By Eoin Brennan
Kilkenny 1-18 Clare 1-17
An injury-time time winner from Cillian Buckley ensured defending champions Kilkenny edged a compelling relegation play-off to retain their Division 1A status in Nowlan Park.
Extra-time appeared on the cards as plucky visitors Clare, led superbly by twin threats Shane O’Donnell and Tony Kelly, kept asking questions of Kilkenny’s defence, with the sides level on ten occasions before that late winner.
The result now means that Davy Fitzgerald’s side will return to Division 1B after only three seasons at the top flight, albeit this was easily their best performance of the year.
With this being the counties' second meeting in the space of seven days, a replenished Kilkenny who welcomed back seven regulars, were expected to do the double over the 2013 All-Ireland winners.
However, Clare seemed to learn more from their previous meeting as they upped the physical and intensity levels to push their hosts all the way.
That challenge began in only the third minute after Shane O’Donnell’s third goal against Kilkenny in a week, secured with a cool finish after being set up by Tony Kelly.
With their partnership flourishing, O’Donnell and Kelly both added to their tallies to keep Clare in front by the end of the first quarter, only for the returning TJ Reid to inspire his side with an 18th minute goal after snatching Richie Hogan’s '45 metre lineball out of the sky at the edge of the square.
Clare, backed by a sizeable wind, would finish the half strongly however, outscoring their hosts by 0-5 to 0-1 in the last 15 minutes of the half while also seeing a Tony Kelly penalty whistle past the left post on their way to a slender 1-8 to 1-7 interval lead.
The tensions levels rose significantly on the restart though following Reid’s 38th minute equaliser as the last two All-Ireland winners went blow for blow on eight more occasions.
Clare’s chief targetman O’Donnell set up four and grabbed one himself while Kelly fired six second half points to install some belief in Davy Fitzgerlald’s side while Reid and Hogan did likewise for the home side to delight the 7,162 in attendance.
The game deserved extra-time but a ruthless Kilkenny tore up the script as the game drifted over the 70 minute mark when TJ Reid gathered a Clare puck-out on the left wing before setting up Buckley for the decisive survival score.
Kilkenny: E Murphy; S Prendergast, P Murphy, J Holden (0-01); K Joyce, L Ryan, C Buckley (0-02); J Lyng, M Fennelly (0-01); W Walsh (0-03), TJ Reid (1-03), M Ruth; J Farrell, C Fennelly (0-03), R Hogan (0-05, 0-02f).
Subs: Mark Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels) for Ryan (55).
Clare: P Kelly; D McInerney, C Dillon, D O'Donovan; J Browne, Conor Ryan, P Donnellan; C Galvin, P O’Connor; J Conlon (0-01), T Kelly (0-09, 0-01f, 0-01’65), Colin Ryan; D Reidy (0-03), S O’Donnell (1-03), Conor McGrath
Subs: C O’Connell for McGrath (21, inj), Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge) for Colin Ryan (53), Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones) for O’Connell (62), Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge) (0-01) for Galvin (62), Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle) for Kelly (67, inj).
Referee: C McAllister (Cork)
