Clare 3-13

Cork 1-10

Derrick Lynch reports from Cusack Park, Ennis

A LIGHTNING START to this game proved crucial for Clare as they picked up their first win of the 2018 Allianz National Football League campaign.

Two goals inside the opening five minutes set the tempo with David Tubridy hitting 1-7 for the second week in a row for the Banner.

It took him less than a minute to find the net this time as he palmed home after a brilliant ball across the square from Jamie Malone.

Cork opened their account soon after, but from the resultant kickout, Clare captain Gary Brennan sent Conal O hAinifein clear, and the Eire Óg man made no mistake with the finish to put his side 2-0 to 0-1 ahead.

Cork did get the next two scores through Luke Connolly and Stephen Sherlock, but that was as close as they would come to closing the gap.

The home side enjoyed the best of the first-half proceedings, with Tubridy to the fore along with well-worked scores from Dale Masterson, Dean Ryan and Conor Finucane to leave them 2-6 to 0-6 clear at the break.

The second half was a much cagier affair, and when Tubridy landed his seventh point of the afternoon with 10 minutes left to play, Clare led by 2-10 to 1-8.

Cork did raise a green flag when Ian Maguire got his fist to a high dropping ball around the Clare goalmouth, but it mattered little in terms of the final result.

Clare weren’t content to just see the game out, and Kieran Malone finished to the Cork net with the final action of the game to seal a nine-point win for his side.

Scorers for Clare: David Tubridy (1-7, 4f), Conal O hAinifein (1-0), Conor Finucane (0-2), Dean Ryan, Jamie Malone, Sean Collins and Dale Masterson (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: Ian Maguire (1-0), Luke Connolly (0-3, 2f), Matthew Taylor (0-2, 1f), Stephen Sherlock (0-2, 2f), Liam O’Donovan, Michael Hurley and Stephen Cronin (0-1 each).

CLARE

1. Pierce DeLoughery (Cratloe)

2. Kevin Hartnett (Meelick)

3. Cillian Brennan (Clondegad)

4. Gordon Kelly (St Joseph’s Miltown)

5. Dean Ryan (Eire Óg)

6. Aaron Fitzgerald (Eire Óg)

7. Conal O hAinifein (Eire Óg)

8. Gary Brennan (capt, Clondegad)

9. Darragh Bohannon (Shannon Gaels)

10. Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora)

14. Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)

11. Jamie Malone (Corofin)

21. Dale Masterson (St Breckan’s)

19. Conor Finucane (Lissycasey)

15. David Tubridy (Doonbeg)

Subs:

20. Pearse Lillis (Cooraclare) for Bohannon (HT)

18. Sean Collins (Cratloe) for Sexton (HT)

12. Kieran Malone (St Joseph’s Miltown) for Lillis (53 mins, inj)

26. Alan Sweeney (St Breckans) for Masterson (63 mins)

22. Cormac Murray (St Josephs Miltown) for Finucane (74 mins)

CORK

1. Mark White (Clonakilty)

2. Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers)

3. Kevin Flahive (Douglas)

4. Conor Dennehy (St Finbarrs)

7. James Loughery (Mallow)

19. Stephen Cronin (Nemo Rangers)

12. Mattie Taylor (Mallow)

8. Ian Maguire (capt, St Finbarrs)

9. Ronan O’Toole (Eire Óg)

14. Ruairi Deane (Bantry)

15. Luke Connolly (Nemo Rangers)

11. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)

13. Michael Hurley (Castlehaven)

26. Stephen Sherlock (St Finbarrs)

10. Tom Clancy (Fermoy)

Subs:

5. Liam O’Donovan (Clonakilty) for Loughery (9 mins)

18. Aidan Browne (Newmarket) for Cronin (47 mins)

20. Paul Walsh (Kanturk) for O’Donovan (47 mins, inj)

22. Peter Kelleher (Kilmichael) for Clancy (60 mins)

25. Damien Gore (Kilmacbea) for Sherlock (60 mins)

Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon)

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