By Seamus Hayes
Kilkenny 2-20 Clare 2-19
Clare and Kilkenny will do battle again next Sunday to determine who will drop to division 1 B for next season. Clare needed to win in Nowlan Park and hope that Galway beat Dublin in Parnell Park to avoid being involved in the relegation play off but neither result was achieved leaving Clare and Kilkenny in the relegation play off.
A strong secondhalf showing form Kilkenny proved too much for Clare before an attendance of 6,298 . Throughout the seventy minutes the kilkenny full forward trio caused huge problems for Clare as is evidenced by the fact thqat the home side’s inside trio contributed 2-14 of their side’s final tally
At the end of a lively first half, visitors Clare held a one goal lead, 2-9 to 1-9. Full forward Shane O’ Donnell accounted for both goals, the first coming in the ninth minute after he had taken a pass from Conor McGrath and the second three minutes before the break. Kilkenny’s goal came from Kevin Kelly in the twelfth minute
Clearly with an eye on next week’s relegation play off which they were already confined to prior to their clash with Clare, Kilkenny ‘rested’ their Ballyhale shamrocks contingent which includes T.J.Reid and the Fennelly brothers, Colin and Michael along with 2014 hurler of the year Ritchie Hogan, Padraig Walsh and Cillian Buckley
Scorers—Clare—Shane O’Donnell (2-0) Colin Ryan (0-7), Tony Kelly (0-4) Colm Galvin Seadna Morey Conor McGath (0-2) each John conlon, Conor Cleary (0-1) each
Kilkenny—Kevin Kelly (1-8) Johnjo Farrell (1-3) Mark Kelly (0-3) Walter Walsh, Mathew Ruth,(0-2) each; Ger Aylward Joe Lyng (0-1) each
Clare;–Patrick Kelly; Paul Flanagan, David McInerney, Jack Browne; Cian Dillon, Conor Ryan, Pat Donnellan; Colm Galvin, Seadna Morey; John Conlon, Tony Kelly, Colin Ryan: Aaron Cunningham, Shane O’Donnell, Conor McGrath
Subs;David Reidy for Cunningham; Domhnaill O’Donovan for Flanagan; Darach Honan for McGrath; Conor Cleary for Galvin (inj)
Kilkenny;–Eoin Murphy; Shane Prendergast, Paul Murphy, Jackie Tyrrell; Tomas Keogh, Kieran Joyce, William Phelan; Joe Lyng, Brian Kennedy; Walter Walsh, John Power, Matthew Ruth; Johjo Farrell, Kevin Kelly, Mark Kelly
Subs;–Ger Aylward for Kennedy; Robert Lennon for Tyrrell (inj);
Referee—James Owens, Wexford;