*Clare’s Shane O’Donnell in action during last year’s All-Ireland semi-final. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Nine time All-Ireland senior hurling medal winner Noel Skehan while hoping his native Kilkenny will beat Clare in Sunday’s All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final believes “any of the four teams involved in the weekend’s semi-finals can qualify for the final”.
*Tony Kelly with his PwC GPA Player of the Month award for June. Photograph: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile CLARE’S SENIOR HURLING CAPTAIN, Tony Kelly has admitted he is at a loss to explain their exit from the All-Ireland SHC.
AN OUTSTANDING Kilkenny performance mixed with a below-par display from Clare brought the curtain down on the Banner’s run in this year’s All-Ireland SHC.
*Kilkenny manager Brian Cody on the sideline in Croke Park. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Kilkenny manager Brian Cody didn’t surprise anybody when he said shortly after Saturday‘s All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final that he had “absolute admiration for the way the players performed”.
*David Reidy’s shot is blocked by Cian Kenny. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Clare headed to Croke Park full of hope but left dejected and disappointed, coming up second best across the board against Kilkenny to bow out of the All-Ireland SHC.
TWELVE points was the final margin as Kilkenny’s cats took the cream against Clare in Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final.
*Clare’s Cathal Malone. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CLARE’S starting team for Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final shows no changes from the team which lined out in their quarter-final win over Wexford.
*Clare captain, Tony Kelly. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final outcome will be decided by the respective talisman, Tony Kelly and TJ Reid according to an ex Kilkenny hurler now residing in East Clare.
Kilkenny and Clare have provided many memorable hurling contests over the years and this Saturday’s All-Ireland semi-final meeting of the counties is set to provide hurling followers with another intriguing clash.
*Ian Galvin takes on Paddy Deegan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill For all the hurling talent and underage success, we have in Clare over the last decade, it is amazing that this is weekend will be only our third All Ireland semi-final since 2006.
