The Allianz Hurling League Division 1 final, featuring Clare versus Kilkenny, is set to take place at FBD Semple Stadium, airing live on TG4 at 7.15 pm. Clare and Kilkenny, staunch competitors since the era of Limerick, have displayed unrivalled courage and resilience in the face of challenges.
In recent years, Clare has been recognised as the primary rival to the All-Ireland champions within the Munster region. There have been concerns about them joining league finals which are traditionally held two weeks prior to the commencement of the championship series. Anxiety about this possibility increased following Limerick’s unexpected exit in the semi-final against Kilkenny. Nevertheless, Clare made the most of the circumstances and advanced through the tough competition presented by Tipperary, making it to their first league final after an eight-year hiatus.
It’s well-known that showing weakness is never an option when competing against Kilkenny, a county that consistently plays a hard game. During Limerick’s recent victorious streak in Munster, Kilkenny has strived to be a formidable challenger in the All-Ireland finals. To reach these finals, they’ve had to defeat Clare, which has proved to be an easier task on some occasions than others. The team coached by Brian Lohan will not want to continue this pattern.
The last time these two teams faced off in a league match was three years ago, until their most recent match last month. The match took place in Ennis, ending with Clare winning in a late-game upset against Kilkenny who were returning under the new leadership of Derek Lyng after a club run with O’Loughlin Gaels and the bringing back TJ Reid.
Kilkenny seemed out of sync during this encounter with poor performances from previously consistent players like Adrian Mullen and Eoin Cody resulting in the team’s lowest league score in the past five years. Clare, on the other hand, pulled off a comeback victory, although they required multiple attempts to secure the win. This highlights their need for maintaining control throughout the game against a Kilkenny side that won’t squander any given opportunity.
Lohan has every reason to be satisfied with his team’s showings, even while a few of his top talents are recovering from injuries. He’s granted some younger players game time and the performances they’ve turned out have been notable. Come Saturday evening, familiar faces like All Star Shane O’Donnell and David McInerney are expected to rejoin the squad, although Tony Kelly’s return remains uncertain.
When taking into consideration whatever shenanigans Limerick were involved in, Kilkenny’s semi-final performance still shines, despite a fiery beginning from the reigning champions. Hindered by his own injury concerns, with All Star corner back Mikey Butler and Mikey Carey both side-lined, Lyng nevertheless saw top-quality, swift, and professionally-fitted displays from his team in Cork, aptly exploiting any opponent errors.
Clare’s semi-final showing was equally impressive. The standout player of the League so far, David Fitzgerald, contributed his standard haul of scores – including a goal neatly timed to obliterate Tipperary’s impressive performance just a minute earlier. Clare’s victory was facilitated by an unusually high number of missed frees from Tipperary – a mistake that TJ Reid is unlikely to repeat.
Both teams will no doubt face a more formidable challenge in the final than they encountered in the semis. Clare’s season has been exceptional so far, with no losses under their belt in this league. Kilkenny are slowly gathering momentum to peak at their best form. The victor, however, remains to be decided.
Lohan’s squad could certainly benefit from winning a title, and while Kilkenny are usually less accommodating to their opponents’ aspirations, Clare has the power and physical prowess to compete equally. They also have sufficiently in-form players who could tilt the scales of the match, although probably by a slim margin.
The team lineup for Clare includes: E Quilligan; A Hogan, C Cleary (capt), C Leen; D Ryan, J Conlon, C Galvin; D Fitzgerald, D Lohan; C Malone, M Rodgers, P Duggan; A McCarthy, I Galvin, D Reidy. Substitutes: C Broderick, R Hayes, P Flanagan, S Morey, D McInerney, P Donnellan, S O’Donnell, A Shanagher, S Meehan, P Crotty, G Sheehy.
Kilkenny team: E Murphy in goal; S Murphy, H Lawlor, and T Walsh in defence; D Blanchfield, P Deegan (the captain), and R Reid in midfield; with C Kenny, J Molloy; A Mullen, J Donnelly, and B Ryan in attack. The forward line includes L Hogan, TJ Reid, and E Cody. In reserve: A Tallis, C Delaney, P Moylan, D Corcoran, C Fogarty, K Blanchfield, T Clifford, B Drennan, O Wall, M Keoghan, and L Blanchfield. The referee was John Murphy from Limerick.