It took 30 minutes of extra-time to decide the outcome of this highly entertaining McGrath Cup final at Pairc Ui Rinn last night.
It was very much a stroll in the park for both sides. Marking was slack with the result that there was a lot of open play which pleased the sparse attendance.
The sides were evenly matched throughout and were level on three occasions before Cork hit a good patch in the last 10 minutes of the first-half with Philip Clifford and Alan O'Shea particularly prominent and a point apiece from both these players had the home side 0-7 to 0-5 in front at the interval.
The second-half continued in the same vein with the sides level on three further occasions before the introduction of Don Davis began to swing the game in Cork's favour.
Davis experience was clearly evident as he picked up three points in a row to lead 0-11 to 0-8 with four minutes remaining.
Clare refused to give up and excellent points by Ger Keane, sent the game into extra time.
Only the thickness of the crossbar denied Cork a goal before Fachtna Collins ensured the title stayed on Leeside for at least another year.
Cork: A Quirke; J Miscella, M O'Connor, N McCarthy, A O'Shea 0-2, R McCarthy, M O'Donovan; F Collins 0-4, G O'Neill; B Walsh 0-2, B O'Sullivan, M Cronin 0-5, P Clifford 0-2, J Canty, A O'Regan 0-2. Sub: D Davis for O'Sullivan.
Clare: J Hanrahan; A Malone, F Griffin, J Enright; B Keating, B Rouine, P Gallagher 0-1; D Russell, G Quinlan; G Keane 0-8, P McMahon, D O'Driscoll 0-2; J Daly, C Consodine 0-3, M Daly. Sub: C Mullen 0-2 for J Daly.
Referee: B Power (Waterford)
