Waterford Crystal Cup Semi-Final – Cork 2-21 Clare 0-18

Cork defeated Clare by 2-21 to 0-18 in the semi-final in the Waterford Crystal Cup on Saturday January 24th at Mallow.

Cork overcome Clare to book Crystal Cup final spot: Cork are through to the final of the Waterford Crystal Cup… http://t.co/JHXdJAzWhZ

— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) January 24, 2015

Great win for @OfficialCorkGAA today over @GaaClare with a scoreline of 2-21 to 0-18! #GAA pic.twitter.com/dauuRT5s22

— Sportsfile (@sportsfile) January 24, 2015

O’Farrell shoots down Banner as Cork advance to Waterford Crystal final

Cork 2-21 Clare 0-18

TWO LUKE O’FARRELL goals were central to Cork advancing to the Waterford Crystal Cup final as they saw off Clare in Mallow this afternoon.

The Rebels are the only one of the ‘big five’ Munster hurling powers not to win the season-opening competition, but if they can reproduce a performance like this against Limerick next Saturday night then they will have every chance of breaking their duck.
O’Farrell scored 2-3 – the exact difference between the teams – while Cian McCarthy contributed seven points but they had stars in all lines. Clare, who looked to have a stronger side on paper, laboured in the first half, recording nine wides, and while they improved after half-time they never looked like salvaging the game.

The sides were level at 0-3 each when O’Farrell finished from close range after good work by impressive midfielder Andy Walsh in the 12th minute. Had Patrick Donnellan not been denied by a save from Cork goalkeeper Patrick Collins on 18, the sides would have been tied at 1-5 but Cork made the most of that let-off and outscored their opponents by 1-8 to 0-2 for the remainder of the half.
Cian McCarthy takes a free

O’Farrell’s second goal came in the 33rd minute as he perfectly met a McCarthy delivery to double the ball to the net and give Cork a 2-13 to 0-7 interval lead. Colin Ryan and Bobby Duggan were among the scored as Clare got seven of the first eight points of the second half. Even so, the goals were always a cushion from Cork and they saw out the game well.

Scorers for Cork: Luke O’Farrell 2-3, Cian McCarthy 0-7 (0-3f, 0-2 65), Stephen Moylan, Andy Walsh 0-2 each, Brian Murray, Peter Kelleher, Brian Lawton, Darren McCarthy, Dayne Lee, Paul Haughney, Alan Frahill-O’Connor 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: Cathal O’Connell (0-3f), Bobby Duggan 0-4 each, Brendan Bugler, Colin Ryan (0-1f) 0-3 each, Patrick Donnellan 0-2, Shane Golden, Daire Keane 0-1 each.

CORK:

1. Patrick Collins
2. Conor O’Sullivan
3. Damien Cahalane
4. Seán O’Donoghue
5. Brian O’Sullivan
6. Lorcán McLoughlin
7. Glen O’Connor
8. Brian Murray
9. Andy Walsh
10. Peter Kelleher
11. Cian McCarthy
12. Brian Lawton
13. Stephen Moylan
14. Luke O’Farrell
15. Darren McCarthy
Subs:
20. Paul Haughney for Murray (43)
21. Dayne Lee for Kelleher (48)
23. Alan Frahill-O’Connor for Lawton (58)
17. William Kearney for O’Donoghue (62)
19. Mark Ellis for O’Connor (64)

CLARE

1. Patrick Donnellan
2. Domhnall O’Donovan
3. Cillian Duggan
4. Seadna Morey
7. Conor Cleary
6. Conor Ryan
5. Gearóid O’Connell
19. Colin Ryan
9. Brendan Bugler
10. Patrick Donnellan
11. Bobby Duggan
12. Shane Golden
15. David O’Halloran
14. Aaron Cunningham
13. Cathal O’Connell
Subs:
17. Paul Flanagan for O’Donovan (9-13, blood)
18. Cian Dillon for Conor Ryan (47)
17. Flanagan for O’Connell (49)
20. John Conlon for O’Halloran (50)
24. Daire Keane for Donnellan (52)

Referee: Paul Foley (Waterford)

Team News

Cork v Clare Waterford Crystal Cup Semi-Final Sat 24th January http://t.co/FHUYAOWKdi

— Cork GAA (@OfficialCorkGAA) January 22, 2015

The Cork Senior Hurling team for Saturday’s game is –

1. Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)
2. Conor O’Sullivan (Sarsfields)

3. Damien Cahalane (St.Finbarr’s)

4. Sean O’Donoghue (Inniscarra)

5. Brian O’Sullivan (Fermoy)

6. Lorcán McLoughlin (Kanturk)

7. Glen O’Connor (St.Finbarr’s)

8. Brian Murray (Bishopstown)

9. Andy Walsh (Killeagh)

10. Peter Kelleher (Kilmichael)

11. Cian McCarthy (Sarsfields)

12. Brian Lawton (Castlemartyr)

13. Stephen Moylan (Douglas)

14. Luke O’Farrell (Midleton)

15. Darren McCarthy (Ballymartle)

Subs:

16. Anthony Nash (Kanturk)

17. William Kearney (Sarsfields)

18. Christopher Joyce (Na Piarsaigh)

19. Mark Ellis (Millstreet)

20. Daniel Kearney (Sarsfields)

21. Dayne Lee (Na Piarsaigh)

22. Patrick Cronin (Bishopstown)

23. Alan Frahill-O’Connor (Youghal)

24. Seamus Harnedy (St.Ita’s)

25. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers)

26. Paudie O’Sullivan (Cloyne)

Stephen McDonnell, Luke Meade and Paul Haughney are recovering from injury and were not considered. The CIT and UCC players are unavailable for Cork selection as they are tied with their respective academies in this competition.

Clare (SH v Cork) –
Kelly
O’Donovan C Duggan Morey
G O’Connell Con Ryan Cleary
Bugler Col Ryan
Donnellan B Duggan Golden
C O’Connell Cunningham O’Halloran