RED DEAD REDEMPTION

CORK boss Pat Ryan insisted that he was happy with a draw despite watching his side blow a 12-point advantage against Clare.

- BY PAT NOLAN

Leading by a dozen at the break, two Clare goals early in the second half slashed it to five but Cork recovered to lead by nine and were still seven in front by the 69th minute despite Shane Barrett's sending off.

But Peter Duggan hit a third Banner goal, with a string of points putting them in front before Declan Dalton's (inset) free salvaged a draw for Ryan's side in the eighth minute of injury time.

Ryan said: "I thought we showed a great battle to get back into the game. The game looked to be gone away from us. Obviously we were seven, eight, nine points up. I thought we did well, even after Shane's sending off, we held it.