Kilkenny 1-25
Clare 1-22
A SECOND HALF of stunning emotions was eventually settled by the scoring of TJ Reid and Eoin Cody enabling Kilkenny to hold off Clare in an All-Ireland semi-final thriller.
Protecting a five-point advantage at half-time, Kilkenny were left reeling in the third quarter as Clare shifted approach to outscored them 0-9 to 0-3 in the opening 20 minutes of the second half.
But then the Ballyhale Shamrocks pair intervened in the 55th minute to shift the game in Kilkenny’s favour. They were helped by Billy Ryan pickpocketing Rory Hayes as Clare tried to work the ball out of defence. It was a costly judgement call as Reid seized the break, offloaded to Cody and the corner-forward lashed home a shot that gave Eibhear Quilligan no chance.
That strike nudged Kilkenny ahead 1-18 to 0-19. They never trailed after that.
But they were dragged back on level terms as the match swerved strikingly again, Shane O’Donnell’s stunning strike to the net in the 63rd minute tied the teams at 1-20 apiece.
It took another scoring charge, driven by Reid and Cody, to see Kilkenny over the line, both players grabbing two points apiece in the finale.
And yet Kilkenny needed an outstanding intervention by goalkeeper Eoin Murphy in injury-time as well as he tipped a Peter Duggan drive onto the crossbar. Diarmuid Ryan clipped over a point from the rebound to reduce the gap Clare faced to two, but Pádraig Walsh knocked over the insurance score.
It was Kilkenny’s day, Clare left crestfallen and the 48,360 present left drained by the cracker of a second half that unfolded in front of them.
It was 0-15 to 0-10 in Kilkenny’s favour after a half where they had dictated the terms of engagement. Their two Ballyhale scoring sources again delivered. Reid nailed the eight placed ball opportunities he received and ECody was menacing as ever in chipping in with three from play.
Clare had different first-half scorers yet Mark Rodgers grabbed three from dead ball situations and seven other players raised one white flag apiece. In general their shooting was not on the money like Kilkenny’s was and no attacker was cutting loose in a frequent fashion.
Both teams were foiled in attempting to find the net. Reid unleashed a low drive in the 16th minute that Clare goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan brilliantly tipped around the post, while six minutes later Conor Fogarty got back with a despairing, heroic block to deny Rodgers after a flowing Clare handpassing team move had unlocked the Kilkenny defence.
Clare’s strategy was altered for the second half. Seadna Morey, a first-half sweeper, was with withdrawn, as they went with six in attack. Peter Duggan came to centre-forward, where he had a huge impact, while the trio of Rodgers, David Reidy and Ian Galvin darted around the full-forward line to cause major problems for the Kilkenny rearguard.
Clare posted the first three points of the half and then a run of five on the bounce between the 46th and 54th minutes, Rodgers supplying four and Reidy notching one in that scoring burst.
Their hopes were rising as they went ahead 0-19 to 0-17 but a pulsating finale was defined by Cody’s goal, O’Donnell’s strike and Murphy’s save. The big moments swung Kilkenny’s direction, Limerick await in the final once more.
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-12 (0-10f, 0-1 ’65, 0-1 sideline), Eoin Cody 1-5, Adrian Mullen 0-2, Huw Lawlor 0-1, Paddy Deegan 0-1, Tom Phelan 0-1, Billy Ryan 0-1, Cian Kenny 0-1, Pádraig Walsh 0-1.
Scorers for Clare: Mark Rodgers 0-10 (0-5f, 0-3 ’65), Shane O’Donnell 1-1, David Fitzgerald 0-3, Diarmuid Ryan 0-1, David McInerney 0-1, Cathal Malone 0-1, Peter Duggan 0-1, Tony Kelly 0-1, Ryan Taylor 0-1, Ian Galvin 0-1, David Reidy 0-1.
Kilkenny
1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
2. Mikey Butler (O’Loughlin Gaels), 3. Huw Lawlor (O’Loughlin Gaels), 4. Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan)
5. David Blanchfield (Bennetsbridge), 6. Richie Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks), 7. Paddy Deegan (O’Loughlin Gaels)
8. Conor Fogarty (Erin’s Own), 9. Adrian Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
10. Tom Phelan (Conahy Shamrocks), 11. Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan), 12. John Donnelly (Thomastown)
13. Billy Ryan (Graigue-Ballycallan), 14. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks), 15. Eoin Cody (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
Subs
- 24. Walter Walsh (Tullogher-Rosbercon) for Keoghan (44)
- 22. Cian Kenny (James Stephens) for Donnelly (54)
- 18. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro) for Fogarty (55)
- 25. Richie Hogan (Danesfort) for Phelan (60)
- 19. Pádraig Walsh (Tullaroan) for Ryan (68)
Clare
1. Éibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
2. Adam Hogan (Feakle), 3. Conor Cleary (Kilmaley), 4. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)
25. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge)
5. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), 6. John Conlon (Clonlara), 7. David McInerney (Tulla)
8. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), 11. Tony Kelly (Ballyea – captain)
9. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona), 12. Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin), 15. Mark Rodgers (Scariff)
10. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin), 14. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg Ennis)
Subs
- 21. David Reidy (Éire Óg Ennis) for Taylor (inj) (33)
- 13. Ian Galvin (Clonlara) for Morey (half-time)
- 17. Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones) for Reidy (71)
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)