Clare 1-20
Limerick IT 1-2
Mick O’Dwyer’s latest inter-county managerial adventure began on a winning note in Milltown-Malbay yesterday afternoon.
In a lopsided McGrath Cup preliminary round tie, Clare cruised to an 18-point win over their student opponents.
O’Dwyer oversaw a comfortable victory for the Banner in his first game in charge as they lead by 1-10 to 1-0 at the interval with captain Gary Brennan raising the green flag.
Clare fielded an experimental team with just six of the side that started in last July’s All-Ireland round four qualifier defeat to Kerry, in the starting 15 yesterday.
Youngsters like Cathal O’Connor and Podge McMahon were both handed starting jerseys while interestingly the duo of Declan Callinan and Ian McInerney, who have excelled for Clare club kingpins Kilmurry-Ibrickane in recent years, were also in action alongside club mates Enda Coughlan and Martin McMahon.
Clare now face Limerick next weekend in the quarter-finals of the McGrath Cup.
Cork goalkeeper David Lordan and CIT wing-forward Jerry O’Connor. Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan.
Cork 1-15
Cork IT 0-11
Substitute Donncha O’Connor’s 39th minute goal paved the way for Cork’s success in their McGrath Cup preliminary round clash with Cork IT at the students home grounds in Bishopstown.
O’Connor pounced to fire home a left-footed shot after the interval for a score that pushed Cork into a seven-point lead and they ultimately closed out the game from there to set up a quarter-final meeting with Tipperary next Sunday, a rematch of last year’s McGrath Cup final.
Colm O’Neill, who kicked 0-4 for the winners, was to the fore in the first-half as Cork lead by 0-8 to 0-5 at the break. The accuracy of Donal Óg Hodnett, last year’s Munster U21 football winning captain, and former Cork senior Brian O’Regan helped Cork IT stay in touch.
O’Connor’s strike was the pivotal moment though with Paul Kerrigan, Pearse O’Neill and Sean Kiely also adding their names to the scoresheet in the second-half.
