15 hours ago
Cork defeat Clare by nine parts after a strong second half performance
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship: Cork 0-21 Clare 1-9
Cork's winning streak in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship continued in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday. A nine-point winning margin was achieved after a strong second-half performance.
The victory for Ger Manley's outfit means they head into the final round of fixtures next Saturday against winless Wexford top of Group 1 and in the perfect position to take a semi-final spot.
Indication of their squad depth was also highlighted by the unavailability of Hannah Looney and Aoife Healy due to football commitments.
However, the hosts didn't get matters entirely their own way having led by three points at the break.
Bear in mind too when these teams met in the Munster championship in April Clare lost 2-22 to 0-10.
It was evident from the outset the Banner women were up for the challenge and John Carmody's youthful side were competitive.
Factor in also, two one-on-one goal opportunities in second-half stoppage time from Róisín Begley and Áine O'Loughlin that were bravely saved by Cork 'keeper Amy Lee.
But for now, the visitors will travel home having secured a championship knockout place in Croke Park and that has to be the first box ticked. Their game against Tipperary next weekend will determine whether they finish second or third.
They got a tonic start with a green flag inside the opening minute from Jennifer Daly who soloed through from out the field and applied the finishing touches after a mere 45 seconds. The only goal of the day was immediately followed by a Caoimhe Cahill point from play and they were up-and-running.
Orlaith Cahalane settled Cork with a fifth minute white flag and they would shoot the next three unanswered points from play. A goal opportunity too came their way but couldn't be taken advantage of.
Impressive wing-forward Jennifer Daly raced through for Clare's second point to leave just one between the sides approaching the quarter hour mark, 1-2 to 0-4.
Industrious centre-forward Saoirse McCarthy (free) Emma Murphy and Kate Wall stretched the lead.
Róisín Begley won a free close to the posts for Aisling Cooney to convert - it remained a single point match with 10 minutes to go to the interval.
Sorcha McCartan and Murphy points sent Cork to the dressing-room 0-9 to 1-3 ahead.
The defending All-Ireland champions were a different proposition in the second half and reeled off a trio of points from Murphy, McCartan and Amy O'Connor (free) to extend their advantage. Seven-in-a-row points while limiting Clare to a pair of converted frees arrived in a productive 20-minute spell - a Clare team that had emptied the tank in the opening half.
Emerging with 10 different scorers, Cork pulled 0-20 to 1-5 clear by the 50th minute despite striking 13 wides to Clare's three overall.
Clare did outhit them four-one in the final 10 minutes plus three minutes of stoppage. And had those two late goals been converted the deficit would have been less again.
Scorers for Cork: S McCarthy (0-5, 0-1 free), E Murphy and O Cahalane (0-3 each), K Wall, A O'Connor (frees) and S McCartan (0-2 each), L Hayes, A Thompson, K Mackey and C Finn (0-1 each).
Scorers for Clare: J Daly (1-1), A Cooney (0-3 frees), Z A Spillane (45s) and C Cahill (0-2) each, N Mulqueen (0-1).
CORK: A Lee; M Cahalane (Capt), L Coppinger, P Mackey; R Harty, L Treacy, L Hayes; K Wall, A Thompson; E Murphy, S McCarty, S McCartan; C Finn, K Mackey, O Cahalane.
Subs: A O'Connor for C Finn, A O'Neill for R Harty (both half-time), C O'Sullivan for L Coppinger (43).
CLARE: D Murphy; S Daly, C Hehir, S O'Keeffe; L Daly, A Walsh, C Queally; N Mulqueen, C Carmody; C Cahill, G Carmody, J Daly; R Begley, A Cooney, A Anderson.
Subs: Z Y Spillane for A Anderson (25), D Griffin for C Queally (40), Á O'Loughlin (Capt) for A Cooney (46), C Grogan for G Carmody (50), E Casey for C Carmody (53).
Referee: L Dempsey ( Kilkenny).
