Clare's Tony Kelly named All-Ireland hurling final Man of the Match

The Clare captain scored 1-4 in an epic game against Cork. 

MOTM: Tony Kelly of Clare celebrates after his side beat Cork in the All-Ireland hurling final. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Clare captain Tony Kelly was named the Sunday Game's Man of the Match for this year's All-Ireland hurling final. 

Kelly, who won his second All-Ireland title on Sunday, scored 1-4 for the Banner. 

His goal was a mesmeric piece of improvisation as he evaded the Cork defence with deft stickwork before batting the sliotar past Patrick Collins. 

"When the pressure is as its highest, you know the great players will come out and produce," said Sunday Game analyst Brendan Cummins. 

A modest Kelly simply said he was "happy to contribute" and instead chose to highlight the importance of the Banner's medical team whom he had forgotten to mention during his captain's speech at Croke Park. 

Clare captain Tony Kelly picks up the Man of the Match award for the All-Ireland final.

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Clare corner-back Conor Leen and Cork centre-back Rob Downey, who scored a sensational first half solo goal, were the other nominees for the award. 

"He's a guy that burst on the scene this year," Cummins said about Leen.

"He was really, really good today and really set the tone. When the pressure is on and you're going man-to-man, you have to have a defender inside there who is willing to play from the front and he really did that."

On Downey, Cummins added: "The two Downey brothers were really good from the Cork side of the defence. Rob Downey scored a goal, hoovered up and awful lot of ball, very clever in possession. He's fixed the centre-back issues that Cork had."