Sport

Cork show their class

Munster Under-21 HC Cork 1-17 Clare 1-11 Cork powered their way into the Munster under-21 hurling final with a six-point win…

Thu Jul 14 2005 - 01:00

Munster Under-21 HCCork 1-17 Clare 1-11 Cork powered their way into the Munster under-21 hurling final with a six-point win over Clare at Thurles last night.

Despite a slow start, Cork's victory was never in doubt. Their slicker forward play was the big difference between the sides as Clare wasted several good chances.

They were also twice denied goals by smart saves from Cork goalkeeper Anthony Nash.

Clare's brisk start yielded three points without reply in six minutes, but once Cork settled they showed their class, drawing level at 0-5 each by the 19th minute.

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At half-time they led 0-9 to 0-7.

The decisive score came in the ninth minute of the second half. Cork had extended their lead by three points when Maurice O'Sullivan punished a defensive slip with a Cork goal that gave them a commanding 1-12 to 0-7 lead.

Clare kept battling away, but their goal from Paudie Collins two minutes into injury-time came too late to make a difference.

It was an impressive showing by Cork for whom Anthony Fitzgerald, Kevin Hartnett, Michael Naughton, Ronan Conway and Maurice O'Sullivan shone. Clare's best performances came from Patrick Donnellan, Brian O'Connell, Jonathan Clancy and Killian Neylon.

CORK: A Nash; P Fitzgerald, D McSweeney, E O'Sullivan; S O'Neill, K Hartnett, S Cronin; PJ Copps, M Naughton (0-5); S O'Sullivan (0-1), K Canty, R Conway (0-4); M O'Sullivan (1-4), B Barry, D Dorris (0-2). Subs: J Bowles (0-1) for Canty, D Cunningham for Cronin, A Ryan for S O'Sullivan, D Cronin for Barry, G Loughlin for Copps.

CLARE: K Devitt; A Brigdale, E Collins, B Buggler; P Donnellan (0-2), B O'Connell, D Clancy; P Collins (1-1), S O'Brien; J Clancy (0-1), C McNamara (0-1), A Browne (0-1); J Cusack, C Crowe (0-1), K Neylon (0-4). Subs: R Keane for Browne, M Liddane for Brigdale, T Kearse for Cusack, J McInerney for Keane, C Sexton for Crowe.

Referee: J McDonnell (Tipperary).

OFFALY (MF v Laois, Leinster final, Croke Park, Sunday): D Bracken; K Higgins, D Larkin, D Horan; J Knight, R Dalton, G Grehan; C Mahon, R Connor; N Darby, P Duffy, J Gorman; W Mulhall, K Flannery, K Casey.