Munster SFC First round - Cork 1-23 Clare 0-11:ALL-IRELAND champions Cork duly disposed of a spirited Clare at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

A largely sporting game ended on a sour note, following the dismissal of feisty Clare attacker Graham Kelly for a second yellow card after tangling off the ball with Cork substitute John Miskella. But the majority in the crowd were incensed at an apparent head-butt by Kelly into Miskella’s face after referee Eddie Kinsella showed the red card. Miskella recovered and swept forward to kick Cork’s 22nd point, which raised one of the loudest cheers of the afternoon.

In the closing act, the outstanding Ciarán Sheehan completed the scoring, landing Cork’s seventh consecutive point in a dominant final 10-minute period, when they exposed the yawning gap between the sides.

Cork played with the wind from the start and had the game in the bag by the break, leading by 1-9 to 0-4. Donncha O’Connor fisted home the only goal after 21 minutes, and there could have been more as Sheehan and Goulding missed easy chances and O’Connor’s fisted effort crashed off the crossbar. Clare also carried an attacking threat in the shape of Rory Donnelly, who finished with five points from play.

Cork re-shaped their defence for the second-half, placing Graham Canty at full back and moving Michael Shields to centre back, but Clare resumed promisingly. They reduced the gap to five points with the opening three scores, but Cork cancelled them out with three of their own to lead by 1-12 to 0-7 after 46 minutes.

Clare remained competitive, though a couple of quick-fire points from substitute Paul Kerrigan and Shields hinted at what lay in store in the closing spell.

Fittingly, Donnelly kicked his side’s final point with 10 minutes left, but Cork found a couple more gears to finish with a succession of scores for a convincing win.

CORK: A Quirke; R Carey, M Shields (0-1), J OSullivan; G Canty, N OLeary, D OSullivan; A OConnor (0-1), A Walsh (0-1); C Sheehan (0-4), P Kelly, P O’Neill (0-2); D Goulding (0-8, six frees), D OConnor (1-4, two frees), D Goold. Subs: P Kerrigan (0-1) for Goold (46 mins), F Lynch for Kelly (62 mins), P Kissane for Shields (63 mins), N Murphy for Walsh (64 mins), J Miskella (0-1) for D OSullivan (66 mins).

CLARE: Joe Hayes; K Hartnett, B Duggan, L Healy; John Hayes, G Kelly, M McMahon; N Browne, G Brennan (0-2); G Kelly, D Tubridy (0-3, one free), C OConnor; R Donnelly (0-5), D ONeill, A Clohessy (0-1). Subs: G Quinlan for Browne (28 mins), S McNeiles for John Hayes, S Brennan for OConnor ( both h-t), J Dowling for O’Neill (68 mins).

Referee: E Kinsella (Laois).

In the semi-finals, Limerick will play Kerry at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday, June 4th. The following day, Cork and Waterford meet at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.