Cork converted three second-half goal opportunities with admirable stealth and set themselves up for a comfortable victory over Clare in the Munster minor hurling final at Thurles yesterday.

After soaking up a lot of first-half pressure against the breeze, Cork, trailing by 0-7 to 0-4, turned things around after goalkeeper Michael Morrisey launched a massive drive from his 20-yard line which Garvan McCarthy pulled on first time to find the net.

Two minutes later, Eoin Fitzgerald, blessed with a flawless stroke, chipped a point from play and added a 50-metre free and Clare, after dominating, suddenly found themselves facing a deficit.

Clare fired eight first-half wides and proved themselves equally imprudent after the break, turning three early chances wide. Their opponents had survived on scraps during the first 30 minutes and, in the second half, they maintained an extremely high level of accuracy.

Eoin Fitzgerald, in particular, was lethal in open play, while Cork's cause was helped considerably by an industrious half back unit and the beefy presence of Niall McCarthy, introduced in the first half.

The opening 20 minutes indicated that Clare had weaponry enough to win without undue comfort. Gearoid Considine was without peer at midfield, and forwards Tony Griffin and Padraig McKeogh knew where the posts were.

But Cork were a much more potent proposition with the breeze at their backs. Donal Broderick and Alan O'Connor swept up loose play to provide supply for an eager forward unit.

Cathal McCarthy tapped home Cork's second goal to leave the scores at 2-6 to 0-8, and a sparkling individual spell by Fitzgerald pushed the Cork team into an insurmountable position.

McCarthy collected a convenient rebound off the post to rasp home Cork's third goal after 51 minutes.