Clare through to oneills.com Munster U20 hurling final

oneills.com Munster U20 Hurling Championship semi-final

CLARE 2-15 CORK 0-20

By Stephen Barry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Diarmuid Stritch’s late goal sent Clare into an oneills.com Munster U20 hurling final against Tipperary as Cork were left to rue a catalogue of missed chances.

For long spells, the Banner’s 14 wides looked likely to cost them. Instead, it was the hosts’ nine shots on goal without converting any that became the key statistic. In addition, while they struck just one wide in the first 52 minutes, Cork’s last six shots all fell wide.

In injury news, Cork lost one of their 2023 All-Ireland champions and gained another. Ross O’Sullivan dropped out of the squad while Adam O’Sullivan got a late call-up for his first start of the season.

The first half featured eight shots at goal, equally shared four apiece. Between excellent last-ditch defending and misses, only one was converted.

Joe Casey blocked Adam O’Sullivan’s early effort before Eoin McMahon got in the way of Finn O’Brien’s follow-up.

Cork came strong in the aftermath as they gained a grip on Clare restarts. The Rebels reeled off six points in succession to move 0-8 to 0-3 ahead. Barry Walsh accounted for a couple of placed balls alongside a standout score from Barry O’Flynn and Ben Walsh’s strike from distance.

Seán Boyce’s rob almost got Clare going but James O’Brien blocked his goal-bound effort. Cork countered to Finn O’Brien, who was denied by keeper Mark Sheedy.

Clare finally found the net in the 23rd minute. They did it with a wonderful full-forward line combination. Michael Collins released the overlapping Diarmuid Stritch, who squared for Boyce to double back onto his left and bounce the sliotar home. Jack O’Neill soon levelled at 0-11 to 1-8.

Cork’s best goal chance yet saw O’Sullivan flick over the keeper but onto the crossbar. Clare opened them up in response but Daniel O’Connell made a double save from Jamie Moylan and Boyce.

Points from O’Flynn and Barry Walsh sent the hosts in 0-13 to 1-8 ahead. Clare took the lead on the resumption through two Fred Hegarty frees and a Ronan Kilroy point before Cork kicked on again.

They were able to unlock the Banner defence time and again. O’Sullivan doubled the sliotar just over the bar. Barry Walsh struck the side-netting but play was called back for a tap-over free. Sheedy saved from Ryan Deasy before Walsh slotted his third 65.

O’Flynn slotted his third point following another exceptional catch. Then, Finn O’Brien was blocked by John Cahill before drawing a stunning save from Sheedy.

Walsh’s ninth placed ball pushed them four ahead but they wouldn’t score again. Hegarty’s seventh free and Harry Doherty’s first halved the deficit before Collins poached a puck-out and fed Stritch to tap in with 59 minutes on the clock.

Walsh had two long-distance frees to level which drifted wide.

Scorers for Cork: Barry Walsh 0-9 (6f, 3 65); Barry O’Flynn, Adam O’Sullivan 0-3 each; Daniel O’Connell (f), Ben Walsh, Finn O’Brien, John Murphy, Oisín Fitzgerald 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: Fred Hegarty 0-7 (7f); Seán Boyce, Diarmuid Stritch 1-1 each; Jack O’Neill 0-3; Daniel Costelloe, Ronan Kilroy, Harry Doherty (f) 0-1 each.

CORK: Daniel O’Connell; Denis Cashman, James O’Brien, David O’Leary; Ben Walsh, Eoin Guinane, Timmy Wilk; Peter O’Shea, Oisín Fitzgerald; John Murphy, Adam O’Sullivan, Ryan Deasy; Barry O’Flynn, Barry Walsh, Finn O’Brien. Subs: John Wigginton Barrett for O’Shea (43), Johnnie Murphy for O’Sullivan (52), Dylan McCarthy for Fitzgerald (56), Mark O’Brien for Deasy (60+2).

CLARE: Mark Sheedy; Joe Casey, Eoghan Gunning, John Cahill; Jamie Moylan, James Hegarty, Eoin McMahon; Daniel Costelloe, Ronan Kilroy; James Organ, Jack O’Neill, Fred Hegarty; Michael Collins, Seán Boyce, Diarmuid Stritch. Subs: Liam Crotty for Organ (43), Tadhg Lohan for Boyce (49), Fiachra Ó Bhroin for Casey (52), Harry Doherty for F Hegarty (54), Robert Loftus for McMahon (54).

Referee: Nicky O’Toole (Waterford).