2024 All Ireland Hurling Final Preview & Starting Teams: Clare v Cork
After thirty-three games over fourteen drama-filled weeks, it’s down to the last two in the GAA hurling All-Ireland championships. Step forward, Clare and Cork, for an All-Ireland final that promises to provide a fitting climax to what has been an outstanding season. It throws in at 3.30 PM in Croke Park on Sunday and will be refereed by Johnny Murphy from Limerick.
Cork and Clare last met in the All-Ireland final in 2013 when the Banner boys won a replay. That was also the last time that neither the Leinster nor Munster champions reached the final. Clare reached this year’s Munster final, losing to Limerick; Cork finished third in the Munster round-robin. Cork are bidding for their 31st All-Ireland win while Clare will attempt to win their fifth crown. This will be the eighth time that a team that didn’t win a provincial title went on to win the All-Ireland title later in the season. The previous winners through this route were Offaly 1998, Cork 2004, Tipperary 2010, Kilkenny 2012, Clare 2013, Limerick 2018, Tipperary 2019.
How They Reached the Final
Clare
– Limerick 3-15 Clare 1-18 (Munster round-robin)
– Clare 3-26 Cork 3-24 (Munster round-robin)
– Clare 4-21 Waterford 2-26 (Munster round-robin)
– Clare 1-24 Tipperary 0-24 (Munster round-robin)
– Limerick 1-26 Clare 1-20 (Munster final)
– Clare 2-28 Wexford 1-19 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
– Clare 0-24 Kilkenny 2-16 (All-Ireland semi-final)
**Record**: Won 5, Lost 2
Top Scorers:
– A McCarthy: 1-53 (0-41 frees, 0-1 ‘65’)
– M Rodgers: 2-23 (0-11 frees, 0-1 ‘65’, 0-1 s/l)
– D Fitzgerald: 2-18
– S O’Donnell: 2-13
– T Kelly: 1-16 (0-3 frees)
– P Duggan: 1-7
– D Ryan: 1-7
Cork
– Waterford 2-25 Cork 1-25 (Munster round-robin)
– Clare 3-26 Cork 3-24 (Munster round-robin)
– Cork 3-28 Limerick 3-26 (Munster round-robin)
– Cork 4-30 Tipperary 1-21 (Munster round-robin)
– Cork 4-25 Offaly 3-19 (All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final)
– Cork 0-26 Dublin 0-21 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
– Cork 1-28 Limerick 0-29 (All-Ireland semi-final)
**Record**: Won 5, Lost 2
Top Scorers:
– P Horgan: 4-62 (1-46 frees, 1-0 pen, 0-4 ‘65s’)
– A Connolly: 4-12 (0-2 frees)
– D Fitzgibbon: 0-22
– S Barrett: 2-16
– D Dalton: 0-21 (0-11 frees)
– S Harnedy: 1-16
– B Hayes: 2-11
Last Ten Championship Meetings
– 2024: Clare 3-26 Cork 3-24 (Munster round-robin)
– 2023: Clare 2-22 Cork 3-18 (Munster round-robin)
– 2022: Clare 0-28 Cork 2-20 (Munster round-robin)
– 2021: Cork 3-19 Clare 1-23 (All-Ireland qualifiers)
– 2019: Clare 2-23 Cork 2-18 (Munster round-robin)
– 2018: Cork 2-23 Clare 1-21 (Munster round-robin)
– 2017: Cork 1-25 Clare 1-20 (Munster final)
– 2015: Cork 0-20 Clare 0-17 (All-Ireland qualifier)
– 2014: Cork 2-23 Clare 2-18 (Munster semi-final)
– 2013: Clare 5-16 Cork 3-16 (All-Ireland final replay)
**Clare 5 – Cork 5**
**Overall Championship Meetings**: This will be the 62nd championship meeting between the counties, with Cork leading 40-16 in wins while there have been five draws in the previous 61.
Key Stats and Historical Context
– Clare and Cork have met 18 times in the championship since 2000. Cork have won twelve to Clare’s five, with one draw.
– This will be the third meeting between the counties this season, with Clare winning the previous two. They won by three points in Round 1 of this year’s Allianz League and by two points in the Munster championship round-robin.
– It’s 19 years since Cork last won the All-Ireland title. Their longest wait prior to that was 16 years (1903-1919).
– Cork have lost three All-Ireland finals (2006 to Kilkenny, 2013 to Clare in a replay and to Limerick in 2021) since last winning the title when beating Galway in 2005.
– Clare manager, Brian Lohan, played in three All-Ireland senior finals, winning in 1995 (v Offaly) and 1997 (v Tipperary) and losing in 2002 (v Kilkenny).
– A Clare win would see the All-Ireland title going to Munster for a seventh successive season (Limerick 2018-20-21-22-23, Tipperary 2019). The last time that happened was in 1948-54 (Waterford 1948, Tipperary 1949-50-51, Cork 1952-53-54).
Starting teams for Cork v Clare
We will have teams on Friday
Conclusion
As we anticipate this epic clash, the stakes are incredibly high for both sides. Clare aims to end a decade-long wait for another title, while Cork seeks to break a 19-year drought. Both teams have shown remarkable resilience and skill throughout the championship. Whether it’s Clare’s dynamic scoring threats or Cork’s seasoned campaigners, this final promises to be a thrilling encounter for hurling enthusiasts worldwide. Stay tuned and witness history unfold at Croke Park this Sunday.
