Niall Moran feels that the name of Tony Kelly deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the greats of hurling, after the Clare captain's performance in the All-Ireland final on Sunday.
Kelly put in a Man of the Match performance as the Banner edged past Cork by score of 3-29 to 1-24 after extra time.
The goal he scored to put Clare ahead midway through the second half will be talked about for generations to come, as will Robert Downey's miraculous run and finish that had threatened to put Cork out of sight after just 12 minutes.
Former Limerick forward Moran feels that both goals deserve to be recognised as among the best in Croke Park history and that Kelly's strike in particular should see him join the hurling legends who adorn the walls of the stadium.
Captain Tony Kelly with some superb individual play to score Clare's third goal
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 21, 2024
They take a grip on the game
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"Two of the greatest goals scored in an All-Ireland, one by a defender, one by the mercurial Tony Kelly," said Moran on RTÉ's 2fm's Game On.
"As you walk through the Cusack Stand, there are tributes to the great teams and you see all of the famous names that adorn it - the Rings, the Mackeys, the Jim Langtons, and I think we saw one of those who will adorn it on the pitch yesterday in Tony Kelly.
"The nature of the goal he scored, the timing of his scores for a player that they often said went missing when the pressure came on, this guy delivered when Clare's need was highest."
Speaking about his goal yesterday, Kelly told RTÉ Sport that "you just play the situation in front of you", something that Moran feels rings true of Downey's goal as well.
Robert Downey brings a moment of magic to hurling's biggest occasion
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A sensational goal as he claims the puck out and runs through Clare's half to score
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"We're going to look at the Olympics in two weeks' time and we're going to marvel at the 400m runners. Rob Downey was like a Thomas Barr haring off down the pitch," he added.
"Like the Red Sea before Moses, it kind of opened up. A little bit like what Tony Kelly said, it's not that you set off to score these goals but you keep on going and you're in the moment.
"What we often forget is the wall of noise as you make it closer to those goals. It's actually freakish. When the chance becomes apparent, the crowd react and you as a player, you can sense it, you can hear it but you still go an execute a finish like that, after a run like that, in an amphitheatre like Croke Park."
Clare manager Brian Lohan presents the Liam MacCarthy Cup to a gleeful crowd at Wolfe Tones na Sionna GAA club in Shannon. #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/R24J8jsgD0
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