Electric Ireland Munster MHC – Clare 0-18 Cork 1-9

Cork hit brick wall as Clare step on gas in second half

Clare 0-18 Cork 1-9

By Fintan O’Toole for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Clare’s ambitions to claim a third consecutive Munster minor hurling crown remain intact after they swept past Cork in last night’s play-off tie in Ennis to set up a semi-final date with Limerick on June 29. A powerful second-half display by Clare ensured they recovered successfully from last week’s opening round reversal against Waterford. The match may have been delicately poised at the interval, with the teams locked at 0-7 apiece, but Clare took over in the third quarter to register nine consecutive points that killed this game as a contest. Indeed, Clare’s dominance was all the more noteworthy considering they had trailed 0-4 to 0-0 after 14 minutes. But they turned the game around in staggering fashion thereafter as they outscored their opponents by 0-16 to 0-3 over the next 31 minutes.

Star of the show for Clare was corner-forward Bobby Duggan, who amassed 0-10. The Clarecastle player remarkably struck the first eight points of the second half and his marksmanship from placed balls was flawless. Centre-back Conor Cleary was immense for Clare, while captain Shane O’Brien, midfielder Alex Morey and wing-forward Shane Taylor were also highly influential. It was a dejecting experience for Cork as they exited the provincial championship at an early stage. They had begun the game extremely brightly, with Paul Fitzgerald and Kevin O’Neill to the fore as they raced ahead. But Clare quickly got into their stride and after drawing level at 0-5 apiece by the 25th minute, they were firmly back in the hunt.

From there Clare took over, boosted by the introduction of fit again Jamie Shanahan. Cork got off the mark for the first time in the second half courtesy of a Pa O’Callaghan free in the 46th minute. But they only managed one score from play after half-time, with O’Callaghan rifling to the net in the 55th minute after good work by Michael Cahalane. Yet Clare still ran out comfortable winners with a late Niall Deasy point underlining their class.

Scorers for Clare: B Duggan 0-10 (7f, 1 65), S Taylor 0-3, A Morey (0-1 sl), N Deasy 0-2 each, C Deasy 0-1.

Scorers for Cork: P O’Callaghan 1-6 (0-5f), M Cahalane 0-2 (1 65), J O’Brien 0-1.

CLARE: E Quilligan; S O’Brien, B Carey, G Ryan; A McGuane, C Cleary, E Quirke; D Conroy, A Morey; S Taylor, N Deasy, S Ward; S O’Donnell, C Deasy, B Duggan.

Subs: J Shanahan for Ward (h-t), S Gleeson for Conroy (50), B Corry for O’Donnell (61).

CORK: P Collins; S Murphy, K O’Connor, A Dennehy; K McIntyre, P Fitzgerald, D Mangan; B O’Connell, K O’Neill; J Cashman, D Cahill, M Cahalane; J O’Brien, P O’Callaghan, A Spillane.

Subs: R Cahalane for Cashman (39), T Horgan for O’Brien (39), A Sheehan for O’Connell (52)

Referee: Paul Foley (Waterford)

Team News

The Cork Minor Hurling team to play Clare in Thursday night’s Electric Ireland Munster MHC second semi-final play-off at 7pm in Ennis will line out as follows:

1. Patrick Collins

2. Stephen Murphy 3. Killian O’Connor 4. Alan Dennehy

5. Killian McIntyre 6. Paul Fitzgerald 7. Daniel Mangan

8. Barra O’Connell 9. Kevin O’Neill

10. John Cashman 11. Dillon Cahill 12. Michael Cahalane

13. Anthony Spillane 14. Pa O’Callaghan 15. James O’Brien

Captain: Stephen Murphy

16 James McSweeney Bandon

17 James McCarthy Kiltha Og

18 Ciarán O’Brien Killeagh/Ita’s

19 Conor Twomey Newtownshandrum

20 Cathal Cormack Blackrock

21 Rickard Cahalane Sliabh Rua

22 Aaron Sheehan Mallow

23 Trevor Horgan Newcestown

24 Shane Hegarty Kiltha Óg

Captain Stephen Murphy returns to the side following an injury sustained in the defeat to Limerick, as does Barra O’Connell, at the expense of James McCarthy and Conor Twomey, who are named on the bench for this crunch clash with Clare.

Extended Panel

Darragh O’Callaghan Watergrasshill

David Geary Fermoy

David Cahill Killeagh/Ita’s

Peter Kelleher Kilmichael

Ryan Dineen Blackrock

For the Record

MUNSTER GAA HURLING MINOR CHAMPIONSHIP 2012

First Round

Wednesday May 2^nd

@ Cusack Park Ennis                      Waterford 1-20 Clare 3-13

@ Pairc Ui Chaoimh             Limerick 0-16 Cork 1-12

@ Semple Stadium Thurles Tipperary 6-21 Kerry 0-11

Semi-Final Play-off 1

Saturday May 5^th

@ Austin Stack Park Tralee            Cork 6-22 Kerry 1-4

Semi-Final Play-off 2

Thursday May 10^th

@ Cusack Park Ennis                      Clare v Cork                                      @ 7:00pm

Semi-Finals

Friday June 29^th

@ Semple Stadium Thurles Tipperary v Waterford                       @ 7:30pm

Limerick v Clare or Cork

(See venue permutations below)

@ Gaelic Grounds Limerick            Limerick v Cork                                 @ 7:30pm

(met in 2012 first round in Pairc Ui Chaoimh)

@ Cusack Park Ennis                      Limerick v Clare                                @ 7:30pm

(met in 2010 Semi-Final in Gaelic Grounds Limerick)

Final

Sunday July 15^th

Munster Minor Hurling Championship – Useful Information

Cork have won 2 of their last 7 matches played in the Munster Minor Hurling Championship. Both victories came at the expense of Kerry.

In the last 3 seasons, neither Clare or Waterford have lost any matches to Cork, Tipperary, Limerick or Kerry – their only defeats coming in direct clashes against each other.

Clare are the defending Munster Minor Hurling Champions following a 1-20 to 3-9 victory over Waterford at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Waterford have lost just 2 of their last 11 matches in the Munster Minor Hurling Championship, both losses coming to Clare in the 2010 and 2011 Munster Finals.

2012 Munster Minor Hurling Championship Matches played

Tipperary 6-21 Kerry 0-11 – May 2^nd @ Semple Stadium Thurles (Munster Quarter-Final)

Tipperary: P Maher; L Mullally, M Breen, J Peters; R Maher, T Hamill, T Kirwan; B Maher, S Nally; D Fitzelle, J Shelly, S Cahill; M McCarthy, J McGrath, K Slattery
Subs: S O’Brien for J Shelly, T Gallagher for M McCarthy, J Loughnane for T Hamill, J Lonergan for B Maher, S Ryan for J McGrath

Kerry: J Wallice; F Horgan, K Skinner, K Carmody; T McElligott, D Fitzell, T Casey; D Collins, B O’Leary; M O’Leary, T Casey, K Fitzgerald; P McGrath, R Heffernan, C Hussey
Subs: K Hanafin for F Horgan, S Leahy for T Casey

Referee: Jason O’Mahony (Limerick)

Limerick 0-16 Cork 1-12 – May 2^nd @ Pairc Ui Chaoimh (Munster Quarter-Final)

Limerick: D Stapleton; S Irwin, R English, J Carrig; D Byrnes, B O’Connell, E Fitzgerald; B Finn, K Cleary; R Lynch, D Condron, E O’Farrell; K O’Brien, B Griffin, C Lynch.
Subs: D Donovan for Fitzgerald (ht), A La Touche Cosgrave for O’Farrell (36), D Dee for Cleary (38), P Ryan for B Griffin (55), L O’Sullivan for O’Brien (58, inj).

Cork: P Collins; S Murphy, K O’Connor, A Dennehy; K McIntyre, M Cahalane, P Fitzgerald; C Twomey, B O’Connell; J Cashman, D Cahill, K O’Neill; A Sheehan, P O’Callaghan, R Cahalane
Subs: D Mangan for Twomey, J O’Brien for R Cahalane (both ht), J McCarthy for Murphy (43, inj), A Spillane for Sheehan (48), T Horgan for Cashman (60).

Referee: Damien Fox (Clare)

Waterford 1-20 Clare 3-13 (after extra time) – May 2^nd @ Cusack Park Ennis (Munster Quarter-Final)

Waterford — S Barry; K Bennett, T Bourke, Shane Bennett; K Power, S McNulty, T Devine; C Sheahan, C Leamy; D Foran, M Harney, A O’Sullivan; Stephen Bennett, D Flynn, C Curran
Subs: J Roche for K Bennett (h-t), A Gleeson for O’Sullivan (45), MJ Kearney for Curran (48), T Tobin for Sheahan (64), C Curran for Flynn (66), J Welch for Leamy (70), W Hallisey for S Bennett (78).

Clare — E Quilligan; S O’Brien, B Carey, G Ryan; A McGuane, C Cleary, E Quirke; D Conroy, A Morey; B Corry, S Liddy, S Taylor; B Duggan, C Deasy, S O’Donnell
Subs: N Deasy for Liddy (12), S Gleeson for N Deasy (38), S Ward for Corry (43), A O’Gorman for Cleary (68), M McGuane for Quirke (66), C Cleary for Gleeson (70).

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)

Cork 6-22 Kerry 1-4 – May 5^th @ Austin Stack Park Tralee (Munster Semi-Final 1^st Playoff)

Cork: P Collins, J McCarthy, K O’Connor, A Dennehy, C Twomey, P Fitzgerald, D Mangan, K McIntyre, K O’Neill, J Cashman, D Cahill, M Cahalane, A Spillane, P O’Callaghan, J O’Brien
Subs: T Horgan for J Cashman (h/t), C Cormack for K McIntyre (40), C O’Brien for K O’Connor (48), S Hegarty for D Cahill (55).

Kerry: J Wallace, T B McElligott, C Savage, Tommy Casey, D Goulding, D Fitzelle, K Carmody, K Fitzgerald, B O’Leary, M O’Leary, D Collins, Thomas Casey, P McGrath, R Heffernan, C Hussey.
Subs: P Lucid for C Hussey (28), P O’Connor for P McGrath (48), F Horgan for D Goulding (55).

Referee: Anthony Sherlock (Tipperary)

2012 Top Scorers – Munster Minor Hurling Championship

Pa O’Callaghan (Cork) – 0-14 (0-7 frees)
Anthony Spillane (Cork) – 4-2
Bobby Duggan (Clare) – 1-8 (0-8 frees)
John McGrath (Tipperary) – 1-8 (1-0 pen, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65, 1 sideline cutl)
Ronan Lynch (Limerick) – 0-11 (0-8 frees, 0-1 sideline cut, 0-1 65)
James O’Brien (Cork) – 1-7
Mark McCarthy (Tipperary) – 3-1 (0-1 sideline cut)
Dillon Cahill (Cork) – 1-5
Ricky Heffernan (Kerry) – 1-5 (0-3 frees)
Stephen Bennett (Waterford) – 0-7 (0-1 free)
Kevin Slattery (Tipperary) – 1-4 (0-2 frees)
Shane O’Donnell (Clare) – 2-0
Michael O’Leary (Kerry) – 0-5
Darragh Flynn (Waterford) – 1-2 (0-1 free)
Michael Cahalane (Cork) – 1-1
Bill Maher (Tipperary) – 1-1
Michael Harney (Waterford) – 0-4
Stephen Cahill (Tipperary) – 0-3
Brendan O’Leary (Kerry) – 0-3
Jack Shelly (Tipperary) – 0-2
Cathal Curran (Waterford) – 0-2
Conor Deasy (Clare) 0-2
Alex Morey (Clare) – 0-2
John Cashman (Cork) – 0-2
Daniel Collins (Kerry) – 0-2

Conor Twomey (Cork), Kevin O’Neill (Cork), Barry O’Connell (Cork), Shane Taylor (Clare), Dylan Fitzelle (Tipperary), Jack Loughnane (Tipperary), Kieran Power (Waterford), Shane McNulty (Waterford) (0-1 free), Darren Foran (Waterford), Adam O’Sullivan (Waterford), A Gleeson (Waterford), Kevin O’Brien (Limerick), Bryan Griffin (Limerick) (0-1 free), Brian Finn (Limerick), Cian Lynch (Limerick), Liam O’Sullivan (Limerick) 0-1 each

Munster Minor Hurling Championship Roll Of Honour

Tipperary (36) – 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

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 and Cork are tied for second in the charts with 18 titles each behind Kilkenny’s 20 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 3 occasions – Cork (2001) and Tipperary (2006 and 2007). Of the other 10 titles since 1999, Galway have 6 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

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