It was the same ending but a very different script at Croke Park as Kilkenny held off a furious comeback from Clare to set up an All-Ireland final rematch with Limerick.
The Cats were in charge for most of the first half and led by five at the break - 0-15 to 0-10 - but Clare changed tactics and went for it in the second period.
The Banner got on a roll and led by the 53rd minute but then a defensive mix-up allowed man of the match Eoin Cody (1-05) to score a crucial goal that halted their momentum.
Clare levelled with one of their own through their star performer Shane O'Donnell but Kilkenny came again, TJ Reid hitting a superb sideline cut on his way to reclaiming the all-time scoring record.
Derek Lyng's men still needed a spectacular injury-time save from Eoin Murphy to deny Peter Duggan an equalising goal but they advance to face the champions again in a fortnight’s time, aiming to gain revenge for last year’s two-point reverse.
For Clare, it’s a second successive semi-final exit to Kilkenny, though this time they will feel it’s a game they could, and should, have won.
In perfect conditions at HQ, the teams went score for score in the opening 10 minutes, Cody winning a free and hitting the first of his three from play of the half.
Ryan Taylor, who departed before the interval with a knee injury, and Peter Duggan responded, but Mark Rodgers missed his first free in contrast to Reid’s flawless dead balls.
Mikey Butler was repeating his effective man-marking job on Tony Kelly - after snuffing out an early chance for O'Donnell - but the Ballyea man shrugged off the pressure to set up David McInerney, passed fit to play alongside John Conlon and Conor Cleary.
Clare were using Seadna Morey, a late replacement for Ian Galvin, as a sweeper, but were outmanned up front as a result and one aimless ball forward was sent back over the bar by Tom Phelan.
O’Donnell was one of the few Clare men firing fully and produced a fine catch and score but lovely points from Adrian Mullen, Billy Ryan and full-back Huw Lawlor had pushed the Cats three clear - 0-08 to 0-05 - by the 15th minute.
The Banner were grateful to Eibhear Quilligan for keeping them in touch, the keeper saving low with his foot from Reid after Clare had sent a disputed sideline straight to a Kilkenny man - something that happened three times in the half - and Cleary batted the ball down.
TJ continued to punish Clare from frees - one when Kelly raged at being harshly adjudged to have fouled Butler, so Colm Lyons brought the ball forward - and had reclaimed the record from Patrick Horgan by the 24th minute.
O'Donnell scooped the ball delightfully for Kelly to score his sole point of the day but after a crucial block from Conor Fogarty at the back post to deny Rodgers a goal, Kilkenny moved four ahead.
Further Cody efforts made it six as the men in black and amber remarkably didn’t register a wide until the 29th minute; Clare already had five at that stage.
In injury-time, O’Donnell won a free for Rodgers, who had recalibrated his sights. That made it a five-point game at the break. Better than last year’s 14, but it still felt like Clare had a mountain to climb.
Brian Lohan’s men raced up it on the resumption. Galvin replaced Morey, the sweeper system was abandoned and the Clare men revelled in playing with the leash off.
Rodgers, Peter Duggan and Rodgers again (65) cut the lead and Murphy had to stop a shot from O'Donnell but Quilligan also produced another fine save to deny Cody after he had scampered down the end line away from Adam Hogan.
The Clare fans among the 48,360 at Croke Park howled as Lyons signalled a free-in for an advantage and booked Hogan for pulling across Cody, particularly as Tom Phelan had shouldered Conlon into the chest in the aftermath.
It was a clear advantage, and probably a penalty, but then Lyons blew the whistle a second or two too early when David Blanchfield fouled Duggan and Rodgers put a dropped ball from Lawlor into the net. Those in saffron and blue were on the verge of spontaneous combustion.
Rodgers (0-10) scored the free though, added another and then drew Clare level with his second from play in the 51st minute – 0-17 apiece. A point from sub David Reidy inched them ahead.
Clare were running riot but Paddy Deegan’s effort from half-way ended a long barren spell for Kilkenny. And then, from the puck-out, came the pivotal moment.
Quilligan got the ball back and played a handpass a little too close to Rory Hayes. The corner-back still seemed to have time to clear but he opted to try and run it out instead.
Hayes beat one attempted challenge but Ryan picked his pocket. TJ laid it off to Cody and his Ballyhale team-mate made no mistake.
Clare responded with a fine move finished by David Fitzgerald (0-03) but Kilkenny smelled blood in the water now.
Reid cut that sideline over the bar and Cian Kenny made it a three-point game with eight minutes of normal time left – 1-20 to 0-20.
Clare came again, the tireless Shane O’Donnell shrugging off Tommy Walsh to beat Murphy from just inside the 20 with an unstoppable rising shot. Level once more.
Like Limerick though, Kilkenny keep cool in the key moments. Two more TJ frees and the irrepressible Cody’s fourth and fifth points put a goal between them as the clock ticked into what seemed a scant three minutes of injury time.
Then came Murphy’s moment of magic. Desperate now, Clare lobbed it in and the sliotar popped up for Duggan to hit a bullet volley towards the net. But the Glenmore goalie leapt and twisted his hurl, flicking the ball onto the crossbar. Deegan walloped the rebound clear and Diarmuid Ryan pointed but it was too little too late and Pádraig Walsh concluded the scoring.
No extra time, no third chances.
A season of progress but ultimately more 'what might have been' for Clare.
For Kilkenny, the chance to end a streak of three defeats in All-Ireland finals and lift Liam MacCarthy for the first time since 2015.
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor (0-01), Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan (0-01); Conor Fogarty, Adrian Mullen (0-02); Tom Phelan (0-01), Martin Keoghan, John Donnelly; Billy Ryan (0-01), TJ Reid (0-12, 1f, 1 ‘65’ 1 s-l), Eoin Cody (1-05).
Subs: Walter Walsh for Keoghan (44), Cian Kenny (0-01) for Donnelly (54), Cillian Buckley for Fogarty (56 mins), Pádraig Walsh (0-01) for Ryan (60), Richie Hogan for Phelan (60).
Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Rory Hayes; Diarmuid Ryan (0-01), John Conlon, David McInerney (0-01); Cathal Malone (0-01), David Fitzgerald (0-03); Peter Duggan (0-01), Tony Kelly (0-01), Ryan Taylor (0-01); Seadna Morey, Shane O'Donnell (1-01), Mark Rodgers (0-10, 5f 3 ‘65s’).
Subs: David Reidy (0-01) for Taylor (33), Ian Galvin (0-01) for Morey (ht), Aron Shanagher for Reidy (71).
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)
