1. Conor Fogarty’s block : A back-and-forth start but Kilkenny develop an edge on Clare. After 24 minutes midfielder Conor Fogarty shows Croke Park just why. Moments after TJ Reid popped over his sixth score – historic, as it made him number one in all-time championship scores – Clare storm down the other end looking to close the gap. Shane O’Donnell is key to the move: after a quick one-two with Peter Duggan, he lays off to Mark Rodgers, whose pistol-shot is somehow blocked wide by Fogarty, denying Clare the certain goal. Incredible timing.
2. Clare’s disallowed goal
After two near misses in the first half, Clare finally put the sliotar into the Kilkenny net on 44 minutes thanks to Rodgers, only for referee Colm Lyons to call it back. The Clare players fume, feeling the advantage wasn’t allowed to play out. Peter Duggan had been fouled while playing the sliotar inside and it looked to be safely in Huw Lawlor’s hand. But he spilled it and Rodgers lashed it into the net. However the whistle had been blown before the sliotar was dropped - despite the rules allowing up to five seconds to see if an advantage accrues - and Kilkenny get away with it.
Luck not going Clare’s way.
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3. Eoin Cody’s goal
The momentum now firmly swings towards Clare, replacement David Reidy and Rodgers pressing them two clear before a momentary lapse in concentration on 55 minutes undoes it all. Eibhear Quilligan takes a short puck out to Rory Hayes – strangely, as the longer option was serving them so well – and Billy Ryan pounces for the dispossession, TJ Reid then flicking the loose sliotar out to Eoin Cody, who hammers into the Clare net from close range. Just like that Kilkenny are back in front, 1-18 to 0-19. Ouch.
4. Shane O’Donnell’s goal
Into the last 10 minutes and Clare need a goal, down 1-20 to 0-20: cue the magnificence of O’Donnell, a decade after his famous hat-trick in the replayed All-Ireland final, with another goal of a lifetime. The sliotar is played in long, on 63 minutes, the move started deep in Clare’s own half by Tony Kelly, and once O’Donnell gets a grip there’s only one thing on his mind. He brushes off Tommy Walsh and unleashes an unstoppable shot into the top left corner. Clare are level again, 1-20 apiece, and Croke Park is heaving. Game on.
5. Eoin Murphy’s save
Digging deeper and deeper again, Kilkenny regain their slight advantage as the clock spills into added time, replacement Richie Hogan winning a free for Reid to convert, Cody then sweeping in for another from play, and they’re up by three. But Clare aren’t done yet, 60 official seconds left to play, Peter Duggan doubles on a loose ball around the 13m line, only for Eoin Murphy’s amazing split-second intervention to direct it onto the crossbar. Clare get a point out of the rebound but they really needed the goal. It finishes with Kilkenny three points up, but in truth nothing in it.
