Guilfoyle's cameo inspires Feakle to first Clare semi-final in seven years

Former All-Ireland U21 winner turns clash with Kilmaley on its head to put Feakle one win away from first county final since 1988

SEMI-BOUND: Feakle march on to the last four in Clare. Pic: Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile

Clare SHC: Feakle 1-18 Kilmaley 2-13 

Gary Guilfoyle was the hero for Feakle on Saturday afternoon when his cameo appearance inspired the East Clare side to a famous victory as they came from behind in the last ten minutes to tee up a first county semi-final appearance in seven years.

The former All-Ireland 21 winner and son of Clare legend Tommy turned this game on its head when hitting the last four points of a pulsating quarter-final that broke Kilmaley's hearts and put Feakle on the cusp of a first county final appearance since 1988.

His first contribution came on 53 minutes when he lofted over from play, while ten minutes later he had three more to his name as Feakle out-scored the Mid-Clare side by 0-7 to 0-3 down the stretch to become the first side into the last four.

This was a game that looked like getting away from them before half-time as a Kilmaley side liberated by Mikey O’Neill’s 15th-minute goal moved 1-6 to 0-5 clear, despite trailing by 0-4 to 0-1 after ten minutes.

Feakle had started brightly with points by Shane McGrath (2), Oisin Donnellan and Stephen Conway leading their charge, but badly needed Martin Daly’s 26th-minute goal to stay in touch at the break when trailing by 1-8 to 1-6.

Then they started the second half with points by Oisin O’Connor, Conway and McGrath to lead, only to be rocked by a 36th-minute Tom O’Rourke goal that restored Kilmaley’s lead that they held onto until Guilfoyle's super-sub display.

Wind advantage certainly helped Feakle in that second half, but Kilmaley still led by 2-13 to1-13 with eight minutes remaining before they were left reeling after Conway’s third point cleared the way for Guilfoyle to take the game by the throat with his match-winning scores.

Scorers for Feakle: S McGrath (0-8, 6f), Gary Guilfoyle (0-4, 2f), M Daly (1-0), S Conway (0-3), O Donnellan (0-2), O O’Connor (0-1).

Scorers for Kilmaley: M O’Malley (0-6, 4f), M O’Neill (1-2), T O’Rourke (1-2), C Cleary (0-3).

Feakle: E Quilligan; K Bane, E McMahon, O Clune; A Hogan, C Smyth, R O’Connor; S McGrath, E Tuohy; O Donnellan, E Noonan, M Dally; S Conway, R Bane, O O’Connor. Subs G Guilfoyle for O O’Connor (43) 

Kilmaley: B O’Loughlin; M O’Connor, C McGuane, O Looney; B Cahill, A McGuane, T Barry; S Kennedy, C Cleary; D Keane, M O’Malley, A Moloney; T O’Rourke, M O’Neill, G O’Grady. Subs J Carmody for Keane (29), K Kennedy for Kennedy (43), C Killeen for O’Grady (46).

Referee: J Bugler (Whitegate)