All-Ireland SHC semi-final: Clare 0-24 Kilkenny 2-16
Clare had discovered long before now that there is no way other than the hard way. Having suffered agonising defeats in Munster finals and in Croke Park over the last three years they reached the All-Ireland final for the first time since 2013. In a convulsive second half Clare found whatever had been missing and stormed down the home straight, shooting the last six points.
It was a stunning comeback. In a tense and sometimes suffocating match Kilkenny led by five points at half-time, and by six in the middle of the third quarter after Billy Ryan had feasted on a mistake for their second goal. But from then to the finish Clare out-scored Kilkenny by 0-12 to 0-4, rejecting every opportunity to crack or keel over.
Clare have fallen off a cliff so often in tight games over the last two or three years that this was a searching test of their nerve. They trailed from the opening minute and didn’t lead for the first time until the last minute. For the rest of the time, they were in a state of red alert.
Twice in the second half Kilkenny rebuffed Clare’s attempts at scoreboard momentum. When they desperately needed a goal Eoin Murphy made a terrific save from Aidan McCarthy, and when TJ Reid put Kilkenny four points clear with what would be their final score – 12 minutes from the end of normal time – it was hard to see Clare recovering without a goal.
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Instead, they took over. Tony Kelly, who was reduced to one possession in the first half, and had been peripheral in the third quarter, charged into the game and landed two late points. Ryan Taylor, who tore his cruciate ligament in the All-Ireland semi-final last year, made a massive impact off the bench in his first appearance of the season and his pace and calmness on the ball unhinged the Kilkenny half-backs.
The Clare management had been criticised for their tardy use of subs in the Munster final. On Saturday, Taylor and Ian Galvin both came on in time to make a difference.
[ Clare 0-24 Kilkenny 2-16: As it happenedOpens in new window ]
Whatever tenuous grip the Kilkenny defence had exerted over Shane O’Donnell in the first half had long since been sundered and his fingerprints were all over Clare’s final surge. McCarthy, who had been dropped for the quarter final, was flawless from frees too and landed two crucial shots late in game, both from an acute angle in front of the Cusack Stand. In the Munster final his free taking had been part of the problem. He exorcised that ghost.
In the frantic endgame Kilkenny were unusually rattled. Adrian Mullen was taken off, eclipsed by the outstanding David McInerney, and Eoin Cody, who had been so dangerous in the first half, was worn down by Adam Hogan, just as he had been in the league final. All over the field Clare won contests for the ball, in the air and on the ground.
With Kilkenny trailing by a point Reid missed two frees – one from nearly 100 metres, and the other from in front of the Hogan Stand, both into a fresh breeze. Reid has made a trifle of difficult frees so often in his career that it wouldn’t have been a surprise if he had landed both of them; instead they drifted wide.
Kilkenny will wonder how they lost so much altitude. They dominated the first half and if their finishing had been clinical the game would have been over. After just 10 minutes Eibhear Quilligan made a stunning save from Cian Kenny, and another from Mullen in the same passage of play. Three minutes later Mikey Carey burst through the cover, and with only Quilligan to beat, the Clare goalkeeper came off his line and smothered Carey’s shot.
Kilkenny’s first goal, four minutes before half-time, was a stunning piece of improvisation. When Cody ran into traffice he tossed the ball up, like he was hitting a tennis serve, and beat Quilligan with a forehand smash.
Kilkenny led by 1-10 to 0-8 at the break and it was an accurate reflection of their superiority. In the first half Kilkenny set the pace. The Leinster champions hustled and hunted and shut down space with terrific intensity and Clare were unable to build a rhythm.
For Kilkenny everything was easier. They had no difficulty getting their puck-outs away and when Eoin Murphy varied the length of his re-starts he was able to find players in pockets of space.
Clare made a blistering start to the second half, and scored more points in the third quarter – nine – than they had done in the entire first half. Their first comeback, though, was spiked by a concussive goal. Quilligan put his hurley to a long free that had dropped short, but he didn’t quite stun it, and as he chased the ball away from goal he lost control. Billy Ryan picked it up and drove into the net.
That put Kilkenny 2-12 to 0-12 in front, and even though they were playing into a fresh breeze, it was hard see how they would lose it from there.
Clare saw it another way.
Clare: E Quilligan, A Hogan, C Cleary, C Leen, D Ryan, J Conlon, D McInerney, C Malone, T Kelly 0-3, D Fitzgerald 0-2, S O’Donnell 0-1, P Duggan 0-1, A McCarthy 0-11, 0-9 frees, M Rodgers 0-2, D Reidy 0-3. Subs: R Taylor for Malone 50 mins; I Galvin 0-1 for Fitzgerald 56 mins; A Shanagher for Reidy 60 mins; D Lohan for Duggan 70+3
Kilkenny: E Murphy, M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh, D Blanchfield 0-1, R Reid, M Carey 0-1, C Kenny 0-2, P Deegan 0-1, A Mullen, TJ Reid 0-7, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65, 0-1 sideline, B Ryan 1-2, M Keoghan, J Donnelly 0-2, E Cody 1-0. Subs: W Walsh for Keoghan 57 mins; T Phelan for Mullen 63 mins; C Fogarty for Ryan 67 mins
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway).
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