No cream for the Cats as Clare clean up in Thurles
Clare and Waterford will meet twice in the space of five weeks after the Division 1B winners avalanched scores down on Kilkenny in this Division 1 semi-final in Thurles, .
One look at the Kilkenny starting line-up wouldn’t deem this a shock but the manner of their errors in the first half certainly was a surprise although Clare were full value for their victory watched by a 20,481 crowd.
Leading by 11 at half-time (3-12 to 0-10), Clare goaled for a fourth time in the 51st minute when Conor McGrath hammered home an unstoppable shot. A brace of points from substitute Tony Kelly extended their advantage to 13 (4-18 to 1-14) before Jonjo Farrell goaled adding to TJ Reid’s earlier effort from a close-range free, which was deflected over the goal-line.
Clare’s first half goals weren't as much down to ingenuity on their part as errors on Kilkenny’s. The Banner were 0-6 to 0-3 to the good in the 17th minute when John Conlon poached on a mix-up between Eoin Murphy and Joey Holden as they tried to retrieve a Colm Galvin delivery from distance.
Aaron Cunningham’s goal three minutes later came as he was given too much space to shoot past Eoin Murphy on his near side. Jackie Tyrrell made way shortly afterwards as Brian Cody acknowledge the full-back line was leaking like a sieve. However, a third goal came in the 26th minute when David Fitzgerald drove a long ball in and once more Murphy was in trouble, Cunningham pouncing to finish to the net.
Kilkenny had a couple of goal opportunities via Reid and Richie Hogan but Clare defenders managed to get either ash or a body in the way.
Scorers for Clare: A Cunningham (2-3); J Conlon (1-1); C McGrath (1-5, 0-2 frees, 0-2 65s); C Galvin (0-5); T Kelly (0-3); D Honan (0-2); P Collins, D Reidy, C O’Connell (0-1 each)
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid (1-7, 1-6 frees); JJ Farrell (1-1); K Kelly, P Walsh, W Walsh, C Bolger (0-2 each); R Hogan, J Power, C Buckley (0-1 each).
CLARE: P Kelly; O O’Brien, P O’Connor, P Flanagan; C Cleary, B Bugler, D Fitzgerald; D Reidy, C Galvin; D Honan, C McGrath, P Collins; C Dillon, A Cunningham, J Conlon.
Subs for Clare: T Kelly for J Conlon (inj 51); C O’Connell for D Honan (57); Colin Ryan for D Reidy (64); A Shanagher for A Cunningham (67); B Duggan for P Collins (70+1).
KILKENNY: E Murphy; J Tyrrell, J Holden, S Prendergast; P Walsh, K Joyce, C O’Shea; L Ryan, C Buckley; W Walsh, TJ Reid, K Kelly; J Power, JJ Farrell, R Hogan.
Subs for Kilkenny: B Kennedy for J Tyrrell (22); L Blanchfield for C O’Shea (55); C Bolger for K Kelly (63).
Referee: F Horgan (Tipperary)
