A day of stark contrasts in Ennis as a rampant Cork hit hosts Clare for six to exact a measure of revenge for last July's All-Ireland Final defeat.
Only the minimum separated the sides after extra-time that day whereas there was never really any doubt about the outcome this time around as the Rebels repeatedly sucker-punched the home side with six timely goals through Brian Hayes (2), Declan Dalton (2), Shane Barrett and an OG, and all but relegate the holders in the process.
On an afternoon when very little went right for Brian Lohan’s side, second-half red cards for Peter Duggan and David Fitzgerald only added to the Banner’s frustrations while Cormac O’Brien was also dismissed for Cork.
The tie was defined by the incessant shower of Cork goals, starting in only the eighth minute with an opportunist run and finish from Shane Barrett who exploited a gap in the home rearguard.
A second would follow six minutes later, this time Brian Hayes teeing up Declan Dalton to fire past the despairing Eibhear Quilligan for a 2-03 to 0-02 lead.
Sean Rynne pegged back a brace of points while Aidan McCarthy’s frees kept the scoreboard ticking over for Clare but the goal-hungry visitors struck again in decisive fashion in the 26th minute when Tim O’Mahony played in Brian Hayes to bat to the net and help cement a double scores 3-9 to 0-09 interval chasm.
The introduction of Peter Duggan for the new half for his first action since the All-Ireland final initially caused consternation in Cork’s last line. However, it only papered over the cracks of Clare’s deficiency down the other end as within four minutes, Hayes raided for his second goal, to power the Rebels 4-10 to 0-11 clear.
The final nails in Clare’s coffin arrived at the end of the third quarter when Declan Dalton doubled his goal tally before Hayes forced a sixth off a combination of Darragh Lohan and Quilligan to stretch the lead to 6-15 to 0-14.
Duggan was then handed what appeared a harsh straight red for a high challenge of goalkeeper Brion Saunderson.
The rest was merely academic as Cork simply kept their hosts at arm’s length before a late scuffle between David Fitzgerald and Cormac O’Brien saw both sent off to round off what was a highly-strung encounter.
The sides will be reunited at the same venue in six weeks' time in the opening round of the Munster Hurling Championship.
Cork: Brion Saunderson; Niall O’Leary, Eoin Downey, Sean O’Donoghue (0-01); Tommy O’Connell, Robert Downey, Cormac O’Brien; Tim O’Mahony, Ethan Twomey (0-03); Shane Barrett (1-04), Darragh Fitzgibbon, Brian Roche (0-02); Declan Dalton (2-06, 2f), Patrick Horgan (0-03, 3f), Brian Hayes (2-01)
Subs: Luke Meade for Barrett (22-23, BS), Micheál Mullins for O’Connell (HT), Damien Cahalane for E. Downey (47), Patrick Collins for Saunderson (52-56, BS), Jack Cahalane for Barrett (53), Jack O’Connor for Hayes (53), Diarmuid Healy for Roche (64)
Clare: Eibhear Quilligan (1-00 own-goal); Conor Cleary, Adam Hogan, Conor Leen; John Conlon, Cathal Malone, David McInerney; Darragh Lohan, Ryan Taylor (0-01); David Fitzgerald (0-01), Tony Kelly (0-02), Sean Rynne (0-02); Jack O’Neill (0-01), Aidan McCarthy (0-12, 11f, 1’65), Mark Rodgers (0-01)
Subs: Rory Hayes for Lohan (22-23, BS), Peter Duggan for McInerney (HT), Hayes for Cleary (43), Aron Shanagher (0-01) for Rynne (49), Robin Mounsey (0-01) for O’Neill (54), Shane Meehan (0-01) for Rodgers (66)
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway)
