GAELIC GAMES McGRATH CUP: Cork 2-14 Clare 0-7:COLM O'NEILL marked his return to the Cork football set-up by scoring both goals in a routine McGrath Cup quarter-final win over Clare at Páirc Uí Rinn.

The star forward hadn’t played since suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in a league game against Galway last March, but finished yesterday with an impressive 2-4 as Cork booked a semi-final spot with Cork IT.

O’Neill fisted in the first goal after 25 minutes for a 1-5 to 0-3 interval lead and added a second with a stunning right-footed effort eight minutes from the end. Substitute Paul Kerrigan picked him out with a brilliant pass and O’Neill’s finish flew high into the net.

Clare found themselves 1-5 to 0-1 down before scoring three unanswered points either side of the break, Ger Brennan completing the set with a good score.

But Cork regained control by claiming the next three points, including two from O’Neill, who later landed a 45 before Brennan kicked Clare’s final point in the 60th minute.

O’Neill’s second goal moved Cork 2-11 to 0-7 in front and they embellished the scoreline with three late points.

CORK:K O'Halloran; E Cotter, R Carey, K Harrington. C O'Driscoll (0-1), G Canty (capt), A O'Reilly, J Fitzpatrick, A O'Connor (0-1), F Lynch (0-2), F Goold, L Shorten (0-3); K O'Sullivan (0-1), S Cahalane (0-1), C O'Neill (2-4, 0-1 free, 0-1 45). Subs: P O'Neill (0-1) for Fitzpatrick (38 mins), S Kiely for Goold (50 mins), P Kerrigan for (O'Sullivan), M O'Laoire for Lynch (55 mins), M Shields for O'Connor (57 mins).

CLARE:J Hayes; D Hickey, S McNelis, M McMahon, D Blake, G Kelly, S Tierney, G Quinlan (0-1), D Russell (0-1), D Daly, R Donnelly, A Clohessy, M O'Shea (0-2, both frees), G Brennan (0-3), E Troy. Subs: P Collins for Blake (inj 19 mins), D Murphy for Daly (29 mins), T Ryan for Troy (h-t), S O'Driscoll for Russell (55 mins), D O'Neill for Quinlan (57 mins).

Referee: M Condon (Waterford).