Late Stritch goal proves the difference as Clare pip regretful Cork to reach U20 Munster decider

Cork U20 hurling manager Noel Furlong on the line for the oneills.com Munster U20 Hurling Championship match against Clare. Pic: Dan Linehan

Munster U20 HC semi-final: Clare 2-15 Cork 0-20 

If Cork were fortunate to come away from Sixmilebridge with a draw on the opening night of the Munster U20 championship, then Clare were more fortunate again to come away from this Leeside second instalment with semi-final success.

Diarmuid Stritch’s 59th minute winning goal moved the visitors in front for only the third time in this fine contest. 

Their two previous occasions enjoying pole position lasted for a combined total of three minutes. This was a contest where Clare played second fiddle and shot wides. There were 14 of the latter in total.

Barry Walsh’s sixth free, on 50 minutes, had Cork sitting 0-20 to 1-13 in front. 

After Clare’s brisk three-in-a-row at the beginning of the second period to briefly assume the lead, Cork had replied by outgunning their guests 0-7 to 0-2. 

Control and momentum were theirs.

But then the wheels came loose and the radar malfunctioned. Cork had registered just one wide in the opening 53 minutes. They squeezed six of them into the closing 11 minutes. They went scoreless for the closing 14 minutes.

All the moments, little and big, began to go against them. 

Eoin Guinane was penalised for an alleged throw. Denis Cashman was penalised for allegedly holding Stritch. Fred Hegarty and Harry Doherty converted both frees to halve the deficit. 0-20 to 1-15.

Stritch’s subsequent goal wiped out the deficit altogether. Credit to them for always believing. Credit to Michael Collins for his calm off-load to Stritch for the decisive score.

Cork’s last six point attempts going either side of the posts is only one half of their story of regret. The other half is nine goal attempts not taken. 

Four in the first-half, five in the second.

Cork led 0-13 to 1-8 at the break. A most open and enjoyable first-half where the respective forward units feasted on the first-time deliveries fed into them. 

There was, to the enhancement of the spectacle, very little hanging about with possession in the middle third. And yet for all that, the chief conversation point at half-time was the scores left behind.

Clare struck 15 wides when these two met on the opening night at Sixmilebridge. That wastefulness stalked them here too. They had six wides hit in the opening 16 minutes and nine by half-time. There were two more short. 

There were also three goal opportunities denied by Cork ‘keeper Daniel O’Connell - a superb double-save - and full-back James O’Brien.

There one successful green flag opening, fashioned by Stritch and finished by Boyce on 23 minutes, brought the visitors within the minimum. 

Jack O’Neill’s second point brought them level, 1-8 to 0-11, a minute later.

The requirement for this early expending of energy to simply haul themselves level stemmed from a combination of early Cork accuracy, early Clare inaccuracy, and the former’s domination of the latter’s puckout. 

Of Clare’s first seven puckouts that went long, only one was retained.

Within that sprightly Cork start was a six-in-a-row from Barry Walsh (65 and free), Barry O’Flynn, Finn O’Brien, Ben Walsh, and John Murphy to propel them 0-8 to 0-3 in front on 15 minutes. 

It was the first of three occasions where the advantage enjoyed by Noel Furlong’s charges stretched to five in that opening half.

It was an advantage they’ll have rued was not wider. Where Clare were one from four with their opening half goal conversion rate, Cork were zero from four.

Adam O’Sullivan had his shot blocked by Joe Casey, Finn O’Brien had his shot blocked by Eoin McMahon seconds later. Goalkeeper Mark Sheedy was equal to O’Brien’s second goal shot, while it was the crossbar denying Adam O’Sullivan’s flick.

Of the five that came after the change of ends, the standout was Sheedy’s stunning save to deny O’Brien. After being the highest goal-scorers in the round-robin with seven green flags, Furlong’s side drew a blank here.

Cork will nurse regrets, Clare will prepare for a Munster final next Wednesday against reigning champions Tipperary.

Scorers for Clare: F Hegarty (0-7, 0-7 frees); S Boyce, D Stritch (1-1 each); J O’Neill (0-3); R Kilroy, D Costelloe, H Doherty (free, 0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: Barry Walsh (0-9, 0-6 frees, 0-3 65s); B O’Flynn, A O’Sullivan (0-3 each); D O’Connell (free), Ben Walsh, F O’Brien, J Murphy (Mallow), O Fitzgerald (0-1 each).

CORK: D O’Connell (Dromina); D Cashman (Bride Rovers), J O’Brien (Fermoy), D O’Leary (Ballincollig); Ben Walsh (Killeagh), E Guinane (Valley Rovers), T Wilk (Cobh); P O’Shea (Erin’s Own), Ó Fitzgerald (St Catherine’s); J Murphy (Mallow), A O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), R Deasy (Ballymartle); B O’Flynn (Sarsfields), Barry Walsh (Killeagh), F O’Brien (Erin’s Own).

SUBS: J Wigginton Barrett (St Finbarr’s) for O’Shea (43); J Murphy (Dromina) for O’Sullivan (52); D McCarthy (Killeagh) for Fitzgerald (57); M O’Brien (Douglas) for Deasy (62).

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

SUBS: L Crotty (Scariff) for Organ (43); F Treacy (Éire Óg) for Boyce (50); F Ó Bhroin (Sixmilebridge) for Casey (51); H Doherty (Clarecastle) for F Hegarty, R Loftus (Éire Óg) for McMahon (56).

REFEREE: N O’Toole (Waterford).

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