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Electric Ireland Munster MHC Q-Final – Cork 3-15 Clare 2-14
Classy O’Callaghan finally helps end Cork’s dismal run
By Denis Hurley for the Irish Examiner newspaper
Cork 3-15 Clare 2-14
Cork finished strongly to overcome Clare in their Munster MHC quarter-final at Páirc Uí Rinn last night. While the sides were level with nine minutes of normal time left, four points from Pa O’Callaghan and one from Anthony Spillane, only answered by a Bobby Duggan free for Clare, gave the hosts victory by four points. It was a first win in the grade for Cork against somebody other than Kerry since 2010, and manager Pat Kenneally did not attempt to downplay the significance of their success. “It wasn’t pretty by any means, but there was nobody interested in performance tonight, it was just about getting this monkey off our backs and we succeeded in doing that,” he said. “There was a lot of pressure, whether we liked it or not, mounting around us and this was important, there was no doubt about that. “It wasn’t pleasant at half time [at which stage they trailed by three points], we were a trifle rude to a couple of players, but to eke it out in the end tells you something about the heart of the squad.”
Cork got off to a flyer, as early points from Trevor Horgan and Kevin O’Neill were followed by the winning of a penalty, corner-forward Aaron Ward fouled in trying to gather the rebound after O’Callaghan had a shot blocked on the line by Clare corner-back Niall Bolton. Though O’Callaghan did not catch the penalty perfectly, it still went in off a Clare hurley, and things got even better for the hosts moments later as Peter Kelleher found Spillane, who found space well and fired home for a 2-2 to nil lead. The rest of the first half was all Clare’s, however. A goal from Duggan — who finished with 2-8 — got them back in contention immediately, the talented corner-forward adding two points among a raft of scores before being fouled for a penalty after David Begley had picked him out with a perfect pass. Duggan drilled to the net for a 2-4 to 2-3 lead, and though the introduction of Mark O’Connor gave Cork a bit more impetus in the half-forward line, they continued to struggle at half-back and Begley and Ian Galvin both scored further Clare points as they led by 2-8 to 2-5 at the interval.
That deficit was blitzed in quick fashion by Cork at the start of the second half, however, O’Callaghan pointing before poking the loose ball to the net after Spillane had an effort half-blocked in the 32nd minute, making it 3-6 to 2-8. Duggan’s frees ensured that Clare never allowed their opponents to kick on fully, but Kelleher, who had relocated to midfield after O’Connor came on, was linking well with Michael Cahalane at midfield and he sent over two storming points while Horgan got his third of the game. It was nip and tuck during the middle of the second half, but Cork had pushed two clear, 3-10 to 2-12, when Clare won a second penalty on 49 minutes as sub Alex Morey was fouled. This time, Duggan’s shot was kept out by Cork captain Cathal Cormack, and though he converted the 65, O’Callaghan took control in the closing stages to ensure the win for Cork.
The Rebels could play Clare again if the latter overcome Waterford in next week’s losers’ play-off but Kenneally is not too concerned. “We have a break now until the end of June, but it’s a break we haven’t had for a while,” added Kenneally.
Scorers for Cork: P O’Callaghan 2-6 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), A Spillane 1-1, T Horgan 0-3, P Kelleher, K O’Neill 0-2 each, M O’Connor 0-1.
Scorers for Clare: B Duggan 2-8 (1-0pen, 0-5f, 0-1 65), I Galvin, D Begley 0-2 each, E Tuohy (1f), C Downey 0-1 each.
CORK: P Collins; S O’Brien, K O’Connor, K Histon; M O’Keeffe, C Twomey, C Cormack; M Cahalane, R Cahalane; P Kelleher, K O’Neill, T Horgan; A Ward, P O’Callaghan, A Spillane.
Subs: M O’Connor for O’Keeffe (24), S Hayes for Ward (45), S Burke for Hayes (59)
CLARE: L Corbett; S O’Leary, D McCarthy, N Bolton; A McGuane, E Tuohy, S Gleeson; D Conroy, C Downey; B Duggan, I Galvin, S Ward; C Deasy, D Begley, C Moloney.
Subs: A Morey for Galvin (47), M Lynch for Moloney (56), O Donnellan for Conroy (60)
Referee: J O’Brien (Tipperary)
Team News
CLARE (MH v Cork): L Corbett (Corofin); S O’Leary (Cratloe), D McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona), N Bolton (Tulla); A McGuane (Kilmaley), E Tuohy (Feakle), S Gleeson (Cratloe); D Conroy (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield), C Downey (Clonlara); B Duggan (Clarecastle), I Galvin (Clonlara), S Ward (Clarecastle); C Deasy (Sixmilebridge), D Begley (Clonlara), C Moloney (Kilmaley).
The Cork Minor Hurling team to play Clare in Thursday night’s Electric Ireland Munster Quarter-Final at 7pm in Páirc Uí Rinn will line out as follows:
1. Patrick Collins Ballinhassig
2. Shane O Brien St. Catherine’s 3. Killian O’Connor Mallow 4. Kieran Histon Cobh
5. Mark O Keeffe Fr. O’Neill’s 6. Conor Twomey Newtownshandrum 7. Cathal Cormack Blackrock
8. Michael Cahalane Bandon 9. Rickard Cahalane Ballymartle
10. Peter Kelleher Kilmichael 11. Kevin O’Neill Watergrasshill 12. Trevor Horgan Newcestown
13. Aaron Ward Douglas 14. Pa O’Callaghan Ballyhea 15. Anthony Spillane Castlelyons
Captain: Cathal Cormack, Blackrock
Subs:
16. Michael Browne Ballyhea
17. Eddie Gunning Na Piarsaigh
18. Darren Quirke Midleton
19. David Noonan Glen Rovers
20. Conor Kelleher Sarsfields
21. Donal Hannon Newmarket
22. Mark O Connor Douglas
23. Sean Bourke Grenagh
24. Sean Hayes Mallow
Six of this year’s starting fifteen also started last year’s defeat to Clare: Patrick Collins, Killian O’Connor, Kevin O’Neill, Michael Cahalane, Anthony Spillane and Pa O’Callaghan, who was Cork’s top scorer in that game, with a total of 1-6. Rickard Cahalane and Trevor Horgan both came on as subs.
Also on the training panel:
Alan O’Callaghan (Blackrock)
Darragh O’Callaghan (Watergrasshill)
James O’Flynn (Erins Own)
Charlie O’Connor (Glen Rovers)
Dayne Lee (Na Piarsaigh)
Shane Mulcahy (Blarney)
Joe Logue (Blackrock)
Dylan Quinn (St. Finbarr’s)
For the Record
| Cork | Clare | |
| 2013 Team Management | Pat Kennelly (Newcestown – Manager) Timmy Kelleher (Erin’s Own), |
Eamon Fennessy (Manager) Selectors – |
| 2013 Team Captain | Cathal Cormack (Blackrock) | Aidan McGuane (Kilmaley) |
| 2012 Championship Performance | Lost to Limerick in the first round by 0-16 to 1-12 before defeating Kerry by 6-22 to 1-4.
Bowed out of the competition in the Losers Group Playoff Final at the hands of Clare on a scoreline of 0-18 to 1-9. |
Lost to Waterford after extra time in the first round. Victories over Cork and Limerick ensured a place in the Munster Final where Clare lost to Tipperary by 1-16 to 1-12. Defeated Down in the All-Ireland Quarter-Final before losing to Dublin by 4-14 to 2-17 in the Semi-Final. |
| Number of Munster Minor Hurling titles | 32 | 4 |
| Last Munster Minor Hurling Title | 2008 | 2011 |
| Munster Minor Hurling Championship Record since 2000 | Played – 40 Won – 25 Lost – 12 Drawn – 3 |
Played – 37 Won – 18 Lost – 18 Drawn – 1 |
| Last meeting in the Munster Minor Hurling Championship | May 10th 2012 at Cusack Park Ennis – Clare 0-18 Cork 1-9 – Bobby Duggan scored 10 points as Clare dominated the second half to dispatch Cork from the Munster Minor Hurling Championship. | |
MUNSTER GAA HURLING MINOR CHAMPIONSHIP 2013
First Round
Thursday April 11th
@ Pairc Ui Rinn Cork v Clare @ 7:00pm
@ Walsh Park Waterford Waterford v Tipperary @ 7:00pm
Semi-Final Play-off
Wednesday April 17th
(See venue permutations below)
@ Cork venue Cork v Waterford
(met in 2010 Semi-Final Replay in Walsh Park Waterford)
@ Cork venue Cork v Tipperary
(met in 2011 Playoff in Semple Stadium Thurles)
@ Waterford venue Clare v Waterford
(met in 2012 Quarter-Final in Cusack Park Ennis)
@ Clare venue Clare v Tipperary
(met in 2011 Semi-Final in Semple Stadium Thurles)
Semi-Finals
Wednesday June 26th
Limerick v Winners of Waterford v Tipperary
Winners of Cork v Clare v Winners of Semi-Final Play-off
Final
Sunday July 14th
Munster Minor Hurling Championship – Odds and Ends
Since winning the 2008 Munster Minor Hurling title, Cork have won 3 of their last 11 matches in the Munster Minor Hurling Championship (twice v Kerry in 2011 and 2012 and once v Tipperary after extra time in the first round in 2010)
Clare have won at least 1 match in the Munster Minor Hurling Championship over the last 7 years. Waterford have the next best consecutive streak with at least 1 victory in the last 5 years.
Clare have won 9 of their last 11 matches in the Munster Minor Hurling Championship over the last 3 seasons, winning the 2010 and 2011 Munster titles at this grade.
Limerick have won 3 of their last 13 matches played in the Munster Minor Hurling Championship dating back to 2006. The victories came against Cork (2011 and 2012 first round) and v Kerry (2010 first round).
Waterford have lost just 3 of their last 12 matches in the Munster Minor Hurling Championship dating back to 2010. Each of the defeats came against the eventual Munster champions.
Waterford have won their last 4 Munster Minor Hurling Championship matches played in Walsh Park in 2011 (Tipperary & Limerick) and 2010 (Clare & Cork).
Tipperary are the defending Munster Minor Hurling Champions following a 1-16 to 1-12 victory over Clare at Pairc Ui Chaoimh in the 2012 Final.
Munster Minor Hurling Championship Roll Of Honour
Tipperary (37) – 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1973, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2012
Cork (32) – 1928, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1951, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1998 , 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008
Limerick (5) – 1940, 1958, 1963, 1965, 1984
Waterford (4) – 1929, 1948, 1992, 2009
Clare (4) – 1981, 1989, 2010, 2011
Munster Minor Hurling Championship – List of Winning Teams
Visit the Munster GAA web site History section to view the complete list of each winning team since the competition began in1928 – https://munster.gaa.ie/history/mh_teams/
Munster Minor Hurling Cup
There is no name on the Munster Minor Hurling Cup. The cup itself was presented by T.W.A. Shannon Airport in 1946.
All Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
In the Minor Hurling All Ireland Roll of Honour, Tipperary are sedond in the charts with 19 titles behind Kilkenny’s 20 titles. Cork have won 18 titles, Limerick have 3 titles (1940, 1958, 1984), Waterford have won 2 titles (1929, 1948) while Clare’s only title to date came in 1997.
Of the last 13 All-Ireland Minor Hurling Finals played, the Irish Press Cup has only returned to Munster on 4 occasions – Cork (2001) and Tipperary (2006, 2007 and 2012). Of the other 9 titles since 1999, Galway have 5 and Kilkenny have captured 4.
Tipperary were All-Ireland Minor Hurling Champions in 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1996, 2006, 2007 and 2012
Cork were All-Ireland Minor Hurling Champions in 1928, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1951, 1964, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1995, 1998, 2001
