Three see red as Cork and Clare U20s play out stalemate

Clare had led by three points at the break but the margin did not reflect their superiority. 

Ben Walsh, Cork goes crashing to the ground after a clash with Clare players Eoin McMahon an dJamie Moylan in the oneills.com Munster U20 Hurling Championship at Sixmilebridge, Co Clare. Picture Dan Linehan

Munster U20 Hurling Championship: Cork 1-16 Clare 1-16 

Stalemate in Sixmilebridge. Cork much the happier with that outcome. Cork the more fortunate with that outcome.

Clare’s ill-discipline and inaccuracy went unchallenged for so long as the defining factors in this Munster U20 round-robin opener.

When Clare freetaker Fred Hegarty was dismissed on a straight red card 43 minutes in following a high challenge on Cork full-back James O’Brien, the hosts were already after clocking seven second-half wides. Included in that were two goal chances not taken by Jamie Moylan and Michael Collins. Indeed, it wasn’t until four minutes after Hegarty’s sending off that the Banner opened their second-half account.

And yet for all that, it appeared at the finish as if Cork’s late burst of ill-discipline would be the defining factor. Half-back Ben Walsh walked for a needless second yellow on 58 minutes. Full-forward Barry O’Flynn was shown red three minutes into injury-time for his challenge on Diarmuid Stritch. 13 versus 14 now.

The final nail was sub Ross O’Sullivan pucking away the sliotar when Clare had won a sideline in the fourth and final minute of injury-time. Referee Alan Tierney raised his hand for a winning Clare free. Sub James Organ, though, drilled right and wide. Clare’s 15th wide of the night.

Clare returned to the dressing-room 1-11 to 1-8 in front at the break. The three-point gap did not reflect their superiority. That was their own failing. The hosts registered five wides inside seven minutes. And while they didn’t have another off-target effort in the ensuing 20 minutes, that sixth miss could have been a green flag.

Diarmuid Stritch’s direct running created the chance, Michael Collins’ shot turned off the line by centre-back Cillian O’Callaghan. Fred Hegarty’s subsequent inaccuracy from the ‘65 meant Clare didn’t even mine a white flag from the play.

Stritch was a source of deep enterprise throughout the opening half. He repeatedly cut through the centre. Along with a pair of first half points, it was his burst and pass that teed up Seán Boyce for the opening goal. The latter already had two points to his name before that 10th minute green flag.

Timmy Wilk, Cork winning this ball from James Hegarty, Clare in the oneills.com Munster U20 Hurling Championship at Sixmilebridge, Co Clare. Picture Dan Linehan

Cork’s last line of defence were in trouble for the dominance of Clare further out the field. Cork’s inside line were starved for the same Clare dominance in the middle third. Full-forward O’Flynn was hardly fed, while corner-forward Mark O’Brien had only two deliveries sent into his left corner across the opening 30-plus minutes.

The Banner’s first-half lead reached its healthiest on 22 minutes after Stritch’s opener put them 1-8 to 0-6 ahead. That Cork had the gap reduced to a score by half-time owed largely to John Wigginton Barrett’s 25th minute out-of-nothing goal.

Wigginton Barrett produced plenty off modest involvement in that opening half. He was fouled for Barry Walsh’s opening converted free. He struck the visitors’ first from play on 11 minutes. And later, of course, the goal.

Barry Walsh was the other Cork forward of prominence. His first half tally included four frees, one from play and one from a 65. With just two wides and two more dropped short, Cork, unlike their opponents, were leaving very little after them.

The same two Cork forwards continued to drive the line in the second period. Walsh added six frees. He had only one wide throughout. A beauty off the hurl from Wigginton Barrett brought Noel Furlong’s side level on 57 minutes. The first time they stood level since the fourth minute.

Jack O’Neill returned Clare in front. It was just the fifth score from play of the second half on either side. Walsh levelled, the free won by the soon-to-be-dismissed O’Flynn. Cork never led. They'd only three scorers. They’ll not care for either. They're glad of the point. They welcome Tipp to Páirc Uí Chaoimh next Wednesday. Clare are on the road to Waterford.

Scorers for Clare: S Boyce (1-2); F Hegarty (0-5, 0-5 frees); D Stritch (0-4); J Hegarty (free), E McMahon, R Kilroy, J O’Neill, J Organ (free, 0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: B Walsh (0-12, 0-10 frees, 0-1 ‘65); J Wigginton Barrett (1-3); M O’Brien (0-1).

CLARE: M Sheedy (Sixmilebridge); E Gunning (Broadford), J Cahill (Clooney-Quin), F Treacy (Éire Óg); J Casey (Kilmaley), J Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), E McMahon (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield); J Moylan (Cratloe), M O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge); R Kilroy (Banner), J O’Neill (Clooney-Quin), F Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona); S Boyce (O’Callaghan’s Mills), M Collins (Clonlara), D Stritch (Clonlara).

SUBS: D Fox (Clooney-Quin) for Moylan (48); J Organ (Corofin) for Collins (50); R Keane (Kilanena) for O’Halloran (54); R Loftus (Éire Óg) for Treacy (56).

CORK: D O’Connell (Dromina); D Cashman (Bride Rovers), J O’Brien (Fermoy), E Guinane (Valley Rovers); Ben Walsh (Killeagh), C O’Callaghan (Dungourney), D Murnane (Carrigtwohill); T Wilk (Cobh), R Deasy (Ballymartle); J Murphy (Mallow), Barry Walsh (Killeagh), J Murphy (Dromina); J Wigginton Barrett (St Finbarr’s), B O’Flynn (Sarsfields), M O’Brien (Douglas).

SUBS: P O’Shea (Erin’s Own) for J Murphy (Dromina) (HT); Z Biggane (Charleville) for Murnane (38); O Fitzgerald (St Catherine’s) for Wilk (43); R O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) for O’Brien (44); M Barrett (Carrigtwohill) for Deasy (54).

REFEREE: A Tierney (Tipperary).