HURLING: Cats show their claws as Clare wide of the mark

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Semi Final
Clare 0-20 Kilkenny 2-26

A disappointing opening half display saw Clare bow out of the All-Ireland Championship as a ravenous Kilkenny proved too much to handle, reports Ivan Smyth.
In a first half where little went as planned for Clare, they gave themselves a proverbial mountain to climb when trailing 1-17 to 0-6 at half time. With John Conlon missing out through injury, the Clonlara’s man experience was sorely missed.
The Clare defence held up reasonably well but the Clare attack misfired during the damaging opening half as they struck 11 wides and only six points.
In what was only his fifth game in Croke Park with the Clare senior team, Tony Kelly was expertly marshalled by the tigerish Mikey Butler. Kelly was kept scoreless from play while Peter Duggan also held to just a solitary point from a free.
With Banner hopes high after the rousing come from behind win over Wexford plus hopes of Kilkenny falling short at this stage in the past two years, supporters will be disappointed with not just this defeat but the manner of it.
Clare no doubt battled until the end but they lacked the necessary quality in attack with 23 wides for Brian Lohan’s men highlighting his side’s struggles in front of the posts. Goals in either half from Martin Keoghan and Cian Kenny alongside the accurate free taking of TJ Reid propelled Kilkenny to this facile win.
Despite moving two points to one ahead in the opening stages, six scores in a row from Kilkenny highlighted their dominance as Adrian Mullen (two) Eoin Cody (two), TJ Reid and Conor Browne all fired over for Brian Cody’s men.
Kilkenny continued to pile on the pressure in the opening stages as despite two fine long distance points from Diarmuid Ryan, the Leinster champions showed little mercy as they streaked 0-14 to 0-5 clear as another six points in a row moved Clare in danger territory.
Despite Kely firing his first point of the game after 31 minutes, a late 1-2 from the Cats moved them out of sight. The goal came 30 seconds in to injury time as Peter Duggan saw his goalbound effort blocked before Kilkenny countered as Keoghan smuggled the past to the back of the net despite Quilligan’s best efforts.
The second half felt anti climatic as after a year in which the hurlers have shown that they will fight until the end, they were simply not allowed any hoeps of a comeback as Kilkenny managed the game expertly.
With nine players finding the target for the winners, they will certainly not fear their All Ireland final opponents after their best display of the Championship by a considerable distance.
Cian Kenny’s second goal put Kilkenny 2-19 to 0-10 up and ensured the Leinster side would reach a first All Ireland final since 2019. Clare battled manfully but on a day when little went their way, the wait for an All Ireland final appearance with next year marking the 10 year anniversary of that unforgettable All Ireland triumph.
In the end, the Cats showed their claws as Clare were left to lick their wounds in the aftermath of this bitterly disappointing display.

John Conlon and Aron Shanagher of Clare arrive for their All-Ireland Semi Final against Kilkenny at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Disappointed Clare fans chew over their loss following their All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

A disappointed Clare fan following their All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Disappointed Clare fans following their All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Disappointed Clare fans following their All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

A clearly disappointed David Mc Inerney of Clare following their All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

A clearly disappointed Eibhear Quilligan of Clare following their All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

A clearly disappointed Diarmuid Ryan of Clare following their All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

David Fitzgerald was one of three Clare All-Stars and the first from his club Inagh-Kilnamona. Photograph by John Kelly

Aron Shanagher of Clare and Huw Lawlor of Kilkenny get tangled during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Huw Lawlor of Kilkenny in action against Aron Shanagher of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Shane O Donnell of Clare in action against Adrian Mullen of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Shane O Donnell of Clare in action against Richie Reid of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Tony Kelly of Clare in action against Huw Lawlor of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Aron Shanagher of Clare in action against Huw Lawlor of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Shane O Donnell of Clare in action against Michael Carey of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Disappointed Clare fans late on during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Peter Duggan of Clare shows frustration during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Peter Duggan of Clare in action against Michael Carey of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Mark Rodgers of Clare in action against Tommy Walsh and Adrian Mullen of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Tommy Walsh of Kilkenny in action against Mark Rodgers and Aron Shanagher of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Tommy Walsh of Kilkenny in action against Mark Rodgers of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Martin Keoghan of Kilkenny celebrates a goal during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Martin Keoghan of Kilkenny beats Eibhear Quilligan of Clare to score a goal during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Billy Ryan of Kilkenny in action against Rory Hayes of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Paul Flanagan of Clare in action against Billy Ryan of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Adrian Mullen of Kilkenny in action against David Mc Inerney of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Billy Ryan of Kilkenny in action against Rory Hayes of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Cian Kenny of Kilkenny in action against Ryan Taylor of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Eoin Cody of Kilkenny in action against Paul Flanagan and Conor Cleary of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

TJ Reid of Kilkenny in action against Paul Flanagan of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Rory Hayes and Eibhear Quilligan of Clare in action against Billy Ryan of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Conor Cleary of Clare in action against TJ Reid of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Eoin Cody of Kilkenny in action against Rory Hayes of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Paul Flanagan of Clare in action against Cian Kenny of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Peter Duggan of Clare in action against Huw Lawlor of Kilkenny during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Huw Lawlor of Kilkenny in action against Peter Duggan and Cathal Malone of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Huw Lawlor of Kilkenny in action against Cathal Malone of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

TJ Reid of Kilkenny in action against Paul Flanagan of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Eoin Cody of Kilkenny in action against Rory Hayes of Clare during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Clare fans in full voice on The Hill during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Tony Kelly of Clare leads out his team for their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Young Clare fans with a message for their hurling hero before their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

A young Clare fan before their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

A Clare fan during their All-Ireland Semi Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

John Conlon and Aron Shanagher of Clare arrive for their All-Ireland Semi Final against Kilkenny at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly

Clare: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle), Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones), Conor Cleary (Kilmaley), Paul Flanagan (Ballyea), Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), David McInerney (Tulla), Páidi Fitzpatrick (Sixmilebridge), Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin), Shane O’Donnell (Eire Og), Tony Kelly (Ballyea), David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona), David Reidy (Eire Og), Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin), Ian Galvin (Clonlara). Subs: Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones) for Galvin (26 mins), Mark Rodgers (Scariff) for Reidy (half time), Cian Nolan (Smith O’Briens) for Fitzpatrick (half time), Shane Meehan (Banner) for Duggan (49 mins), Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge) for Taylor (65 mins).

Scorers: Tony Kelly (3f, 1 ’65) and Shane O’Donnell (0-4 each), David Fitzgerald and Diarmuid Ryan (0-3 each), Mark Rodgers (0-2), David McInerney, Rory Hayes, Peter Duggan (f) and Ryan Taylor (0-1 each).

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy (Glenmore), Huw Lawlor (O’Loughlin Gaels), Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan), Paddy Deegan (O’Loughlin Gaels), Richie Reid (BallyhaleShamrocks), Mikey Butler (O’Loughlin Gaels), Mikey Carey (Young Irelands), Cian Kelly (James Stephens), Conor Browne (James Stephens), Adrian Mullen (BallyhaleShamrocks), Pádraig Walsh (Tullaroan), Billy Ryan (GraigueBallycallan); TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan), Eoin Cody (Ballyhale Shamrocks) Subs: Walter Walsh (Tullogher Rosbercon) for Keoghan (half time), John Donnelly (Thomastown) for P. Walsh (48 mins), Richie Leahy (Power Instioge) for Browne (61 mins), Alan Murphy (Glenmore) for Ryan (65 mins), David Blanchfield (Bennetsbridge) for Carey (70+2).

Scorers: TJ Reid (0-10, 7f), Adrian Mullen (0-5), Cian Kenny (1-2), Martin Keoghan (1-1), Eoin Cody, Billy Ryan and Padraig Walsh (0-2 each), Conor Browne and Walter Walsh (0-1 each).

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).