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April 29 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh Referee: Kieran Guina (Limerick)

Competition:

Fulfil Munster GAA Under 20 Hurling Championship

Description:

Cork defeated Clare by 4-19 to 2-21 in Round 5 of the Fulfil Munster GAA Under 20 Hurling Championship on Wednesday April 29th at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Barry Walsh impresses as Cork defeat Clare to set up rematch in Munster U20 hurling semi-final

Report by Stephen Barry courtesy of the Irish Examiner newspaper

Munster U20 Hurling Championship round 5: Cork 4-19 Clare 2-21

They’ll have to come back to do it all over again next Wednesday after Cork defeated Clare to claim a home semi-final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Tipperary were the night’s big winners, thrashing Limerick to take the direct route to the final on score difference (Tipp +20, Cork +14, Clare +1).

On his return to U20 action, Barry Walsh was held scoreless in the first half, but came up with the match-winning 1-5 contribution after the break. His rob also created Finn O’Brien’s 58th-minute goal before launching the insurance point from his own 45.

The Cork net had to withstand a stoppage-time barrage as Óisín Walsh saved from Fred Hegarty and Michael Collins.

The Banner had strong contributions from Thomas O’Connor (2-2) and Fred Hegarty (0-8), who matched Walsh’s haul.

Given the strong wind blowing into the City End, the feeling was that comeback specialists Clare, who never led any of their previous three matches down the stretch but won all three, would need to build a first-half lead.

Cork got the first two points against the elements through Johnny Murphy and James O’Brien. Ben Walsh threatened a goal, but Matthew O’Halloran tracked back to poke the sliotar loose.

After Ronan Kilroy’s first point, O’Connor looked like slicing Cork open. Michael Tadhg Brosnan came up with the well-read interception.

There were signs of goals to come. Clare’s arrived within 70 seconds of that close shave. This time, Paul Rodgers captured Michael Collins’ long ball and fed O’Connor to tuck it home for 1-1 to 0-2.

Collins and Kilroy soon had Clare four ahead. After a Zack Biggane response, O’Connor floated a gorgeous over-the-shoulder point between the posts.

Cork got their first goal in the 13th minute. Murphy’s pass was too high for Barry O’Flynn, who had his shot blocked by Eoghan Gunning. But as Clare failed to gather, O’Flynn swooped in to rattle the net; 1-5 to 1-4.

Clare responded well to cancel out that blow. A Hegarty free was followed by a Daniel Costello missile from his own half and an O’Connor goal chance. After fielding the sliotar, the bottled-up full-forward threw it up and lashed it just over like a tennis serve.

Cork hit back with their own three in a row via Ben Walsh and two James O’Brien frees. He stayed on placed balls despite Barry Walsh’s return.

Kilroy doubled his tally to four points, including one swung over with one knee on the ground. But Cork struck the last two points from Biggane and James O’Brien (free) to close the half-time deficit to one; 1-11 to 1-10.

They flipped that with the first 1-2 of the second half. Colm Garde launched over after snatching an opposition puck-out. After a Clare wide, Óisín Walsh picked out the untracked run of wing-back David O’Leary. When the sliotar was knocked loose, O’Flynn picked it up and fed Johnny Murphy to finish.

Graham Ball’s block enabled a Collins reply, but another pinpoint Óisín Walsh puck-out located Barry Walsh for his first point of the evening.

Clare flipped the script by firing the next 1-2. After points from Hegarty and a super Ryan Hayes effort, Rodgers broke Gunning’s clearance for Hegarty. He squared for O’Connor to tuck away his second goal. After a super fetch, Rodgers was denied another goal by Óisín Walsh.

Cork countered to Barry Walsh, who had just been relocated to full-forward. The change of scenery did him good as he shook off a foul and beat two more defenders to blast a precise shot inside the far post. That six-point swing made it 3-13 to 2-15.

Walsh soon went for goal from a close-range free which flew over as Cork chased Tipp’s score difference.

But their plans were halted by Clare’s persistence, led by Hegarty, who tagged on three from play in the second half.

Finn O’Brien hit the net and James O’Brien was denied by Mark Sheedy, but the stoppage-time drama was all at the other end.

Scorers for Cork: Barry Walsh (1-5, 0-1 free); Johnny Murphy (1-2); James O’Brien (0-6, 5 frees); B O’Flynn, F O’Brien (1-0 each); Z Biggane (0-2); D Heavin, C Garde, Ben Walsh, C Noonan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Clare: T O’Connor (2-2); F Hegarty (0-8, 5 frees); M Collins, R Kilroy (0-4 each); R Hayes, D Costello, P Rodgers (0-1 each).

CORK: Ó Walsh (Youghal); D Fitzgerald (Bride Rovers), M Barrett (Carrigtwohill), D Heavin (Russell Rovers); MT Brosnan (Glen Rovers), C Garde (Lisgoold), D O’Leary (Ballincollig); Ben Walsh (Killeagh), C Noonan (Kanturk); Z Biggane (Charleville), Barry Walsh (Killeagh), James O’Brien (Cloyne); Johnny Murphy (Dromina), B O’Flynn (Sarsfields, capt), F O’Brien (Erin’s Own).
Subs: J Counihan (Watergrasshill) for Noonan (51-54, temp), John Murphy (Mallow) for Biggane (55), Counihan for O’Leary (57), C O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) for F O’Brien (58), Jack O’Brien (Douglas) for Brosnan (59).

CLARE: M Sheedy (Sixmilebridge); J Casey (Kilmaley), R Loftus (Éire Óg Ennis), E Gunning (Broadford, capt); J Moylan (Cratloe), M O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge), R Hayes (Tulla); D Costelloe (Ballyea), G Ball (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield); F Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), M Collins (Clonlara), R Kilroy (Banner); S Boyce (O’Callaghan’s Mills), T O’Connor (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield), P Rodgers (Scariff).
Subs: H Doherty (Clarecastle) for Boyce (39), J Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Moylan (47), R Keane (Killanena) for Ball (49), M Cleary (Éire Óg Ennis) for Rodgers (54), S Arthur (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for Costello (60).

Referee: Kieran Guina (Limerick).

Team Sheet

Ticket Information

Adults: €10
Students / OAPs: €5
Under 16’s: Free

Tickets are available from participating Centra and Supervalu outlets or online via the link below.

Click here to buy tickets

Match Coverage

The game will be shown live on YouTube SpórtTG4

Team News

Cork (v Clare): O Walsh (Youghal); D Fitzgerald (Bride Rovers), M Barrett (Carrigtwohill), D Heavin (Russell Rovers); M T Brosnan (Glen Rovers), C Garde (Lisgoold), D O’Leary (Ballincollig); Ben Walsh (Killeagh), C Noonan (Kanturk), Z Biggane (Charleville), J Murphy (Dromina), B O’Flynn (Sarsfields), F O’Brien (Erin’s Own), Barry Walsh (Killeagh), J O’Brien (Cloyne).
Subs: T Walsh (Aghada), R O’Riordan (Blackrock), J Galvin (Éire Óg), J Counihan (Watergrasshill), J Murphy (Mallow), J O’Brien (Douglas), C Deane (Killeagh), C O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh), M O’Brien (Douglas).

Clare (v Cork): M Sheedy; E Gunning, R Loftus, J Casey; J Moylan, R Hayes, M O’Halloran; D Costelloe, G Ball; M Collins, R Kilroy, F Hegarty; S Boyce, T O’Connor, P Rodgers.
Subs: C Doyle, J Mescall, H Doherty, R Keane, M Cleary, D Moroney, S Arthur, D Neville, J Hegarty.

Venue:

  • SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh