*Photograph; Martin Connolly
Cork picked up their first win of 2019 Allianz National Hurling League at the expense of an underwhelming Clare side.
Cork 1-20
Clare 0-20
Venue: Páirc Uí Rinn
Although the better team in the opening half, Clare found themselves level pegging at the interval which would have rang alarm bells in their dressing room.
Leading by three after twenty one minutes, the concession of a soft Seamus Harnedy goal evaporated Clare’s momentum.
Points from Peter Duggan and Diarmuid Ryan followed but Cork’s scorer in chief kept his side’s account active to leave it all square at half time.
Cork would outscore Clare 0-14 to 0-11 in the second half as major indiscipline in the Banner defence gifted Patrick Horgan free after free to convert.
Apart from David Fitzgerald, Clare’s backline had their difficulties, on each occasion they were ran at the tendency was to concede a free which must be rectified come championship time.
Tony Kelly’s return and accuracy was a positive outcome as was the form of Ian Galvin, both scored six and four points respectively. As it stands, Clare have lost two of three game in the League, the fault lines have been identified, the task now is to fix them.
Scorers for Cork: Patrick Horgan 0-16 (0-15f), Seamus Harnedy 1-1, Tim O’Mahony, Daniel Kearney, Jamie Coughlan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Clare: Tony Kelly 0-6, Peter Duggan (0-3f, 0-1 ’65), Ian Galvin, John Conlon 0-4 each, Diarmuid Ryan 0-2.
Cork
1. Anthony Nash (Kanturk)
2. Sean O’ Donoghue (Inniscarria)
3. Damien Cahalane (St. Finbarrs)
4. Stephen McDonnell (Glen Rovers)
5. Christopher Joyce (Na Piarsaigh)
6. Tim O’ Mahony (Newtownshandrum)
7. David Griffin (Carrigaline)
8. Cormac Murphy (Mallow)
9. Bill Cooper (Youghal)
10. Daniel Kearney (Sarsfields)
11. Seamus Harnedy (St Itas) – captain
12. Conor Lehane (Midleton)
13. Jamie Coughlan (Newtownshandrum)
14. Aidan Walsh (Kanturk)
15. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers)
Subs: 23. Luke Meade (Newcestown) for Murphy (48)
18. Darren Browne (Kanturk) for Griffin (60)
26. Alan Cadogan (Douglas) for Coughlan (60)
Clare
1. Keith Hogan (Clooney-Quin)
2. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)
3. David McInerney (Tulla)
4. Jack Browne (Ballyea)
5. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
6. Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown)
7. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona)
8. Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge)
9. Colm Galvin (Clonlara)
10. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin)
11. Tony Kelly (Ballyea) — captain
12. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
13. Ian Galvin (Clonlara)
14. John Conlon (Clonlara)
15. Podge Collins (Cratloe)
Subs:
21. Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin) for Golden (53)
22. Colin Guilfoyle (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for Duggan (61)
25. Mikey O’Neill (Kilmaley) for Collins (63)
18. Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Fitzgerald (65)
Referee: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary)