAA Football Senior Championship Quarter-Final match between Clare and Cork at Cusack Park. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
A second half resurrection by Clare delivered the Banner a first championship win over Cork in 26 years, but far more importantly, it keeps Colm Collins’ side in the frame for Sam Maguire involvement later in the summer.
Playing into the elements in the second period and trailing 0-9 to 0-5 on 41 minutes after a quickfire Cork three-in-a-row from Steven Sherlock (0-2) and Sean Powter, Clare transformed themselves from the side that were so one-dimensional and so blunt up front during a torrid opening half.
Eoin Cleary (0-2, one free), Keelan Sexton, and Emmet McMahon drove the Banner rising and response to tie matters at 0-9 apiece as the crowd of 3,661 geared up for a gripping final quarter.
Proceedings stood level on four further occasions. Indeed, we looked set for extra-time when Cork corner-back Kevin O’Donovan restored parity in the fourth minute of second half stoppages.
But there was time for one more play. Clare half-back Ciaran Russell hared up the stand sideline with no red shirt able to lay a glove on him. Possession was transferred to the unmarked Cillian Rouine, the corner-back fisting the winner to secure the hosts a Munster semi-final against Limerick in a fortnight.
For Cork, there will be plenty of regrets.
Four points from play in total was a desperate return. The injured Brian Hurley was sorely missed. Powter and Mattie Taylor, two of Cork's outstanding League players, were shadowed pretty much into submission. Restarts were a definite problem in the second period.
Cork will now spend the next couple of weeks closely watching results in Leinster and Ulster for if two teams ranked below them in the League secure final involvement, their place in the Sam Maguire is in trouble.
The opening half here consisted of only one act - and it was to be more endured than enjoyed.
Cork took out an early mortgage on possession. Clare, in response, took to pitching their tent inside their own 45-metre line, all bar full-forward Keelan Sexton tasked with hammering pins in the ground and making sure Cork did not pull them up.
The visitors, tasked with breaching this structured and organised Clare cover, ferried possession back and forth across the 45-metre line.
Patience was a virtue - for those in red and those watching on.
When eventually a Cork footballer would seek to squeeze through a gap, typically Ruairi Deane, one of two outcomes would materialise. Either Ian Maguire would be fouled - the Cork midfielder was fouled just outside the 20-metre line for three of Steven Sherlock’s five converted first half frees - or Clare turned over possession.
In a first half of zero suspense and far too much predictability, there was also only one of two outcomes to Clare breaking. Keelan Sexton raised a pair of white flags after the first two turnovers by Sean Powter and Brian O’Driscoll, but thereafter, Clare’s finishing product lacked for quality.
Jamie Malone and Cathal O’Connor were guilty of poor decision-making and even poorer shooting. And when Emmmet McMahon sent wide a run of the mill free on 27 minutes, Banner manager Colm Collins could be seen scratching his head in pure frustration.
Rory Maguire kicked Cork’s first and last first half point from play on 26 minutes. It moved Cleary’s men 0-5 to 0-3 in front. Podge Collins brought the hosts back within one, before Sherlock’s latest free reopened a two-point gap.
The half finished with Eoin Cleary and Keelan Sexton wides, neatly capturing an opening 36 minutes where Clare’s scant offering up front meant they were unable to make use of the elements in their favour.
What was to come after was no relation to what had come before.
E Cleary (0-2 frees), K Sexton (0-4 each); E McMahon (0-2 each); P Collins, J Malone, G Cooney, C Rouine (0-1 each)
S Sherlock (0-10, 0-7 frees, 0-1 ‘45); R Maguire, S Powter, K O’Donovan (0-1 each).
S Ryan; M Doherty, C Brennan, C Rouine; C Russell, J Malone, D Walsh; C O’Connor, D Bohannon; P Lillis, E McMahon, D Coughlan; E Cleary, K Sexton, P Collins.
D O’Neill for O’Connor (half-time); G Cooney for Coughlan (50); M McInerney for McMahon (68); A Sweeney for Collins (73).
MA Martin; K O’Donovan, D O’Mahony, T Walsh; L Fahy, R Maguire, M Taylor; C O’Callaghan, I Maguire; E McSweeney, S Powter, B O’Driscoll; R Deane, S Sherlock, C Óg Jones.
K O’Hanlon for McSweeney (49); C Corbett for Jones (57); J O’Rourke for O’Driscoll, C Kiely for Fahy (both 68).
F Kelly (Longford).
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