Gilligan inspires Clare to win over Cats

Kilkenny 1-08 Clare 2-13

Niall Gilligan inspired Clare to a shock away victory over Division 1A kingpins Kilkenny as the 1999 All-star reigned supreme with a twelve-point haul.

The Banner busy bees were 2-10 to 0-03 up at the break through goals from Andrew Quinn - after a 12th-minute spillage by Kilkenny goalkeeper James McGarry - and a second from Tony Carmody - set up by man-of-the-match Gilligan - five minutes later.

james Fitzpatrick, Brian Barry and DJ Carey - starting at centre back again - were the sole scorers for the Cats in the opening 35, with Gilligan chipping in with an amazing 0-10 for Clare.

While goal scorer Carmody, Clare's Brian Lohan and Kilkenny duo JJ Delaney and Conor Phelan all received yellow cards, the home side predictably came back into contention in the second half.

A Jimmy Coogan free reduced the arrears to eleven points but there was no backing down from Clare - especially with veteran goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald saving expertedly from Eddie Brennan.

Fitzgerald was beaten by a John Meagher shot late on, but with Gilligan having added two more points and Colin Lynch also off the mark, there was no denying Clare a prized third win.