Kilkenny hold off Clare in absorbing All-Ireland semi-final
CRUCIAL SCORE: Eoin Cody of Kilkenny celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park. Pic: John Sheridan/Sportsfile
Kilkenny’s character stood up to scrutiny yet again in Croke Park as Derek Lyng marked his first season as manager with an All-Ireland final appearance.
They will once again face Limerick having absorbed Clare throwing the kitchen sink at them in this second half.
Watched by 48,360 in Croke Park, Eoin Cody was superb for Kilkenny hitting 1-5 and he popped up with two points in the closing stages to ensure their July 23 date with the Munster champions. But this was close. With three points between them, Eoin Murphy had to parry a Peter Duggan drive onto the crossbar.
Clare will rue the free count against them and some elemental errors. Acknowledging their sweeper ploy didn’t work in a half they lost 0-10 to 0-15, Clare returned to man-on-man in the second half and were within a point by the 47th minute and level by the 51st.
Before that, O’Donnell had a 38th minute strike kept out by Eoin Murphy and Ian Galvin got in the way of Mark Rodgers as he was about to unwind on the deflection. Two minutes later and an Eoin Cody shot was denied by Eibhear Quilligan.
Rodgers converted a 46th minute free but that doesn’t tell of how the ball was brought back for a free just as he was finding the net. Referee Colm Lyons deemed enough advantage had been played after Peter Duggan had earned a free.
It didn’t arrest Clare’s momentum though and they went ahead with a David Reidy point in the 52nd minute. Rodgers’ fourth free was a fifth Clare score without answer but the air was let out of their tyres when Cody bagged a goal. Rory Hayes was robbed of possession by Billy Ryan, TJ Reid picked up the ball and fed Cody.
A fantastic Shane O’Donnell goal in the 63rd minute squared the game but two Reid frees came next along with Cody’s fourth and Kilkenny were able to see it out.
Seadna Morey had been a late entrant into the Clare team for Ian Galvin and he took a shielding spot between Conor Cleary and John Conlon, who were injury doubts coming into the game. However, the move robbed Clare of another body upfront and a lot of ball sent forward went to no-one in particular.
The teams were level on four occasions in the opening nine minutes but Kilkenny put some daylight between themselves and Clare towards the end of the first quarter, hitting three points without reply. Billy Ryan and Huw Lawlor hit fine scores prior to TJ Reid converting a 65 deflected wide by Quilligan when he saved well from Reid in the 17th minute.
A couple of calls unfairly went against Clare but their indiscipline was proving costly and Kilkenny were four up in the 22nd minute. As strong as the Munster runners-up were on their own puck-out, their best usually came after Kilkenny scores. Too much reaction and not enough taking initiative.
After a slick Clare attack, Conor Fogarty did stretch well to keep out a Mark Rodgers’ goal chance in the 23rd minute but Kilkenny hit back with the following two points.
Soon after Cathal Malone landed a long-range point, Clare jettisoned Morey’s role as sweeper and gave the free role to Conlon. However, they shipped a blow when Ryan Taylor was forced off having gone down awkwardly to retrieve a ball.
The impact wasn’t instantaneous as Kilkenny produced scores from Reid (free) and Cody with his third point of the game compared to a Rodgers free in first-half additional time.
T.J. Reid (0-12, 10 frees, 1 65, 1 sideline); E. Cody (1-5); A. Mullen (0-2); T. Phelan, B. Ryan, H. Lawlor, P. Deegan, C. Kenny, P. Walsh (0-1 each).
M. Rodgers (0-10, 5 frees, 3 65s); S. O’Donnell (1-1); D. Fitzgerald (0-3); R. Taylor, P. Duggan, D. McInerney, T. Kelly, C. Malone, I. Galvin, D. Reidy, D. Ryan (0-1 each).
E. Murphy; H. Lawlor, D. Blanchfield; R. Reid; T. Walsh, M. Butler, P. Deegan; C. Fogarty, A. Mullen; M. Keoghan, J. Donnelly, T. Phelan; E. Cody (c), T.J. Reid, B. Ryan.
W. Walsh for M. Keoghan (44); C. Kenny for J. Donnelly (55); R. Hogan for T. Phelan (61); P. Walsh for B. Ryan (68).
E. Quilligan; A. Hogan, C. Cleary, R. Hayes; S. Morey; D. Ryan, J. Conlon, D. McInerney; C. Malone, R. Taylor; D. Fitzgerald, T. Kelly (c), M. Rodgers; P. Duggan, S. O’Donnell.
D. Reidy for R. Taylor (inj 33); I. Galvin for S. Morey (h-t); A. Shanagher for D. Reidy.
C. Lyons (Cork).
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