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2024 McGrath Cup Football – Cork 2-14 Clare 0-8

January 3 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Cork defeated Clare by 2-14 to 0-8 in Round 1 of the McGrath Cup Football competition on Wednesday January 3rd at Clarecastle GAA Astro Pitch.

Cork off to winning start as they ease past Clare

McGrath Cup SF

Clare 0-8 Cork 2-14

Report by Eoghan Cormican for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Midway through the opening half, Clare manager Mark Fitzgerald took the hat off his head and twisted it in a wringing fashion.

The scoreline read 0-1 apiece. The showers kept coming and kept pelting those who had to be here and those whose sanity you’d question for being here of their own volition.

The post-Christmas restlessness would want to have been particularly acute to drag you out into the unsheltered elements of Clarecastle on this squally and sopping Wednesday night.

On January 3, season 2024 didn’t so much roll out the good table cloth in welcome as it did force a half-time change of clothes.

Mark Fitzgerald went without his hat in the second half. The rain, mercifully, held quiet. It allowed a passage or two of actual football be played.

Behind by 0-4 to 0-3 at the break, Ciaran Downes converted three successive frees in the eight minutes after the restart to double Clare’s total and direct them into a two-point lead.

Mention here too for the three home players, Ronan Lannigan, Shane Griffin, and Dermot Coughlan, who won the three converted frees.

During a horrid opening half, young Griffin had been muscled off possession by the vastly more experienced Mattie Taylor. Winning as he did that early second half free drew a clinched fist of delight from the Lissycasey corner-forward.

It was one of few second-half Clare wins. After the third of Downes’ placed-ball kicks, the Banner endured a barren spell running 25 minutes.

A Daniel Walsh point attempt dropped short on 48 minutes finished with a Darragh Cashman white flag at the far end. Cashman, making his competitive full Cork debut, impressed with a pair of points. Along with the experimenting of Brian O’Driscoll at No. 7, Cork have options plenty in the half-back line.

Cashman’s point began a 2-7 burst. The opening 1-2 of that game-sealing tally arrived in a three-minute hurry.

Cork’s opening green flag of the year belonged to Conor Corbett. He palmed to the net a rare passage of flow that included the quick hands of O’Driscoll and Paul Walsh. The game’s outstanding point also belonged to Corbett from out near the far sideline.

Beyond 2019 minors Corbett and Cashman, the other standout Cork positive was the bench press.

Mark Cronin kicked 1-3, Chris Óg Jones landed 0-2. 1-5 from the dugout three days into the new year keeps everyone on their toes. Cronin’s goal, six minutes from time, was clinically stitched into the corner.

Ian Maguire, among the nine Cork subs used, made his presence felt with a couple of assists. Nothing new there, says you.

Another replacement, Ruairí Deane had to be helped from the astroturf close to full-time with what appeared to be an ankle injury.

The overall bench impact was rather welcome given only one member of the travelling front six – the aforementioned Corbett – chalked a flag from play.

That there wasn’t a massive amount of experimentation in the Cork selection says that John Cleary and Kevin Walsh, now into the second year of their partnership, know who and what they want. That’s certainly no bad thing.

An opening night win notched, Cork aren’t out again until January 14 when they host Waterford.

Clare are in Lemybrien this Sunday. They’ll chase a few corrections from here. More sustained authority will be top of the list, given they only managed two points in the closing 32 minutes of action.

That and the need for less hat wringing would be most welcome as January grows legs.

Scorers for Cork: M Cronin (1-3, 0-2 frees); C Corbett (1-2); D Cashman, C Óg Jones, C O’Callaghan (0-2 each); M Taylor, B Murphy (0-1 free), P Walsh (0-1 each).

Scorers for Clare: C Downes (0-5, 0-4 frees); K Malone, D Walsh, D O’Donnell (0-1 free).

CORK: P Doyle; M Taylor, M Shanley, K Flahive; D Cashman, T Walsh, B O’Driscoll; C O’Callaghan, P Walsh; E McSweeney, F Herlihy, J O’Rourke; D Buckley, C Corbett, B Murphy.
Subs: C Óg Jones for Herlihy, R Deane for O’Rourke (both HT); I Maguire for McSweeney (43); M Cronin for Murphy (54); L Fahy for Cashman (55); S Meehan for Flahive (62); D Gore for Buckley (66); N Lordan for P Walsh, J McCarthy for T Walsh (both 68).

CLARE: S Ryan; M Doherty, R Lannigan, M Garry; J Guyler, A Sweeney, D Walsh; G Murray, B MacNamara; D Coughlan, D O’Brien, C Downes; D O’Donnell, A Griffin, S Griffin.
Subs: K Malone for Coughlan (45-49, temporary); K Malone for O’Donnell (50); T McDonald for O’Brien (55); C McMahon for Coughlan (60).

Referee: D O’Callaghan (Limerick).

Ticket Information

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Team News

CORK (McGrath Cup v Clare): P Doyle (Knocknagree); K Flahive (Douglas), M Shanley (Clonakilty), M Taylor (Mallow); D Cashman (Millstreet), T Clancy (Clonakilty), B O’Driscoll (Tadhg McCartaigh); C O’Callaghan (Eire Óg), P Walsh (Kanturk); E McSweeney (Knocknagree), F Herlihy (Dohenys), J O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers); D Buckley (Newcestown), C Corbett (Clyda Rovers), B Murphy (St Vincent’s).
Subs: C Dungan (Carrigaline), T Walsh (Kanturk), S Meehan (Kiskeam), N Lordan (Ballinora), L Fahy (Ballincollig), J McCarthy (Carrigaline), I Maguire (St Finbarrs), C Óg Jones (Iveleary), R Deane (Bantry), D Gore (Kilmacabea), M Cronin (Nemo Rangers).

CLARE: S Ryan; M Doherty, C Rouine, R Lanigan; M Garry, A Sweeney, G Murray; D Walsh, B McNamara; C Downes, E McMahon, D Coughlan; S Griffin, A Griffin, D O’Donnell.

Details

Date:
January 3
Time:
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Venue

Clarecastle GAA Astro Pitch

GAA Units

Clare GAA
Cork GAA
Kerry GAA
Limerick GAA
Tipperary GAA
Waterford GAA
US GAA