Kilkenny end Clare's defence of minor title with extra-time win

All-Ireland MHC semi-final

Kilkenny 2-23

Clare 2-20

After extra-time

Stephen Barry reports from FBD Semple Stadium

JAKE MULLEN’S 13 points saw Kilkenny dethrone All-Ireland champions Clare after a titanic extra-time tussle at Semple Stadium.

The brother of senior star Adrian got the key scores to set up a final against neighbours Tipperary, just weeks after their second-string sides contested the Celtic Challenge decider.

The Cats are now one game away from a first All-Ireland minor title since 2014.

Both sides looked likely winners at various stages. Clare raced into an early eight-point lead while Kilkenny were four to the good approaching the hour mark. In the end, a 64th-minute leveller from Paul Rodgers, brother of Clare senior Mark, made it 2-15 apiece to trigger extra-time.

Kilkenny rebuilt their four-point lead with scores from Mullen (0-2), Kevin Buggy, and an incredible Patrick Lacey effort. It went from bad to worse for Clare when Rodgers received a straight red card at the end of the half. 2-20 to 2-16 at the change of ends.

Matthew Corbett struck three frees but Kilkenny held on with scores from Mullen, Robbie Doherty, and Lacey’s second.

Kilkenny entered aiming to avenge their 2023 semi-final defeat to the Banner but after the opening point, they struck a remarkable 10 wides in a row across the next 15 minutes.

Clare blitzed 2-3, with goals for their first two scores goals. From a high Seán McNamara catch in defence they worked the sliotar to Rodgers. His shot was saved by Jake O’Doherty but Conor Ralph buried the rebound. Liam Murphy’s killer pass to Rodgers provided the second goal in the sixth minute.

Kilkenny’s wides included a 10th-minute Mullen penalty after Ollie O’Donovan had been chopped down by McNamara. James Cullinan’s long-range missile and a Harry Doherty brace made it 2-3 to 0-1.

Two of Kilkenny’s first three points came from overcarrying frees but they began to pose greater problems in the closing minutes of the half.

Bill McDermott flicked over the bar from close range before Conor Holohan bounced the sliotar through the keeper’s legs to make it a one-score game. Matthew Crotty smothered another Holohan effort as Ralph’s pair pushed Clare 2-6 to 1-4 ahead at half-time.

Mullen was brought out the field and his six points brought the sides level by the three-quarter mark as Clare’s wides rose into double-figures.

In the 47th minute, they moved ahead. Eoghan Cahill and O’Donovan both had efforts blocked before the latter found the bottom corner at the third attempt for a 2-11 to 2-8 lead.

They led by four as late as the 58th minute but Clare kept running at them and reeled off points from Darragh McNamara and Doherty (0-3) to level.

Buggy looked like he had won it but Rodgers equalised again in the final seconds of the four added minutes. It would be decided in extra-time.

Scorers for Kilkenny: Jake Mullen 0-13 (9f), Ollie O’Donovan, Conor Holohan 1-0 each, Robbie Doherty, Bill McDermott 0-3 each, Kevin Buggy, Patrick Lacey 0-2 each.

Scorers for Clare: Harry Doherty 0-7 (4f), Conor Ralph 1-2, Matthew Corbett 0-5 (5f), Paul Rodgers 1-1, Dara Kennedy, James Cullinan, Patrick Finneran, Darragh McNamara, Jerry O’Connor 0-1 each.

Kilkenny

1. Jake O’Doherty (Mooncoin)

2. Oisín Henderson (Dicksboro), 3. Larry Phelan (James Stephens), 4. Bobby Brennan (Erin’s Own)

5. David Barcoe (Clara), 6. Jack Dollard (Glenmore), 7. Mikey Rohan (Carrickshock)

9. Kevin Buggy (Erin’s Own), 15. Eoin Brennan (Erin’s Own)

8. Robbie Doherty (Mooncoin), 11. Bill McDermott (James Stephens, captain), 14. Conor Holohan (O’Loughlin Gaels)

13. Ollie O’Donovan (John Lockes), 10. Jake Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks), 12. Jason Cody (Glenmore)

Subs:

Louis Raggett (Dicksboro) for Dollard (12-h-t, blood); Raggett for B Brennan (h-t); Eoghan Cahill (Graigue-Ballycallan) for Cody (38); 18. Cian Byrne (O’Loughlin Gaels) for McDermott (58); Patrick Lacey (Dicksboro) for E Brennan (58); Conor McEvoy (James Stephens) for Holohan (73); Anthony Clifford (Dicksboro) for Cahill (73); Diarmuid Behan (James Stephens) for Barcoe (79).

Clare

1. Matthew Crotty (Scariff)

4. Seán Óg Kilkenny (Bodyke), 3. Seán McNamara (Clooney-Quin), 2. Darren Moroney (Éire Óg Ennis)

7. Rian Mulcahy (Éire Óg Ennis), 6. James Cullinan (Ruan), 5. Dara Kennedy (Ballyea)

8. Graham Ball (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield), 9. Matthew Corbett (Clooney-Quin)

11. Patrick Finneran (Clooney-Quin), 13. Tadhg Lohan (Cratloe), 12. Harry Doherty (Clarecastle, captain)

10. Conor Ralph (Clarecastle), 14. Paul Rodgers (Scariff), 15. Liam Murphy (O’Callaghan’s Mills)