Clare's Corofin down Limerick's Kildimo-Pallaskenry in Munster club IFC quarter-final

COMING up to half-time in Sunday's Munster intermediate quarter-final clash away to Clare champions Corofin, Kildimo-Pallaskenry's remarkable rise in football looked like reaching another stage of achievement as they outplayed, outfoxed and outfinished their fancied but disjointed opponents with a structured and intense performance.

Then a controversial goal awarded undid most of their work as they faced into the second half a man down to a black card.

Maybe that setback wouldn't have affected their 1-13 to 1-6 defeat but it gave Corofin the chance to settle down.

Remarkably, the biggest change came after Kildimo were back to full strength and Corofin were immediately lost a man to a red card.

With their backs to the wall, the Bannermen cast aside the anxiety that had gripped them up to then and, led by Diarmuid Cahill inspirational contribution of 1-6 from play, stormed into a semi-final date with the Cork champions off a
power-packed final quarter.

Kildimo led 1-1 to 0-2 at the water break after Peter Nash pounced on Ryan Kelly's lay-off from a long delivery to drill spectacularly to the net from a tight angle.

The gap had stretched to four in first-half injury time when Kelly's fisted effort dropped short for Brian Howard to collect on the goal line and the umpires signalled a goal.

Referee Bermingham agreed despite the Kildimo protestations to narrow the gap to 1-4 to 1-3 at the break.

By the second water break, the sides were tied on 1-5 apiece but Corofin were now using the extra space up front and, after countyman Jamie Malone gave them the lead, they struck ruthlessly on the break as Kildimo pressed forward in an attempt to reply.

SCORERS: COROFIN: Diarmuid Cahill 1-7 (0-1 free), Jamie Malone, Gearóid Cahill (2 frees) 0-2 each, Kevin Keane, Robin Mounsey 0-1 each; KILDIMO-PALLASKENRY: Peter Nash 1-4 (0-4 frees), Cathal Downes, Liam O'Sullivan 0-1 each.