AT HALF-TIME, this looked a familiar tale for the Clare hurlers.
All-Ireland semi-final day has represented the graveyard for their ambitions in recent times, there was little in the opening period to suggest this would be different as they trailed Kilkenny by five points, 1-10 to 0-8.
Their mood worsened in the third quarter, as they once again coughed up a soft goal in the Davin End. TJ Reid arrowed in a ball that fell into Eibhear Quilligan’s lap, Martin Keoghan turned over possession, and when Billy Ryan scooped it up to rattle home Kilkenny’s second goal, the Leinster champions had surged six clear, 2-12 to 0-12.
And yet by the final whistle Clare were celebrating, the blue and saffron support cheering in the Croke Park sunshine, savouring the prospect of a first All-Ireland final appearance since their 2013 replay triumph.
It was an extraordinary turnaround in their fortunes. During a slow-burning first-half, Clare struggled to make headway, largely relying on Aidan McCarthy’s frees and David Reidy from play for scoring nourishment.
Kilkenny were ahead 0-6 to 0-2 after 14 minutes, a deserved position of supremacy, and then after Clare trimmed the deficit to two points, the game’s opening goal arrived.
Finally Kilkenny found the net after previously seeing Eibhear Quilligan deny the goalbound efforts of Cian Kenny, Adrian Mullen and Mikey Carey with a string of superb saves. The Clare netminder would later in the half do well to flick away a dangerous sideline delivery, but he had no answer in the 24th minute.
The goal was a work of personal brilliance by Eoin Cody. He turned Adam Hogan, coped with a crowd of covering Clare backs to flick the ball over John Conlon and as it dropped from the air, he whipped a marvellous overhand stroke to the corner of the net.
Kilkenny’s Eoin Cody celebrates after scoring his sides first goal. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Clare looked lethargic as the first half closed, and while McCarthy, Peter Duggan, and Shane O’Donnell all raised white flags in a bright start to the second half, that good work appeared to have been wiped away when Ryan netted for Kilkenny, bringing his tally for the day to 1-2.
But Clare rose to the challenge in marvellous fashion. By the three-quarter mark they had cut the gap to three points, 2-14 to 0-17. Then it seemed as if Eoin Murphy’s goalkeeping heroics would be pivotal once more as he proved equal to McCarthy’s close-range shot in the 53rd minute. Kilkenny got a bounce off that save, John Donnelly and TJ Reid, nudging them four clear by the 58th minute.
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TJ Reid and Conor Fogarty after Kilkenny's defeat. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
They failed to score again. Their shooting malfunctioned from open play and placed balls, Clare driven on by a rearguard where Adam Hogan, Conor Leen and man-of-the-match David McInerney excelled, charged forward.
Tony Kelly powered into the game with a point as he profited from a Peter Duggan catch off a puckout, Ian Galvin grabbed another, then a McCarthy free left one between them.
At last they drew level on the 64th minute, Mark Rodgers on target. As the play grew frantic Kilkenny saw two TJ Reid frees drift wide, one struck a long distance from goal, the other from a spot hugging the Hogan Stand touchline. In between McCarthy was accurate and suddenly Clare found themselves a point to the good.
They had chances to extend that advantage, but only took one of them through Kelly. Kilkenny grew desperate as they popped balls into the Clare goalmouth but this time there was no repeat of their dramatic late intervention in last year’s Leinster final.
A two-point reversal had to be swallowed and absorbed.
Clare stood tall and at last made their semi-final breakthrough.
Clare’s John Conlon and Adrian Mullen of Kilkenny. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Scorers for Clare: Aidan McCarthy 0-11 (0-9f), David Reidy 0-3, Tony Kelly 0-3, Mark Rodgers 0-2, David Fitzgerald 0-2, Shane O’Donnell 0-1, Peter Duggan 0-1, Ian Galvin 0-1.
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-7 (0-4f, 0-1 ’65, 0-1 sideline), Billy Ryan 1-2, Eoin Cody 1-0, Cian Kenny 0-2, John Donnelly 0-2, Mikey Carey 0-1, Paddy Deegan 0-1, David Blanchfield 0-1.
Clare
1. Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
2. Adam Hogan (Feakle), 3. Conor Cleary (Kilmaley — captain), 4. Conor Leen (Corofin)
5. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), 6. John Conlon (Clonlara), 7. David McInerney (Tulla),
9. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), 10. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
8. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona), 14. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg Ennis), 12. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin)
13. Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona), 11. Mark Rodgers (Scariff), 15. David Reidy (Éire Óg Ennis)
Subs
22. Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones) for O’Donnell (blood) (24)
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Brilliant Clare fightback defeats Kilkenny to clinch All-Ireland final place
Clare 0-24
Kilkenny 2-16
AT HALF-TIME, this looked a familiar tale for the Clare hurlers.
All-Ireland semi-final day has represented the graveyard for their ambitions in recent times, there was little in the opening period to suggest this would be different as they trailed Kilkenny by five points, 1-10 to 0-8.
Their mood worsened in the third quarter, as they once again coughed up a soft goal in the Davin End. TJ Reid arrowed in a ball that fell into Eibhear Quilligan’s lap, Martin Keoghan turned over possession, and when Billy Ryan scooped it up to rattle home Kilkenny’s second goal, the Leinster champions had surged six clear, 2-12 to 0-12.
And yet by the final whistle Clare were celebrating, the blue and saffron support cheering in the Croke Park sunshine, savouring the prospect of a first All-Ireland final appearance since their 2013 replay triumph.
It was an extraordinary turnaround in their fortunes. During a slow-burning first-half, Clare struggled to make headway, largely relying on Aidan McCarthy’s frees and David Reidy from play for scoring nourishment.
Kilkenny were ahead 0-6 to 0-2 after 14 minutes, a deserved position of supremacy, and then after Clare trimmed the deficit to two points, the game’s opening goal arrived.
Finally Kilkenny found the net after previously seeing Eibhear Quilligan deny the goalbound efforts of Cian Kenny, Adrian Mullen and Mikey Carey with a string of superb saves. The Clare netminder would later in the half do well to flick away a dangerous sideline delivery, but he had no answer in the 24th minute.
The goal was a work of personal brilliance by Eoin Cody. He turned Adam Hogan, coped with a crowd of covering Clare backs to flick the ball over John Conlon and as it dropped from the air, he whipped a marvellous overhand stroke to the corner of the net.
Clare looked lethargic as the first half closed, and while McCarthy, Peter Duggan, and Shane O’Donnell all raised white flags in a bright start to the second half, that good work appeared to have been wiped away when Ryan netted for Kilkenny, bringing his tally for the day to 1-2.
But Clare rose to the challenge in marvellous fashion. By the three-quarter mark they had cut the gap to three points, 2-14 to 0-17. Then it seemed as if Eoin Murphy’s goalkeeping heroics would be pivotal once more as he proved equal to McCarthy’s close-range shot in the 53rd minute. Kilkenny got a bounce off that save, John Donnelly and TJ Reid, nudging them four clear by the 58th minute.
They failed to score again. Their shooting malfunctioned from open play and placed balls, Clare driven on by a rearguard where Adam Hogan, Conor Leen and man-of-the-match David McInerney excelled, charged forward.
Tony Kelly powered into the game with a point as he profited from a Peter Duggan catch off a puckout, Ian Galvin grabbed another, then a McCarthy free left one between them.
At last they drew level on the 64th minute, Mark Rodgers on target. As the play grew frantic Kilkenny saw two TJ Reid frees drift wide, one struck a long distance from goal, the other from a spot hugging the Hogan Stand touchline. In between McCarthy was accurate and suddenly Clare found themselves a point to the good.
They had chances to extend that advantage, but only took one of them through Kelly. Kilkenny grew desperate as they popped balls into the Clare goalmouth but this time there was no repeat of their dramatic late intervention in last year’s Leinster final.
A two-point reversal had to be swallowed and absorbed.
Clare stood tall and at last made their semi-final breakthrough.
Scorers for Clare: Aidan McCarthy 0-11 (0-9f), David Reidy 0-3, Tony Kelly 0-3, Mark Rodgers 0-2, David Fitzgerald 0-2, Shane O’Donnell 0-1, Peter Duggan 0-1, Ian Galvin 0-1.
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-7 (0-4f, 0-1 ’65, 0-1 sideline), Billy Ryan 1-2, Eoin Cody 1-0, Cian Kenny 0-2, John Donnelly 0-2, Mikey Carey 0-1, Paddy Deegan 0-1, David Blanchfield 0-1.
Clare
1. Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
2. Adam Hogan (Feakle), 3. Conor Cleary (Kilmaley — captain), 4. Conor Leen (Corofin)
5. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), 6. John Conlon (Clonlara), 7. David McInerney (Tulla),
9. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), 10. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
8. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona), 14. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg Ennis), 12. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin)
13. Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona), 11. Mark Rodgers (Scariff), 15. David Reidy (Éire Óg Ennis)
Subs
Kilkenny
1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
2. Mikey Butler (O’Loughlin Gaels), 3. Huw Lawlor (O’Loughlin Gaels), 4. Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan),
5. David Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge), 6. Richie Reid (Shamrocks Ballyhale), 7. Mikey Carey (Young Irelands)
8. Cian Kenny (James Stephens), 9. Paddy Deegan (O’Loughlin Gaels — captain)
14. Billy Ryan (Graigue Ballycallan), 12. John Donnelly (Thomastown), 10 Adrian Mullen (Shamrocks Ballyhale),
13. Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan), 11. TJ Reid (Shamrocks Ballyhale), 15. Eoin Cody (Shamrocks Ballyhale)
Subs
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway)
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