'That’s sport,' says Clonlara boss after deciding not to sub eventual matchwinner

“I’ll tell you the truth; Bryan McLeish, who I owe an apology to, was coming on in place of Diarmuid Stritch," admits Donal Madden.

JUMP FOR JOY: Clonlara manager Donal Madden celebrates a late score.  Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile

In the final minute of second-half injury-time, the fourth official’s board went up. A Clonlara substitute. Number 19 in, number 13 off. Bryan McLeish on, Diarmuid Stritch to make way.

Clonlara manager Donal Madden, and he still doesn’t know why, stopped the change. Turning to the rest of his management team, he said he wanted to give 18-year-old Stritch another few seconds.

Clonlara had just got back level. In the ensuing play, who popped up with the winner only the teenager earmarked for withdrawal half a minute earlier.

“I’ll tell you the truth; Bryan McLeish, who I owe an apology to, was coming on in place of Diarmuid Stritch. The lads know I take credit for nothing, that's not me.

"I just turned to the boys and said, we’ll give him 30 seconds. And who gets the winner? That’s sport,” said a delighted Madden.

“The board had gone up but we pulled it down. He’s a dinger, (Stritch) he’s a class hurler.

“Bryan had been flying in training and it was our plan to get him on the pitch, but who knows it could be his turn the next day. I’ve got to go and apologise to him now. That’s sport.”

Although Stritch’s winner arrived eight seconds after the allotted five minutes, there was time for one final play. Billy Seymour’s free, from his own 45-metre line, rained dangerously down on top of the Clonlara goalmouth.

Confidently grabbing it was John Conlon. Game over. Clonlara into a first Munster final.

“He always delivers. He’s unbelievable. He’s a great guy and he’s so modest,” remarked Madden of their totem.

“I rang him on Thursday to congratulate him on his All-Star and all he wanted to know was what time we were training on Saturday so to be back down from Dublin to be at training with the guys.

"A phenomenal role model and idol.” 34-year-old Conlon, 18-year-old Stritch, and every other man, woman, and child in Clonlara will have another day out in a fortnight.

“Clonlara in a Munster club final, sure it is nuts. It’s absolute bananas. You’d get some odds on that at the start of the year. I’m not saying that lightly. This is beyond our wildest dreams.”

Despite their two-man numerical advantage, they almost didn’t get there.

“Maybe we didn’t use the extra man as well as we should have, but you’re playing against a gale force breeze. You’re playing against a team that has the dander up.

"They have a lot of the ball and they’re going to pick up a few frees because there’s a bit of panic coming in.

“We were disappointed at half time with our work rate, but I can’t doubt the spirit of these guys.”