Three red cards as Cork hammer Clare with six-goal haul

The Rebels laid down a marker against the Banner in Ennis.

FRIENDS REUNITED:  Declan Dalton of Cork and Adam Hogan of Clare clash. Pic: INPHO/James Lawlor

Clare 0-23 Cork 6-20 

Green flags all over, a flash of red cards. Brunches on Abbey Street bridge. Both stands full, Ray-Bans at the ready in the Northern Terrace. Brian Hayes and Conor Cleary wrestling at the edge of the square. Finally, the first signs of summer at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg.

Declan Dalton led the way with 2-6 as Cork secured an emphatic 15-point win over Clare. It was a ferocious contest with three red cards in total.

The Ennis venue was already simmering nicely before Shane Barrett roared away from Ryan Taylor and buried the ball in the net after just nine minutes. Their first goal came after a fluffed Patrick Horgan shot but their second was pure, strategic excellence. Darragh Fitzgibbon’s perfect delivery gave Brian Hayes the platform, he fed Declan Dalton and the Fr O’Neill’s man rifled past Eibhear Quilligan.

Cork led 3-9 to 0-9 at the interval after a feisty half that included eight bookings, five of them for Clare. On the 27th minute mark, Brian Hayes produced a third green flag. Again, the issue for Clare stemmed from further out the field. Shane Barrett picked out Tim O’Mahony who had time to look up and pick a pass. That move ended with a batted finish.

Referee Liam Gordon had his hands full. There were flashpoints all over the field. Tommy O’Connell required a new jersey after a dust-up with Sean Rynne. At one point, he was booking Patrick Horgan and Adam Hogan at one end and another row broke out at the other.

Clare had nine points from 14 shots, four Aidan McCarthy frees helping that total. Brian Lohan responded by bringing on Peter Duggan for the second half and he immediately won a tap-over free for McCarthy. Eoin Downey fouled the 2018 All-Star again shortly after and was booked.

Cork hit back with their fourth goal in 40 minutes. Brian Roche teed up Hayes who went high to beat an exasperated Quilligan. Clare’s struggles were encapsulated in the next goal concession. Duggan earned four converted frees after coming on. Finally, Cork had readied replacement Damien Cahalane to replace Downey. They needed a stoppage. Tony Kelly tried a shot instead of hitting Duggan on the square, it dropped short. Brion Saunderson went long and Dalton hit the double.

Duggan was later sent to the stand for an over-zealous tackle on Saunderson. The Cork keeper was temporarily replaced by Patrick Collins. Clare took issue with the call, Lohan later labelling it “harmless”.

Hayes claimed a hat-trick as he flicked on another long Saunderson ball before he was replaced. An off-the-ball clash between Cormac O’Brien and David Fitzgerald saw Gordon flash another two red cards in the closing minutes.

Scorers for Clare: A. McCarthy 0-12 (11 frees, 1 65); S. Rynne, T. Kelly 0-2 each; A. Shanagher, J. O’Neill, R. Taylor, M. Rodgers, D. Fitzgerald, R. Mounsey, S. Meehan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cork: D. Dalton 2-6 (0-2 frees); B. Hayes 3-1; S. Barrett 1-4, E. Twomey, P. Horgan (frees) -3 each; B. Roche 0-2, S. O’Donoghue 0-1.

Clare: E. Quilligan; A. Hogan, C. Leen, C. Cleary; D. McInerney, C. Malone, J. Conlon; R. Taylor, D. Lohan; D. Fitzgerald, R. Kelly, S. Rynne; A. McCarthy, M. Rodgers, J. O’Neill.

Subs: R. Hayes for Lohan (21-22, temp), P. Duggan for McInerney (half-time); R. Hayes for Cleary (43), A. Shanagher for Rynne (48), R. Mounsey for O’Neill (54), S. Meehan for Rodgers (66).

Red card: P. Duggan (51), D. Fitzgerald (70).

Cork: B. Saunderson; N. O’Leary, E. Downey, S. O’Donoghue; T. O’Connell, R. Downey, C. O’Brien; E. Twomey, T. O’Mahony; B. Roche, D. Fitzgibbon, S. Barrett; P. Horgan, D. Dalton, B. Hayes.

Subs: L. Meade for Barrett (21-22, temp), M. Mullins for O’Connell (half-time), D. Cahalane for Downey (48), ), P. Collins for Saunderson (53-59, Temp), J. Cahalane for Barrett, J. O’Connor for Hayes (both 54), D. Hogan for Roche (64).

Red card: C. O’Brien (70).

Referee: L. Gordon (Galway).