A never-say-die Kildare completed a remarkable seven point turnaround to pip hosts Clare to the post in front of 2,692 in Cusack Park.
Off the back of two successive defeats including a flooring 13 point reverse to Cork last time on home soil last time out, Glenn Ryan's side appeared certain to continue that winless start when falling six points and a man behind to the Banner County by the turn of the final quarter.
Perversely however, the extra man emanating from Ben McCormack’s dismissal didn’t suit the heretofore slicker home side who took their foot off the gas instead of pushing on for victory. And they would duly be punished as a determined Kildare produced a spirited backlash of eight of the last nine points to snatch an unlikely victory.
Buoyed by the introduction of the talismanic Flynns, Neil (4) and Daniel (2), new life was breathed into Kildare’s previously lacklustre challenge, with the final turning point being a 70th minute black card for Clare goalkeeper Stephen Ryan.
With Clare’s numerical advantage wiped out and UL’s Sigerson Cup Final captain Emmet McMahon having to don the goalkeeper’s jersey for the remainder, Kildare were carried home to victory by their newfound wave of momentum, with Neil and Daniel Flynn kicking three unanswered injury-time points to garner all the points with the last kick of the game.
In a portent of things to come, wind-assisted Clare also proved a better team with a man down in the opening half as Alan Sweeney’s 20th minute black card saw Eoin Cleary (2) and Podge Collins nudge the home side 0-07 to 0-04 clear.
Kildare did respond with points from Kevin Feely and Jimmy Hyland, only to be outflanked once more upon Sweeney’s return as Clare finished the half with four of the last five points, two from Cleary frees, to ensure an 0-11 to 0-7 interval lead.
Colm Collins’ side looked to have weathered the storm when Emmet McMahon, Eoin Cleary and Gavin Cooney extended their advantage to six by the 47th minute at 0-14 to 0-08, with that belief only bolstered by a subsequent second yellow card for McCormack in the 50th minute.
A brace of goal chances for Darragh Kirwan only yielded a point for Kildare who must have felt that their shot at redemption had evaporated.
Crucially however, they never dropped their heads at any stage and that persistence paid off, albeit in unlikely circumstances, as a last gasp foul on Kirwan allowed Neil Flynn to tap over a 14 metre free in the 75th minute to edge Kildare into the ascendency for the first and more significantly final time.
Clare: Stephen Ryan; Manus Doherty, Cillian Brennan, Ronan Lanigan (0-01); Cian O'Dea, Pearse Lillis, Alan Sweeney; Cathal O’Connor, Darragh Bohannon; Dermot Coughlan (0-01), Eoin Cleary (0-08, 0-06f), Jamie Malone; Podge Collins (0-01), Gavin Cooney (0-02), Emmet McMahon (0-02, 0-01f)
Subs: Ikem Ugwueru for Sweeney (HT), Aaron Griffin for Cooney (47), Brendy Rouine for O’Connor (48, inj), Ciaran Downes for Coughlan (55), Ciaran Russell for Doherty (70)
Kildare: Mark Donnellan; Mick O’Grady, Shea Ryan, Ryan Houlihan; David Hyland (0-01), Kevin Flynn, Paddy McDermott; Kevin O’Callaghan, Kevin Feely (0-01); Paddy Woodgate (0-02, 0-01f), Ben McCormack, Eoin Doyle; Jack Robinson (0-01), Darragh Kirwan (0-01), Jimmy Hyland (0-04, 0-04f)
Subs: Daniel Flynn (0-02) for Robinson (42), Neil Flynn (0-04, 0-02f) for Woodgate (44), Darragh Malone for O’Callaghan (58), Shane O’Sullivan for J. Hyland (66)
Referee: David Murnane (Cork)
