Kelly points the way as Clare see off Dublin challenge in National Hurling League Division 1

National Hurling League Division 1 Group B Round 4
Clare 0-34 Dublin 2-23

A MOMENTUM building victory for Clare who secured their first victory over Dublin in Parnell Park since 2005 to leapfrog their hosts in the Division 1 table this afternoon, reports Eoin Brennan.
Highlighted by a 20-point haul for talisman Tony Kelly, Clare were full value for victory too after leading for the majority to cement back-to-back league victories for the first time this season.
Recovering from a slow start in which the visitors found themselves trailing by 0-5 too 0-2 by the ninth minute, Kelly popped up with three in a row to ensure a 0-6 to 0-6 stalemate by the water break.
Despite facing into a stiff breeze, Clare grew in confidence with six of the next seven points including two from Shane O’Donnell to move 0-12 to 0-07 clear by the 23rd minute. However, the Banner would be sucker-punched by a brace of late goals for Ronan Hayes and Cian Boland while goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan was on hand to repel a certain third, again for Hayes, as a buoyant Dublin snatched a 2-11 to 0-15 interval lead.
Level on three occasions on the restart, Clare would never look back once Tony Kelly nudged them in front with his twelfth point in the 44th minute, with Aidan McCarthy also to the fore as they built up a 0-25 to 2-16 cushion by the turn of the final quarter.
Substitute David Fitzgerald made an immediate impact to flesh out Clare’s advantage while the dismissal of Eoghan O’Donnell for a second yellow entering the final ten minutes only made the result that bit more inevitable as the rampant Kelly added five more points in what was now a duel with Dublin marksman Donal Burke.
Clare are at home to Kilkenny next Saturday, their last outing before the championship.

Clare: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle); Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones), Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown), Aaron Fitzgerald (Éire Óg); Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), John Conlon (Clonlara) (Captain), Paidí Fitzpatrick (Sixmilebridge); Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), Colm Galvin (Clonlara); Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona), Tony Kelly (Ballyea), Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg); Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones), Mark Rodgers (Scariff), Ian Galvin (Clonlara)
Subs: David Reidy (Éire Óg) for I. Galvin (47), David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Fitzpatrick (53), Stiofan McMahon (Broadford) for Rodgers (62), Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona) for C. Galvin (67)

Scorers: Tony Kelly (0-20, 15f, 1’65); Aidan McCarthy (0-4); Shane O’Donnell, Mark Rodgers, David Fitzgerald (0-2 each); Cathal Malone, Diarmuid Ryan, Aron Shanagher, David Reidy (0-1 each)

Dublin: Alan Nolan (St Brigid’s); Andrew Dunphy (St Brigid’s), Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala), Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille); Paddy Smyth (Clontarf), Conor Burke (St Vincent’s), Daire Gray (Whitehall Colmcille); James Madden (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields); Danny Sutcliffe (St Jude’s), Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes), Mark Schutte (Cuala); Cian Boland (St. Oliver Plunett/Eoghan Ruadh), Eamonn Dillon (Naomh Fionnbarra), Donal Burke (Na Fianna
Subs: Riain McBride (St Vincent’s) for Smyth (49), John Hetherton (St Vincent’s) for Schutte (53), Davy Keogh (Thomas Davis) for Boland (60), Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes) for Sutcliffe (70), Paul Crummy (Lucan Sarsfields) for Dillon (70)

Scorers: Donal Burke (0-13, 9f); Ronan Hayes (1-2); Cian Boland (1-1); Danny Sutcliffe, Chris Crummy (0-2 each); Mark Schutte, Daire Gray, Eamonn Dillon (0-1 each)

Referee: Colum Cunning (Antrim)