Clare and Kilkenny must meet again
Clare 1-13 Kilkenny 1-13
Champions Kilkenny must meet Clare again next Saturday after the sides finished level in a thrilling All-Ireland Hurling Championship quarter-final at Croke Park.
Veteran Clare attacker Jamesie O'Connor steered over an injury-time equaliser to earn a second chance for the Banner county, moments after Henry Shefflin, scorer of nine points, had elected to go for a point from a penalty.
The 14-man Cats thought they had won it, but there was more to come from a super-charged Banner side, and in one last supreme effort, they got the leveller they deserved.
A tense opening half produced little open hurling, with defences very much on top.
Tommy Walsh and Noel Hickey were dominant at the back for the All-Ireland champions, while the experience of Sean McMahon and Frank Lohan was crucial in curbing the danger posed by the Cats' attack.
Niall Gilligan carried the main scoring threat for Clare, hitting four of his side's six first half points, while Shefflin, with three from five for Kilkenny, all from frees, played a similar role at the other end.
Jimmy Coogan brought the sides level for the second time just before the break after Clare had made all the early running, but a long range free from McMahon eased Clare into a 0-6 to 0-5 lead at the turnaround.
Neither side had yet created a goal chance, but all that changed dramatically within 30 seconds of the restart.
John Hoyne, introduced as a half-time substitute, ran on to a perfectly weighted pass from DJ Carey to blast the ball past Davy Fitzgerald, and suddenly Kilkenny were in front for the first time.
Four minutes later, however, the champions were down to 14 men, young corner back Walsh dismissed for a second bookable offence, but the penalty he conceded was missed by Clare goalkeeper Fitzgerald, his shot stopped by Noel Hickey.
Kilkenny had opened up a four points lead, 1-10 to 0-9, when Clare gave it another big push in the final 15 minutes.
Tony Griffin was fouled for a second penalty, this time Gilligan blasting the ball to the net, and goalkeeper James McGarry had to produce two superb saves to deny Griffin and Tony Carmody.
Now the sides were level as the excitement reached boiling point, but Kilkenny eased ahead again through DJ Carey and substitute Sean Dowling.
Gilligan pegged it back again with two frees which brought his tally to 1-7, then Shefflin's massive decision to forego the chance of a goal when he won a penalty.
It's a decision Kilkenny probably will not regret, but one which presented glorious opportunity to O'Connor and his battling Clare side. Roll on Saturday.
