Unbeaten Clare hold off Kilkenny in lacklustre spectacle

Brian Lohan’s side are still undefeated in the Allianz Hurling League after ending the Cats' streak in the process.

Peter Duggan of Clare in action against Mikey Butler of Kilkenny

Allianz HL Division 1A: Clare 0-19 Kilkenny 0-16 

Five points from David Fitzgerald helped Clare see off Kilkenny in a sub-standard encounter at Cusack Park. It means Brian Lohan’s side are still undefeated in the Allianz Hurling League and ended the Cats' streak in the process.

The home outfit wore their alternative all-blue strip, a commemorative jersey in tribute to Michael Cusack. Their opening score took seven minutes, Peter Duggan linking up with Keith Smyth to produce a white flag. Mark Rodgers then converted his first free after two early misses while Conor Leen and David Reidy followed up with well-taken scores. Clare led 0-4 to 0-1 after ten minutes.

Kilkenny kept in touch throughout that opening half thanks to the breeze at their backs, TJ Reid brilliance and some wayward-placed ball shooting at the other end. In the first half Clare missed five frees spread across three different takers.

On his first competitive outing of 2024, Reid in contrast converted all five of his. He earned one of them himself. The 36-year-old also set up Paddy Deegan for his first. He was in on goal when referee James Owens pulled play back for an earlier foul on Adrian Mullen, much to the Ballyhale man’s frustration. Successive frees before half-time left the margin at two, 0-11 to 0-9.

Aidan McCarthy took over free-taking duties from Mark Rodgers and finished with six from seven opportunities.

There were only two points scored in the opening ten minutes of the first half as McCarthy notched another free and substitute John Donnelly made his mark. A clear goal chance finally opened up for Clare in the 52nd minute but Fitzgerald’s smashed shot was deflected over by Eoin Murphy.

After much toing and froing, it was all to play for heading into the final quarter as another Donnelly point and Reid free brought Kilkenny level. A poor game was salvaged for the strong home support in the 6,824 crowd as McCarthy, Diarmuid Ryan and Peter Duggan rattled off three-in-a-row to push them clear heading into extra-time. They lost Darragh Lohan to a second yellow card, the second for an off-the-ball wrestle which also saw Reid booked.

It mattered little. In the end, Kilkenny’s desperate search for a late equalising goal was futile.

Scorers for Clare: Aidan McCarthy 0-6 frees, David Fitzgerald 0-5, Keith Smyth 0-2, Peter Duggan 0-2, Conor Leen 0-1, David Reidy 0-1, Mark Rodgers 0-1 free, Diarmuid Ryan 0-1.

Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-9 frees, John Donnelly 0-3, Paddy Deegan 0-2, David Blanchfield 0-1, Eoin Cody 0-1.

Red card: Darragh Lohan (72) 

CLARE: E Foudy; P Flanagan, C Cleary, A Hogan; D Ryan, J Conlon, C Leen; C Galvin, D Lohan; D Fitzgerald, D Reidy, P Duggan; M Rodgers, A McCarthy, K Smyth.

Subs: Seadna Morey for Leen (half-time), R Hayes for Hogan (39), S Rynne for Conlon (46), S Meehan for Rodgers (61), Ross Hayes for Flanagan (68).

KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; D Blanchfield, R Reid, S Murphy; D Corcoran, M Carey; A Mullen, TJ Reid, P Deegan; C Kenny, E Cody, H Shine.

Subs: C Buckley for Blanchfield (temp 35-37), J Donnelly for Reid (half-time), G Dunne for Shine (46), T Clifford for Kenny (57).

Referee: J Owens (Wexford)