Temple Hill

A HARD-EARNED opening day win for Cork Con at Temple Hill yesterday as Clontarf put it up to Brian Walsh's men, particularly in the second half.

This was a typical season opener with both sided guilty of several handling errors, but neither side could be faulted for effort. It was Con's better start which saw them earn the win. The home side led at the break 20-0 but could really have been out of sight if Australian kicker Daniel Nethery had brought his kicking boots with him.

He did manage two successful kicks in the opening half but his three misses with kicks from in front of the posts was a major concern for the watching Con fans.

Fortunately for Con, his brother Matt, who was the Clontarf kicker, was also having a bad day with the boot.

He also missed three kicks at a vital stage in the game.

Cork Con led 3-0 when Clontarf 's Niall O'Brien was sin binned in the 13th minute by referee Alain Rolland for tackling Cronan Healy while the winger was still airborne.

Con took advantage of their extra man in the 18th minute when following a superb break by Conor Quaid, captain Frank Cogan was on hand to touch down. Nethery converted and Con led 10-0.

The same player added another penalty before Con scored their second try deep into injury time, Richard Lane ending a glorious sweeping move in the 48th minute.

Clontarf started the second-half the better and following a superbly controlled rolling maul Martin Garvey dived over to score Clontarf 's first points of the game. Clontarf 's pack were now rampant and following another rolling maul in the 55th minute Phil Purdue went over for their second try.

For the remaining 25 minutes both sides gave it their all, but there were no further scorers as Con ran out comfortable winners.

CORK CONSTITUTION D Hurley; R Lane, T Gleeson, D Nethery (D O'Kane, 80 mins), C Healy; C Quaid, P McKee; C Murphy, R Quinn (L Hill, 59 mins), Tim Ryan (Tom Ryan, 59 mins); M O'Connell, S O'Connor (E Leamy, 80 mins); R Noonan, B Cuttris, F Cogan.

CLONTARF D O'Shea; P Howard, M Nethery (M Rantz-McDonald, 74 mins), N O'Brien, D Keane; M Hewitt, F O'Loughlin; A Clarke, N Carson, A O'Donnell (J Wickham, 50 mins); A Trenier, M Garvey; S Crawford, D Quinn, P Purdue.

Referee A Rolland.