Gaelic Games

Cork overwhelm Clare in Munster minor hurling final

Two goals from Evan Sheehan in four minutes set Cork on their way

Clare’s Colin Haugh and Seán O’Leary-Hayes of Cork in action during the Munster minor hurling final at Semple Stadium, Thurles. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/inpho
Sun Jul 09 2017 - 16:14

Cork 4-21 Clare 0-16

Evan Sheehan bagged 2-2 and the man-of-the-match award as Cork were crowned Munster minor hurling champions for the first time in nine years at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

Despite playing a third game in just 11 days, Denis Ring’s charges looked fresh and hungry, as they picked up a 33rd provincial minor crown for Cork.

Clare were 0-4 to 0-5 down in the 13th minute but two goals from Sheehan in the space of four minutes set Cork on their way.

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Sheehan was on target in the 17th and 21st minutes to help propel Cork into a 2-11 to 0-7 interval lead.

Regarded as one of the most exciting minor crops to come out of the county in many years, Cork lived up to that billing on Munster final day.

Clare struggles

Clare struggled to cope and would while Tiarnán Agnew kept them ticking over with placed balls in the first half, the Banner boys were over-run.

Killian McDermott scored three points after coming off the bench but Cork had big displays from the likes of Sheehan, midfielder Daire Connery and skipper Seán O'Leary Hayes.

Cork’s third goal arrived 19 minutes from time, as sub Barry Murphy latched onto Liam O’Shea’s perceptive crossfield ball before finishing well.

And Robert Downey put the icing on the cake in stoppage time, profiting from Murphy's long ball to collect Cork's fourth goal.

Cork march on to an All-Ireland semi-final on August 13, as Clare lick their wounds ahead of the quarter-finals.

CORK: G Collins; C O'Callaghan, S O'Leary Hayes (0-1), E Roche; A Walsh Barry, J Keating, G Millerick; B Roche (0-1), D Connery (0-6, five frees); D Lenihan, C Hanafin (0-1), E Sheehan (2-2); B Turnbull (0-4, two frees), R Downey (1-2), L O'Shea (0-2). Subs: B Murphy (1-1) for Lenihan (h-t), D Hanlon for Hanafin (48 mins), R Howell for Walsh Barry (48 mins), B Buckley (0-1) for O'Shea (52 mins), D Jones for B Roche (57 mins). CLARE: E Foudy; B Higgins, R Hayes, C McInerney; C Minogue (0-2, one free), D Ryan (0-1), A McCarthy (0-1, free); K White (0-1), L Brack; T Agnew (0-7, six frees), R Considine (0-1), E Fitzgerald; G Cooney, C Tierney, B Horner. Subs: K McDermott (0-3) for Brack (h-t), C Haugh for Considine (35 mins), G Cahill for Fitzgerald (39 mins), P Corry for Horner (46 mins). Referee: J Murphy (Limerick)