Kerry lower the Banner

Kerry 0-17   Clare 3-4

Those hopes remained strong for a long time but, in the end, the ability of Kerry to create scoring chances, mainly due to their patience in the build up, proved too much for Clare.
Four points was the margin of victory but on the evening Kerry managed 17 scores, 10 more than the home side. Nine players shared in their final tally whereas only three Clare players got on the scoresheet.
That Clare have made progress in the past year is without question but at the end of the day they failed to match the all round balance of the visitors.
It’s an indication of how much this victory meant to Kerry that their manager Mickey Ned O’Sullivan jumped high into the air in celebration when substitute Gerald O’Sullivan kicked the ‘insurance’ point in the third minute of injury time. The score sealed victory and their place in the provincial final where they will face the holders Tipperary who beat them in the opening round. Tipperary were four point winners over Cork in the other semi-final on Wednesday evening.
Clare attacked from the throw in but Conor Cleary’s effort went narrowly wide. However, they didn’t have long to wait for the opening score that came in the second minute when Eoin Cleary converted a 25m free.
Kerry responded quickly and a brace of points from Conor Keane and Jack Savage had them in the lead for the first time by the fifth minute.
It was a shortlived lead as, in their next attack, Clare were awarded a penalty when Eoin Cleary was fouled after a great run through the heart of the Kerry defence. Conor Cleary crashed the resultant penalty to the roof of the net.
Kerry again hit back to level and by the end of the first quarter they had gone a point in front again. Then, after good play by Eoin and Conor Cleary, the latter fed the ball to Clare team captain, Jamie Malone, and he slipped through Kerry’s last line of defence before finding the net to put Clare two clear. Again Kerry hit back and they kicked the last three points of the half to lead by one at half time when the score was 0-10 to 2-3.
Clare returned with Stephen McGuire and Martin O’Leary in their line up in place of Fergal Pyne and Kieran Malone. Eoin Clancy moved to the full-back line and Conor Cleary had moved out to midfield from the full-forward line.
Each side managed just one point in the third quarter. As Clare tired, mistakes crept into their game and the ball was given away easily in the final quarter. A brace of points early in the final quarter put Kerry three clear and this was still the position with five minutes remaining when they went four ahead for the first time with a converted free from Jack Savage.
Clare followers were annoyed when, two minutes from time, referee Richard Moloney called back play for a 13m free as substitute Eimhin Courtney headed for goal. Seconds later they were in full voice as Conor Cleary blasted the free to the roof of the net cutting the winner’s lead to the minimum margin just as the signal was given for three minutes of injury time. Kerry dominated the remaining time and added three points to seal victory, a result they just about deserved as they were more evenly balanced.
A key reason for Kerry’s win was their ability to cut out supply to the Clare full-forward line of the Clearys and Barry Lynch who caused huge problems for the winners in the opening 20 minutes of the game.
On an evening when Clare played some excellent football, Liam Corbett, Sean Garry, outstanding team captain Jamie Malone, Barry Lynch, Conor and Eoin Cleary worked extremely hard throughout.

Kerry: Gavin Curran; Cathal O’Luing, Gavin Crowley, Shane O’Connor; Brian Crowley, Ronan Murphy, Greg Hogan; Kieran Murphy, Eanna O’Conchuir; Cillian Fitzgerald, Jack Savage, Gavin O’Shea; Darragh Carmody, Denis Daly, Conor Keane.
Subs: Sean Moloney for Daly; Niall Sheehy for Savage; Gerald O’Sullivan for Fitzgerald.
Scorers: Jack Savage (0-5, 3f); Cillian Fitzgerald (0-3); Darragh Carmody, Conor Keane (0-2 each); Brian Crowley, Eanna O’Conchuir, Gavin O’Shea, Sean Moloney and Gerald O’Sullivan (0-1 each).
Clare: Liam Corbett (Corofin); Sean Garry (Cooraclare), Fergal Pyne (Killimer), Jack Brown (Kilrush); Eoin Clancy (Corofin), Cian Murray (Kilrush), Conor McNeilis (Clondegad); Jamie Malone (Corofin, capt), Eoin Hanrahan (Doora-Barefield); Kieran Malone (Corofin), Niall Deasy (Ballyea), Sean Corry (Éire Óg); Barry Lynch (Lissycasey), Eoin Cleary (Miltown), Conor Cleary (Miltown);
Subs: Stephen McGuire (St Senan’s, Kilkee) for Pyne (half-time); Martin O’Leary (Kilmihil) for K Malone (half-time); Joe Downes (Cooraclare) for Deasy (37 minutes); Eimhin Courtney (Éire Óg) for Hanrahan (43 minutes); Mark Bohannon (Shannon Gaels for McNeilis (50 minutes).
Scorers: Conor Cleary (2-1); Jamie Malone (1-2); Eoin Cleary (0-1)
Referee: Richard Moloney, Limerick.