Clare looked in real trouble at that stage but after an exchange of points, they rallied and it was the hard graft of Shane O’Donnell that eventually opened the door for Aidan McCarthy to blast to the net with 18 gone.
O’Donnell would add two points and David Fitzgerald another to reduce the arrears to one, but at the other end, the movement of the Cork forwards was giving the Clare full-back line fits with Conor Cleary and Adam Hogan cautioned for frees converted by Patrick Horgan that saw him go top of the all-time scoring list.
However, Clare were growing into it further as they got back to within one thanks to a well-worked score for Mark Rodgers and after McCarthy levelled, they were in front for the first time through David Reidy.
But it would be 1-12 apiece at the half as Darragh Fitzgibbon slung over right on the whistle.
