DJ fears the ghost of goals past

SEVEN years ago, Kilkenny were one of the first teams to benefit from the experimental system in the All-Ireland SHC, which gave the runners-up in the Leinster and Munster finals a second chance for championship glory.

Managed at the time by Nicky Brennan and captained by DJ Carey, they beat Galway in Thurles by two points in a classic encounter. However, in their next outing, they failed to a better balanced Clare side on the way to its second All-Ireland title.

Seven years on and Kilkenny and Clare are meeting in the glamour quarter-final tie in Croke Park on Sunday. The Cats were shocked by Wexford in the Leinster semi-final, whereas Clare slipped at the first hurdle in Munster to Waterford.