Clare and Cork share spoils in Munster U20 clash

Both sides will take positives from the hard-fought encounter at Quilty. 

Cork's Danny Miskella celebrates his goal during the Munster U20 Football match against Clare at Quilty. Picture: Eamon Ward

Clare: 1-10 (1-2-6) Cork: 1-10 (1-0-10) 

There was nothing to separate Clare and Cork as the sides shared the spoils in the Dalata Hotel Group Munster U20 Football Championship Phase 2 Round 1 clash at Quilty on Thursday evening.

The Rebels, under new manager Ray Keane, will probably be satisfied with a point from a game in which they never fully hit their stride. Given the tricky weather conditions, Cork will still take plenty of positives, and it could prove a valuable point when the group stage concludes.

The sides were level at the break, though the Leesiders had trailed by two at one stage after conceding a goal against the run of play. They looked in trouble again late on until impressive wing-back Seán O’Leary levelled matters.

Senior star Dara Sheedy and Danny Miskella were Cork’s main scoring threats, but the management team will want greater contributions from the rest of the forward line in the coming weeks.

Kerry visit SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh next Thursday, and Cork will need to improve for that test.

This was Clare's fourth competitive game having come through Phase 1 and they will be a tad disappointed having been in promising positions at different times.

The crossfield wind caused problems for both teams early on. Clare opened the scoring through a Seán Fennell free. A moment of magic from Sheedy saw him fist over after a strong run, as turnovers and wides dominated the early exchanges.

Sheedy added another point — a chance that could easily have been a goal had he kept his shot down — after a neat pass from Rickey Barrett, making it 0-2 to 0-1 after 11 minutes.

Scores were scarce in the first half. The sides traded points before Evan Cahill found the net for Clare, allowed to run through unchallenged before finishing confidently with 10 minutes left in the half.

Cork struggled to break down a teak tough Clare defence, though Miskella converted a free and Sheedy levelled approaching the short whistle. Miskella nudged Cork ahead briefly, but Daire Culligan replied with an excellent effort to leave the teams tied at 0-6 to 1-3 at half-time.

Cork started the second half positively despite the awkward wind. O’Leary split the posts, and the Rebels enjoyed most of the possession without inflicting major damage. Diarmuid McMahon levelled for Clare before Miskella struck for Cork, finishing superbly into the bottom corner to make it 1-7 to 1-4 after 37 minutes.

Captain Darragh Clifford pushed Keane’s side four clear, but a two-point Fennell free kept Clare firmly in touch, backed by a small but vocal home crowd.

The teams exchanged points as Cork led 1-9 to 1-7 with 18 minutes remaining. A brilliant two-pointer from Fennell brought Clare level — a reward for their persistence. Cork needed leaders as their spark faded, but Clare had the momentum, and Ruben Fallon nudged them ahead with four minutes left.

O’Leary responded for Cork as the game ticked into added time, both sides searching for a winner. Clare looked the more likely, but no hero emerged.

Honours even.

Scorers for Clare: S Fennell 0-6 (1 2pt f, 1 2pt, 0-2 f), E Cahill 1-0, D Culligan 0-2 (0-1 f), R Fallon, D McMahon 0-1 each.

Cork: D Miskella 1-3 (0-2 f), D Sheedy 0-4, S O’Leary 0-2, D Clifford 0-1.

CLARE: H O’Gorman (Cooraclare); A Weaver (Lissycasey), S Murphy (St Joseph’s Milltown Malbay), A Killeen (Lissycasey); D Brody (Ennistymon), D Boyle (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield), M Kelly (Lissycasey); E Cahill (Kilmurry Ibrickane), S Fennell (Kilrush Shamrocks); D Townsend (Cooraclare), C Breen (Corofin), D O’Dwyer (St Breckan’s); D McMahon (Lissycasey), D Culligan (Lissycasey, capt), R Fallon (Kilmurry Ibrickane).

Subs: C Hill (Lissycasey) for C Breen (56).

CORK: B Curtin (Valley Rovers); F Hurley (O’Donovan Rossa), P Rose (Ballincollig), M Ahern (St Finbarr’s); S O’Leary (Kilmurry), C McCarthy (St Colum’s), O Foley (Bishopstown); D Clifford (Éire Óg, capt), S Connolly (Ilen Rovers); M O’Brien (Ballinora), D Sheedy (Bantry Blues), G Holland (Bishopstown); S Coakley (Douglas), R Barrett (St Finbarr’s), D Miskella (Ballincollig).

Subs: L Shorten (Tadhg MacCarthaigh) for S Coakley (48), T Kiely (Mallow) for S Connolly (51).

Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick).