Round-up: Dalata Hotel Group Munster U20 Championship action
Cork forward Dara Sheedy. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Dalata Hotel Group Munster U20 Football Championship
Clare 1-10 Cork 1-10
Kerry 2-27 Waterford 0-10
Cork required a Seán O’Leary point to snatch a draw away to Clare, while Kerry got off to a winning start in the Dalata Hotel Group Munster U20 Football Championship.
The Rebels were held scoreless against the wind at Quilty from the 40-minute mark until O’Leary’s 58th-minute equaliser. They still needed to weather a missed free on the hour, while Clare held possession for the entire three minutes of stoppage time, but failed to get off a shot.
Cork senior Dara Sheedy was the standout performer in red, scoring the first two points of a 0-4 tally.
Playing into the wind on the Wild Atlantic Way, Clare leapt ahead with a brilliant 20th-minute goal from Evan Cahill. On his home patch, the Kilmurry-Ibrickane midfielder burned off three defenders on a 40-yard dash before dispatching the ball to the far corner from the 14.
Cork cancelled out the goal with three consecutive points, including two Danny Miskella frees. A Daire Culligan flag sent the sides in level, 1-3 to 0-6, to the delight of the Banner supporters.
Cork started well into the breeze. They jumped four clear when Miskella bounced through a couple of tackles to drill low past the keeper and Darragh Clifford added a point.
Trailing 1-4 to 1-8, Seán Fennell lifted the hosts with a two-point free, a one-point free, and an outrageous levelling two-pointer under pressure on the right flank.
When Ruben Fallon chipped over, the Claremen led with four minutes to play. In the end, they settled for a share of the spoils.
Kerry had a more routine evening’s work to dispatch Waterford by 2-27 to 0-10 at Lemybrien.
Paddy Lane showed adept two-footed kicking with a pair off his right followed by a two-pointer with his left. Daniel Kirby had the second orange flag.
Kerry added four more two-pointers with the wind. All four came from the boots of Gearóid White, three off his left and one with the right.
The other member of the full-forward line, Ronan Carroll, added a 28th-minute goal after exchanging a smart one-two.
Despite shipping a two-point free to Joe Brennan, they led 1-16 to 0-4 at half-time.
White, who was making his debut at this grade following an impressive minor innings, added a goal in the 34th minute and soon exited with 1-9 to his name, all from play.
Paddy McCarthy (free) and Brennan had two-pointers for the Déise, but Kerry kept rolling, with Carroll ending on 1-5.
