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Clare find extra gear to edge Cork in historic hurling final epic

Updated / Monday, 22 Jul 2024 06:31

A Banner day. Eventually.

Clare are All-Ireland champions for the first time in 11 years after beating Cork in an extraordinary extra-time hurling final.

The teams were level 14 times over almost 100 minutes of thrilling action and Shane Meehan's point was the only thing to separate them at the second final whistle.

They had been deadlocked at 1-12 apiece following a frantic first half, Clare fighting back from seven down after Rob Downey’s superb solo goal with a major of their own from Aidan McCarthy (1-03 from play).

Brian Lohan’s side scored two more in the second half, through Mark Rodgers (1-03) and a moment of magic from captain Tony Kelly (1-04), but Cork battled to the end and a 76th-minute Patrick Horgan free ensured a historic first extra-time hurling final, 3-21 to 1-27.

Cork took over the lead for the first time since the 39th minute but they were still level heading into the second additional period.

Eibhear Quilligan saved from substitute Robbie O'Flynn. Clare rattled over three in a row. Horgan hit two. Into the final seconds, O’Flynn leapt high, landed, turned and shot under pressure from Conor Leen. Wide. Clare by one after an afternoon of incredible drama.

Horgan regained the mantle of all-time record championship scorer with 0-12 (10f) on the day but the one title he craves continues to elude the 36-year-old, and fellow veteran Seamus Harnedy, who was Cork's top scorer from play (0-04).

Robbie O'Flynn's attempted equaliser was the last puck of the game

The first half was like watching two heavyweights taking swings in turn.

Cork started with intent and had two points on the board inside 51 seconds, through Tim O'Mahony and the veteran Seamus Harnedy. Shane Barrett made it three and Clare didn’t get their first score until the fifth minute when Rodgers opened their account, followed by two half-way rockets from Diarmuid Ryan.

Clare were struggling to live with Cork’s pace and pressing though, Brian Hayes, Horgan (free), Harnedy and Shane Barrett splitting the posts before centre-back Rob Downey won the ball on his own 65 and accelerated away from Peter Duggan, burying the ball high to the net straight off his hurl for a seven-point lead after only 12 minutes.

The fans in red were delirious, this one was looking like it could be over by half-time.

Horgan missed a scoreable free and Clare rallied again with 1-03 of their own. Shane O’Donnell had been roaming at centre-forward but had barely touched the ball. Until played in Peter Duggan, won the loose ball when Duggan was tackled, and set up McCarthy for a close-range finish. Referee Johnny Murphy had played advantage but a considerable number of steps were taken.

O’Donnell fired over two points himself and then Kelly, in a scoreless first half, tracked back to win the ball in defence and Quilligan pinged one to Fitzgerald, free in midfield.

Conor Cleary got an early, harsh-looking yellow card for a grab at Hayes out the field that Horgan punished, John Conlon escaped one for a swipe across Barrett.

Horgan added another couple of frees to eclipse TJ Reid as all-time scorer and push Cork three clear again; he hit the side-net with a shot but was being fouled by Adam Hogan.

But Clare were dominating the puckouts and Fitzgerald then Ryan, brilliantly blocked by Eoin Downey, both had sights at goal.

McCarthy was flawless from placed balls for the second game in a row, sparking another run of four Clare scores in a row from a 65, followed by one from play either side of Rodgers, and Reidy pushing them in front for the first time. Darragh Fitzgibbon, superbly shackled by Cathal Malone for 87 minutes, made it all square at the break – 1-12 each.

It was 'you score, we score’ up on the restart, Cork inching ahead, through Hayes and Harnedy, Duggan and Fitzgerald responding. Tim O’Mahony was on the mark again before Rodgers picked up a breaking ball in midfield, scorched away from Sean O’Donoghue, stepped inside Mark Coleman and beat Collins.

Alan Connolly hit back with his only score on a day he was brilliantly contained by Hogan and after Fitzgerald shot wide (he had six misses in all) when optimistically going for goal, O’Mahony brought the Rebels level with his third from distance.

Harnedy was denied a clear 65 after a Cleary block, Reidy doubled his tally and Horgan kept knocking over the frees.

Cue Tony Kelly doing Tony Kelly things. Fitzgerald won the puckout and drove forward, Kelly had already caught the sliotar so in one fluid movement, flicked it over O’Donoghue’s head, touched it down and then flicked past Collins for the goal of this and most other finals – 3-15 to 1-18 with 20 minutes to go.

Cork came again, scoring four of the next five points – Horgan with his first from play and a free either side of a Duggan sideline, Eoin Downey striding forward and the irrepressible Harnedy levelling in the 58th minute. A trio from Clare: Fitzgerald, Rodgers, sub Ryan Taylor. Fitzgibbon holds off two men, Ryan drives forward for his third.

The Banner were still three up in the 68th minute when David McInerney took out O'Flynn in front of goal. Quilligan might have had it covered. 20m free but no penalty and no second yellow for McInerney, who had kept Declan Dalton scoreless. Coleman cut the gap to the minimum as five minutes of injury-time was announced.

Almost 73 on the clock and Rodgers clatters into Rob Downey. Horgan nails the leveller from 65 on the left. Kelly looks to have won it with a superb spinning score over the shoulder. Sub Jack O’Connor holds his head in his hands after a bad miss. But there’s one more chance: Aron Shanagher pulls back Tommy O’Connell and Horgan sends the All-Ireland hurling final to extra-time after 76 minutes.

Ian Galvin strikes first but two points from Shane Kingston send Cork back in front. Collins saves superbly from Kelly and Joyce blocks the follow-up from Fitzgerald. It’s starting to feel like their day. Kelly twice hits levellers. Horgan misses a second free. All square at the end of the first bonus 10 minutes. Is it going to be a replay and 2013 all over again?

O’Flynn nudges Cork back in front but after McCarthy equalises, the Corkman goes for a killer goal from outside the 20 with an easy point on. His effort is high and Quilligan turns it away.

Some key Clare men have been forced off injured, Cleary, O'Donnell and Ryan, but they take over: Kelly with two masterful touches to score his fourth, McCarthy with his third from play and Meehan with his first shot.

Two minutes injury time in the second period of extra time. Hoggie gets one back. He scores a free rather than opts to lob it in.

One more chance. Collins launches it from his own 45 and O’Flynn jumps brilliantly but sends the shot right of the post as Leen tugs the corner of his jersey. No free. Clare have won the marathon final.

The Banner are kings of Ireland for the fifth time. Cork's longest ever drought will extend to 20 years after a fourth final loss since 2005.

Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Conor Leen; Diarmuid Ryan (0-03), John Conlon, David McInerney; David Fitzgerald (0-03), Cathal Malone; Tony Kelly (1-04), Mark Rodgers (1-03), Peter Duggan (0-02, 1 s-l); Aidan McCarthy (1-07, 3f, 65), Shane O'Donnell (0-02), David Reidy (0-02).

Subs: Ryan Taylor (0-01) for McCarthy (55), Ian Galvin (0-01) for Reidy (59), Aron Shanagher for Duggan (65), Darragh Lohan for Cleary (71), Robin Mounsey for Rodgers (73), McCarthy for Mounsey (Before ET), Cian Galvin for Ryan (80), Shane Meehan (0-01) for O’Donnell (80), Seadna Morey for Malone (87).

Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O'Leary, Eoin Downey (0-01), Seán O'Donoghue; Ciarán Joyce (0-01), Robert Downey (1-00), Mark Coleman (0-03); Tim O'Mahony (0-03), Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-02); Declan Dalton, Shane Barrett (0-02), Séamus Harnedy (0-04); Patrick Horgan (0-12, 10f), Alan Connolly (0-01), Brian Hayes (0-02).

Subs: Ethan Twomey for Dalton (48), Jack O’Connor for Connolly (63), Shane Kingston (0-02) for Barrett (66), Robbie O’Flynn (0-01) for Harnedy (67), Tommy O’Connell for R Downey (73), Ger Millerick for O’Donoghue (79), Damien Cahalane for O’Leary (80), Luke Meade for O’Mahony (80).

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)

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