1. Joy for Clare
FOR THE FIRST time in 11 years, Clare have been crowned All-Ireland senior hurling champions. Success will taste sweet after that wait, but also because of the succession of setbacks in defeat that this team have suffered. Clare have lost five Munster finals and three All-Ireland semi-finals since 2017.
That’s a lot of pain to absorb, but the resilience and character of the older Clare crew involved in that run to keep going is admirable. They showcased those qualities during this game as well, recovering from an early seven-point deficit to charge into the game.
They got the ultimate reward for their persistence here, landing the silverware they craved and sparking wild celebrations for the county’s hurling community.
2. Cork suffer heartbreak
Cork’s barren spell will stretch into a second decade. There was a huge desire amongst their playing squad, management and fan base to land the Liam MacCarthy Cup again, but they fell short by a wafer-thin margin after an absorbing encounter. The nature of this defeat will cause immense hurt.
In the 2013 replay, Cork were in chase mode for much of the game. In 2021 they were hammered by Limerick and had little cause for complaint. This felt different.
In a game that ebbed and flowed, there were several moments of regret – goalscoring chances not converted, points not registered, defensive plays that didn’t shut Clare down. After heroically fighting back to force extra-time, to then fall short by a point will be hugely painful for Cork.
3. Tony Kelly moments of magic
It has been a frustrating 2024 for Tony Kelly in terms of gametime afforded, with injury stalling his involvement early in the season. There was a sense he was still trying to locate his best play again as the season progressed, but after being a peripheral figure in the first half against Kilkenny, he exploded to life in a timely fashion in the second half.
And then the Ballyea maestro carried his form into this game. His goal scored into the Davin End was a work of art, weaving his way through the Cork defence and finishing in style. He spun around to score a point that looked like the match-winner in normal time, then popped up with two crucial points in the opening period of extra-time to inject energy into Clare’s challenge.
And again in the second half of extra-time, he supplied a fantastic score in the 87th minute to edge Clare ahead at a critical juncture.
When Clare needed it, their talisman inspired them with huge game-defining moments.
4. Referee calls
Cork manager Pat Ryan was dignified afterwards and chose not to be critical of the match officials but privately, Cork may feel they have cause for grievance with some of referee Johnny Murphy’s decisions at pivotal moments.
A pull on Robbie O’Flynn’s jersey as he took that last-gasp shot that went wide — should play have been brought back for a placed ball? An earlier swipe across Darragh Fitzgibbon as he sought to claim possession?
Then there was the earlier decision after a foul on O’Flynn to award a free and not a penalty, when it seemed a clear goalscoring opportunity, and a ’65 incorrectly not awarded after Seamus Harnedy’s goalbound shot was deflected wide.
Cork’s performance was littered with enough mistakes of their own making: their attack didn’t fire to the same extent as had previously, they were largely quietened on long puckouts, and the concession of three goals from play proved costly.
But those refereeing calls will sting.
