Clare secured their first competitive victory over Kilkenny in nine years this afternoon as the All-Ireland champions edged out their league equivalents in Cusack Park, Ennis.
Far from being a cobweb blowing league opener, it was a full blooded seesaw affair in front of 10,125 that saw Clare set the pace for the majority before finally seeing off a stubborn Kilkenny challenge.
The hosts were settled by 1-5 from Colin Ryan in the opening quarter while Henry Shefflin kept Kilkenny within touching distance, mainly through frees.
When Ryan finally received assistance in the scoring stakes from John Conlon and Conor McGrath, Clare pushed 1-8 to 0-6 clear by the 26th minute.
Advertisement
However, inevitably it was the returning Shefflin who led a late revival, with five unanswered points increasing his tally to seven and ensuring parity at 1-08 to 0-11 at half-time.
The second half was equally as tense as the sides went score for score while Shefflin also had a penalty saved by goalkeeper Donal Tuohy in the 45th minute.
The defending champions did finally take the lead ten minutes later with a Padraig Walsh point but it only seemed to motivate the home side even further as three late points from Cathal O’Connell, Conor McGrath and Colin Ryan ensured a perfect start for the Banner.
Scorers for Clare: Colin Ryan 1-9 (7f), Conor McGrath 0-3, John Conlon 0-1, Patrick Donnellan 0-1, Colm Galvin 0-1, Cathal O’Connell 0-1
Scorers for Kilkenny: Henry Shefflin 0-12 (8f, 2’65), Walter Walsh 0-2, Padraig Walsh 0-2, Jonjoe Farrell 0-1, Colin Fennelly 0-1
CLARE: Donal Tuohy (Crusheen); Cian Dillon (Crusheen), David McInerney (Tulla), Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge); Patrick O’Connor (Tubber), Conor Ryan (Cratloe), Brendan Bugler (Whitegate); Patrick Donnellan (O’Callaghan’s Mills), Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge); Colin Ryan (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Tony Kelly (Ballyea), John Conlon (Clonlara); Conor McGrath (Cratloe), Shane O’Donnell (Éíre Óg), Colm Galvin (Clonlara)
Subs: Padraic Collins (Cratloe) for Kelly (48), Cathal O’Connell (Clonlara) for Bugler (55), Nicky O’Connell (Clonlara) for Golden (60)
KILKENNY: David Herity (Dunnamaggin); Conor Fogarty (Erin’s Own), Michael Walsh (Young Irelands), Brian Kennedy (St Lachtain’s); Joey Holden (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Lester Ryan (Clara), Paul Murphy (Danesfort); Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro), Padraig Walsh (Tullaroan); Henry Shefflin (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Colin Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Eoin Larkin (James Stephens); Jonjoe Farrell (Thomastown), Mark Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels), Walter Walsh (Tullogher Rosbercon)
Subs: Jackie Tyrell (James Stephens) for Fogarty (HT), Joe Brennan (St Patrick’s) for Kelly (53), Aidan Fogarty (Emeralds) for W. Walsh (65), Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan) for Buckley (65)
I offer my opinion on every match and team here not just Clare. It seems to be only Clare people who can’t handle reading anything that is not fully complimentary towards there team. It probably comes from having such a fairytale and neutral support last year. Once you win one you lose the neutral support. It happened Cork, Tipp and Kilkenny and now Clare and Clare people just have to get used to it.
The hurling comments section is ruined by Mike Neil’s constant trolling and attempts to antagonise people. He talks up Kilkenny, Tipp and Dublin and rubbishes everyone else. He makes the same point ad nauseum regardless of the game or the competition e.g. Tony Kelly isn’t worthy of hurler of the year, Shane O’Neill got what was coming to him in the replay etc. He justifies this on the basis that he is ‘being honest’. It’s impossible to discuss hurling with a clown like this.
If Clare can beat Kilkenny in conditions like today I think they’ll beat them well come the summer when the pitches are hard. As a Cork man, I’d worry about facing either of them after our performance last night. Great to have the league back.
I’d take no notice of what mike says lad, if you said black he would say white, too much time on his hands. Mad for attention. He said last week we all know last was a bad year for hurling lol! Anyways it’s great to have 7 or 8 teams that are capable of winning all Ireland’s again.
We know all about neutrals turning against us Mike, an all Ireland was stolen off us in 1998 because of this. We don’t care what anyone else thinks, up the banner!
I’d like like to know what happened Dublin today ! The great white hope ????? I’m a Clare man and wish Dublin and Dalo all the best but in fairness mike Neil , WHAT HAPPENENED !
As I’ve said all week they are going to be stale this year as Daly has outstayed his welcome. I wasn’t one bit surprised. Ye can have him back down there now, he has made his money
Defo not a true blue Mike with a statement like that, Dub hurlers be in the mix this year, they’re the team no one are talking about, come summer time they won’t have the blues!
Ah, dopey Mike has a point- at last. They have been trying to buy an All Ireland and they came up short last year and will probably disappear without a whimper this year. Hopefully, anyway.
Mike you’ve said before that If Dwyer hadn’t been sent off last year Dublin would have gone on to beat cork and beaten Clare or limerick in the final, this week you say daly has out stayed his welcome and his tactics are out of date? What’s the alternative mike? Do you want Dublin to play like Clare is it? And if you had any balls at all you’d put up a profile picture of yourself besides hiding behind a blank photo for all your talk!
Haha throw in Mike Fennelly, Tj Reid, Richie Hogan, JJ, Tommy, Richie Power and more, no chance of Clare beating em if they are all fit!
Shefflin looked decent, maybe All Ireland number 10 is not far away!
Well said Paul. In the world according to Mike, it was only terrible refereeing which cost Dublin a place in the All Ireland last year. Sure Cork are useless and it was only referees who paved their way to the final. And Dublin were (and are) better than Clare too, according to Mike. So it’s a surprise to see that the man who has dragged Dublin to these lofty heights has now “outstayed his welcome”. Comical stuff together.
Very enjoyable game..good for both teams.all Ireland champion and league champion and previous champions…massive respect to both..10 euro in.
Great value for money….
A good win for Clare fairly happy with it cant complain !! Cant remember the last time i seen Cusack Park buzzing like that today was great to see a big lift to the town!
Fairplay to Killkenny supporters who travelled, musta been in truckloads too id say! Great craic was had with most of them who came down Saturday night, only positives i can give them! true hurling people
It was great craic Kevin. I can only compliment the Clare people on Saturday night, us Kilkenny fans don’t usually travel in big numbers but it was the best night out I had in ages.
Great game of hurling for this time of year, looks like another year to remember is in store for hurling fans.
It was a good honest game no dirt played in the right spirt and Clare just about deserved to win , it’s to soon in the year to read a lot in to it Kk trying out new players and Clare only getting over their all Ireland win and starting back on the long road !
Good win for Clare albeit against a very under strength Kilkenny team. I think Kilkenny will be happy enough to have gone down there and only lost by a point to a near full strength Clare team. Clare might only find out where they stand when they play a stronger team.
Tony Kelly had a very poor day, marked out of it by a guy who doesn’t even play in the backs.
O’Donnell anonymous too as was Podge Collins when he came on. It’s going to be a tough year for these guys after their fairytale last year.
Davy could burn these guys out in 2 years as he seems to have them playing at some intensity for every game, including himself. You can’t keep that up and expect sustained success.
In fairness mike , was at the match today and went for 5 or 10 pints after ! I’ll give u that tony didn’t play well today but jaysus , don’t be a bollix all ur life !
A ledgend Mike,pmsl here reading your comments,you love stirring it by the looks of it,I’m a Clareman and proud of my county,cudnt give a shite about what anyone outside our county thinks,our team are like all gaa county teams,every day they go out they give their all and that’s all true gaa fans appreciate,not clowns thinking they know everything and attention seeking,an clar abu
Richie power Richie hogan Michael rice Michael Fennelly Jj delaney Brian hogan tommy Walsh Jackie tyrell tj Reid Kieran Joyce !!!!! Everyone of them all stars ….. All missing from kk starting team today
Mike clare might not win the all ireland again this year but I think they will give it a very good shot with very good hurlers. So what if clare had a higher percentage of regular hurlers than kilkenny had today a win is a win no matter who is put in front of you. I dont think clare should fear anyone in the present bunch of teams trying to win league and championship, there is a good standard of teams out there and clare us one of them. These clare boys have stood up and beaten everyone at under 21 and now its carried through to senior last year. Some of these lads have never lost to the cats when it matters
Good girl Ciara. You probably didn’t even make it to Ennis today or turn on the television to watch it. You will probably wait for them to get to Croke Park again before going to a Clare match again, you will be waiting!
Haha course mike I was obviously 2 busy getting my nails :) you clearly can’t handle an opinion off a girl who’s followed Clare all threw the years and actually knows her stuff because that comment was just as sad and pathetic as the rest. Stick to the trolling mike you havnt a clue about GAA
You know so much Ciara but yet so little. Your only comments on here are directed at me. I have an opinion at least, do you? I don’t think you have the ability to sum up a game good bad or indifferent.
Mike I’m not going to justify my knowledge to a low life troll like you but il tell you one thing I talk a lot more sence then you do. The reason I comment to you is because since Clare have won the all Ireland all u do is slate them. You call it a ‘fairy tale’ and a ‘back door win’ but you havnt a clue about the commitment and training that goes into winning an all Ireland. Banner bash all you want mike but there doing something right and long may it last.
Watching the game on the TV today one thing I noticed was the amount of jeering the Clare supporters were doing when Kilkenny hit a wide, especially when Shefflin missed shots and frees. Sounded like a louder roar for those than for the goal they scored.
I don’t like to see that ungracious attitute coming in to the game. Awful stuff
Lads, there used to be “Steve” a kk fan extraordinaire posting very similar crap to mike neil but he has disappeared ,was reading over one of mike neil posts and in 17 years of living in Dublin I have never heard a Dub say “ye”- another clue for me that mike neil and steve are one and the same. I stand to be corrected but last 3 hurling All Ireland’s were back door? But maybe as kk john Henderson said on sunday game in 2011 kk wouldn’t regard a backdoor All Ireland as a real one
Have to agree Philip in previous posts I remember a comment being made about mike being from mayo and he never once defended it and said he was from Dublin..some tosser whoever he is
Again Ciara do you actually have an opinion on the match? The only comments you make are in response to me. Maybe you are infatuated with me. If so, I’m honoured that I have an admirer. But I think you just can’t read a game at all so you are not capable if having your own opinion. That’s why I think you should stick to the makeup. I enjoy a discussion with anyone as long as they have an opinion and can talk about the game so it’s nothing got to do with you being a woman. With you though you appear to not have a clue.
You seem to be obsessed with that theory Philip. I wasn’t on here when this Steve person was but he seems to have had an awful affect on you. I think you just need to move on with your life now.
It will be a good hurling year this year but unfortunately for the rest it will probably be back to the big two of Tipp and Kilkenny. To be honest they have produced the best hurling over the past decade and all their games are a joy to watch.
Ah we will see this year now how good Clare really are after their one backdoor All Ireland. Tipp did the same in 2010 and then disappeared. The same WILL happen with Clare
Mike you belong on a English Premier League site talking crap like that. Take the game for what it was and move on, there’s bigger challenges ahead for both counties. Another cracking year for real hurling fans!
Well said Andrew…he makes it sound as if Clare are the only team with something to prove…all teams do and as you said,it should be a great hurling year and tough to call
The same WILL happen with Clare? You sound very sure of that. Just like you GUARANTEED us ‘Kilkenny would win nothing this year INCLUDING the Walsh Cup’ days before they lifted it? I, along with most Dubs will not be writing off Clare or Kilkenny this year. Only an idiot would.
Amazing how you know so much about me! Do I have another stalker? Is that you outside my house going through my bins looking for scraps of food? Curl up in that cardboard box Martin and get some sleep for yourself as you are tired and emotional.
We did, he finally came in from hanging around outside my house and I put him up for the night as it would have been a long journey back down to Clare at that time.
Cardboard box?? Talking loads of sense mike. I’d say you are the type of lad that fellas down the local avoid like the plague. Some man to empty a room I’d say. It’s pitiful really.
Ulster hit with injury absentees and doubts ahead of crucial Sharks meeting
7 mins ago
0
FreeAmerican Football
Bill Belichick's UNC to play TCU at Aviva Stadium in 2026 College Football Classic
40 mins ago
1
AnalysisSurgery required
Galway have lost faith in their hurlers and there's only one way to get them back
Updated
18 hrs ago
3
Sign in or create a free account
To continue reading create a free account
Or sign into an existing account
Your Cookies. Your Choice.
Cookies help provide our news service while also enabling the advertising needed to fund this work.
We categorise cookies as Necessary, Performance (used to analyse the site performance) and Targeting (used to target advertising which helps us keep this service free).
We and our 175 partners store and access personal data, like browsing data or unique identifiers, on your device. Selecting Accept All enables tracking technologies to support the purposes shown under we and our partners process data to provide. If trackers are disabled, some content and ads you see may not be as relevant to you. You can resurface this menu to change your choices or withdraw consent at any time by clicking the Cookie Preferences link on the bottom of the webpage .Your choices will have effect within our Website. For more details, refer to our Privacy Policy.Privacy Policy
We and our vendors process data for the following purposes:
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
Cookies Preference Centre
We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent. You may exercise your right to consent, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose. Some vendors may process your data based on their legitimate interests, which does not require your consent. You cannot object to tracking technologies placed to ensure security, prevent fraud, fix errors, or deliver and present advertising and content, and precise geolocation data and active scanning of device characteristics for identification may be used to support this purpose. This exception does not apply to targeted advertising. These choices will be signaled to our vendors participating in the Transparency and Consent Framework.
Manage Consent Preferences
Necessary Cookies
Always Active
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Store and/or access information on a device 117 partners can use this purpose
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development 155 partners can use this purpose
Use limited data to select advertising 121 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Create profiles for personalised advertising 87 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Use profiles to select personalised advertising 88 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Create profiles to personalise content 42 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Use profiles to select personalised content 38 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Measure advertising performance 143 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Measure content performance 67 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources 83 partners can use this purpose
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Develop and improve services 90 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Use limited data to select content 38 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
Use precise geolocation data 52 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification 28 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors 99 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Deliver and present advertising and content 107 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Match and combine data from other data sources 76 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Link different devices 57 partners can use this feature
Always Active
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically 96 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
Save and communicate privacy choices 77 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
Jaysus mike u really have a thing against clare and that’s from a Tipp man!
Is anything there not true?
I offer my opinion on every match and team here not just Clare. It seems to be only Clare people who can’t handle reading anything that is not fully complimentary towards there team. It probably comes from having such a fairytale and neutral support last year. Once you win one you lose the neutral support. It happened Cork, Tipp and Kilkenny and now Clare and Clare people just have to get used to it.
Bizarre how after only one game you are predicting doom and gloom for clare – even though they won!
No I predicted it before they even played one game.
The hurling comments section is ruined by Mike Neil’s constant trolling and attempts to antagonise people. He talks up Kilkenny, Tipp and Dublin and rubbishes everyone else. He makes the same point ad nauseum regardless of the game or the competition e.g. Tony Kelly isn’t worthy of hurler of the year, Shane O’Neill got what was coming to him in the replay etc. He justifies this on the basis that he is ‘being honest’. It’s impossible to discuss hurling with a clown like this.
If Clare can beat Kilkenny in conditions like today I think they’ll beat them well come the summer when the pitches are hard. As a Cork man, I’d worry about facing either of them after our performance last night. Great to have the league back.
Clare played about 13 of their first team Kilkenny might have had 4 or 5.
I’d take no notice of what mike says lad, if you said black he would say white, too much time on his hands. Mad for attention. He said last week we all know last was a bad year for hurling lol! Anyways it’s great to have 7 or 8 teams that are capable of winning all Ireland’s again.
We know all about neutrals turning against us Mike, an all Ireland was stolen off us in 1998 because of this. We don’t care what anyone else thinks, up the banner!
I’d like like to know what happened Dublin today ! The great white hope ????? I’m a Clare man and wish Dublin and Dalo all the best but in fairness mike Neil , WHAT HAPPENENED !
As I’ve said all week they are going to be stale this year as Daly has outstayed his welcome. I wasn’t one bit surprised. Ye can have him back down there now, he has made his money
In all fairness mike , how can u say that ? Anthony daly is the main reason ye are where ye are !
Defo not a true blue Mike with a statement like that, Dub hurlers be in the mix this year, they’re the team no one are talking about, come summer time they won’t have the blues!
Ah, dopey Mike has a point- at last. They have been trying to buy an All Ireland and they came up short last year and will probably disappear without a whimper this year. Hopefully, anyway.
How does one buy an all Ireland? Please tell.
Mike you’ve said before that If Dwyer hadn’t been sent off last year Dublin would have gone on to beat cork and beaten Clare or limerick in the final, this week you say daly has out stayed his welcome and his tactics are out of date? What’s the alternative mike? Do you want Dublin to play like Clare is it? And if you had any balls at all you’d put up a profile picture of yourself besides hiding behind a blank photo for all your talk!
Paul, ignore him. His anti-Dublin comments are just as bad as Mike’s anti-Clare comments. They’re as bad as each other. Two peas in a pod.
Haha throw in Mike Fennelly, Tj Reid, Richie Hogan, JJ, Tommy, Richie Power and more, no chance of Clare beating em if they are all fit!
Shefflin looked decent, maybe All Ireland number 10 is not far away!
Iv heard what he’s on an I know he’s well able to spend it too ;)
Well said Paul !
Well said Paul. In the world according to Mike, it was only terrible refereeing which cost Dublin a place in the All Ireland last year. Sure Cork are useless and it was only referees who paved their way to the final. And Dublin were (and are) better than Clare too, according to Mike. So it’s a surprise to see that the man who has dragged Dublin to these lofty heights has now “outstayed his welcome”. Comical stuff together.
Spot on Michael, I agree with absolutely everything you say. I’m glad someone sees it straight
Very enjoyable game..good for both teams.all Ireland champion and league champion and previous champions…massive respect to both..10 euro in.
Great value for money….
A good win for Clare fairly happy with it cant complain !! Cant remember the last time i seen Cusack Park buzzing like that today was great to see a big lift to the town!
Fairplay to Killkenny supporters who travelled, musta been in truckloads too id say! Great craic was had with most of them who came down Saturday night, only positives i can give them! true hurling people
It was great craic Kevin. I can only compliment the Clare people on Saturday night, us Kilkenny fans don’t usually travel in big numbers but it was the best night out I had in ages.
Great game of hurling for this time of year, looks like another year to remember is in store for hurling fans.
It was a good honest game no dirt played in the right spirt and Clare just about deserved to win , it’s to soon in the year to read a lot in to it Kk trying out new players and Clare only getting over their all Ireland win and starting back on the long road !
Good hardy match today. Well done to Clare . We will meet ye again later in the year . Up the cats
As a limerickman it was a good game to watch. But i thought ref Gavin was very poor
Good win for Clare albeit against a very under strength Kilkenny team. I think Kilkenny will be happy enough to have gone down there and only lost by a point to a near full strength Clare team. Clare might only find out where they stand when they play a stronger team.
Tony Kelly had a very poor day, marked out of it by a guy who doesn’t even play in the backs.
O’Donnell anonymous too as was Podge Collins when he came on. It’s going to be a tough year for these guys after their fairytale last year.
Davy could burn these guys out in 2 years as he seems to have them playing at some intensity for every game, including himself. You can’t keep that up and expect sustained success.
Yawn
Double yawn
Dosent look good for kilkennys new guys when shefflin outshone them all
Sigh
Mike ur an awful gobsh*te
In fairness mike , was at the match today and went for 5 or 10 pints after ! I’ll give u that tony didn’t play well today but jaysus , don’t be a bollix all ur life !
He doesn’t act it..it just comes natural to him…he reminds me of the local idiot you see in the movies
A ledgend Mike,pmsl here reading your comments,you love stirring it by the looks of it,I’m a Clareman and proud of my county,cudnt give a shite about what anyone outside our county thinks,our team are like all gaa county teams,every day they go out they give their all and that’s all true gaa fans appreciate,not clowns thinking they know everything and attention seeking,an clar abu
Great game to be at today, what won it for Clare was there bench today. Great start to the year.
Clare look to be a very good team and not a one hit wonder
Richie power Richie hogan Michael rice Michael Fennelly Jj delaney Brian hogan tommy Walsh Jackie tyrell tj Reid Kieran Joyce !!!!! Everyone of them all stars ….. All missing from kk starting team today
A right good rattle fair play to Clare but kk will have a lot to say in this years championship !!!
Mike clare might not win the all ireland again this year but I think they will give it a very good shot with very good hurlers. So what if clare had a higher percentage of regular hurlers than kilkenny had today a win is a win no matter who is put in front of you. I dont think clare should fear anyone in the present bunch of teams trying to win league and championship, there is a good standard of teams out there and clare us one of them. These clare boys have stood up and beaten everyone at under 21 and now its carried through to senior last year. Some of these lads have never lost to the cats when it matters
It won’t really matter until they meet them in a championship knockout game and I can only see Kilkenny prevailing
Mike is back banner bashing again I see! It’s the start of the year man leave your bitterness until after the league at least!
Good girl Ciara. You probably didn’t even make it to Ennis today or turn on the television to watch it. You will probably wait for them to get to Croke Park again before going to a Clare match again, you will be waiting!
Haha course mike I was obviously 2 busy getting my nails :) you clearly can’t handle an opinion off a girl who’s followed Clare all threw the years and actually knows her stuff because that comment was just as sad and pathetic as the rest. Stick to the trolling mike you havnt a clue about GAA
You know so much Ciara but yet so little. Your only comments on here are directed at me. I have an opinion at least, do you? I don’t think you have the ability to sum up a game good bad or indifferent.
Mike just got owned haha
Mike I’m not going to justify my knowledge to a low life troll like you but il tell you one thing I talk a lot more sence then you do. The reason I comment to you is because since Clare have won the all Ireland all u do is slate them. You call it a ‘fairy tale’ and a ‘back door win’ but you havnt a clue about the commitment and training that goes into winning an all Ireland. Banner bash all you want mike but there doing something right and long may it last.
Just have an opinion on anything Ciara. Don’t be worrying yourself about trolls or you won’t be able to sleep.
Watching the game on the TV today one thing I noticed was the amount of jeering the Clare supporters were doing when Kilkenny hit a wide, especially when Shefflin missed shots and frees. Sounded like a louder roar for those than for the goal they scored.
I don’t like to see that ungracious attitute coming in to the game. Awful stuff
Stay classy mike
Gway Mike Neil you ‘Jack the Shilling’..Don’t be such a fool all your life..
Lads, there used to be “Steve” a kk fan extraordinaire posting very similar crap to mike neil but he has disappeared ,was reading over one of mike neil posts and in 17 years of living in Dublin I have never heard a Dub say “ye”- another clue for me that mike neil and steve are one and the same. I stand to be corrected but last 3 hurling All Ireland’s were back door? But maybe as kk john Henderson said on sunday game in 2011 kk wouldn’t regard a backdoor All Ireland as a real one
Have to agree Philip in previous posts I remember a comment being made about mike being from mayo and he never once defended it and said he was from Dublin..some tosser whoever he is
Mayo? O god no! What a nightmare that would be.
Again Ciara do you actually have an opinion on the match? The only comments you make are in response to me. Maybe you are infatuated with me. If so, I’m honoured that I have an admirer. But I think you just can’t read a game at all so you are not capable if having your own opinion. That’s why I think you should stick to the makeup. I enjoy a discussion with anyone as long as they have an opinion and can talk about the game so it’s nothing got to do with you being a woman. With you though you appear to not have a clue.
You seem to be obsessed with that theory Philip. I wasn’t on here when this Steve person was but he seems to have had an awful affect on you. I think you just need to move on with your life now.
It will be a good hurling year this year but unfortunately for the rest it will probably be back to the big two of Tipp and Kilkenny. To be honest they have produced the best hurling over the past decade and all their games are a joy to watch.
And even if tipp or Kilkenny do with it this year , I’m sure their supporters will still think your a bloody clown
Win.
Thanks Paul
Ah we will see this year now how good Clare really are after their one backdoor All Ireland. Tipp did the same in 2010 and then disappeared. The same WILL happen with Clare
Throw us out the lotto numbers mike,you seem to have this majestic gift of reading into the future
Mike you belong on a English Premier League site talking crap like that. Take the game for what it was and move on, there’s bigger challenges ahead for both counties. Another cracking year for real hurling fans!
Well said Andrew…he makes it sound as if Clare are the only team with something to prove…all teams do and as you said,it should be a great hurling year and tough to call
The same WILL happen with Clare? You sound very sure of that. Just like you GUARANTEED us ‘Kilkenny would win nothing this year INCLUDING the Walsh Cup’ days before they lifted it? I, along with most Dubs will not be writing off Clare or Kilkenny this year. Only an idiot would.
Lads will ye stop engaging with that clown mike Neil. The big hurling man and I bet he wasn’t in pearse stadium today either.
Why don’t you take your own advice Martin?
You probably were too busy watching the FA Cup to bother going to Ennis or watching it. A true bandwagon jumper.
Oh I was there and been to more hurling matches than you have had hot dinners. Though with your knowledge that would not be a hard thing.
Amazing how you know so much about me! Do I have another stalker? Is that you outside my house going through my bins looking for scraps of food? Curl up in that cardboard box Martin and get some sleep for yourself as you are tired and emotional.
Get a room lads!
We did, he finally came in from hanging around outside my house and I put him up for the night as it would have been a long journey back down to Clare at that time.
Keep up the work mike…
Good teams like to be written off…
You don’t have a house mike it’s your parents house get it right.
lol
Cardboard box?? Talking loads of sense mike. I’d say you are the type of lad that fellas down the local avoid like the plague. Some man to empty a room I’d say. It’s pitiful really.