Wexford champions Oulart the Ballagh produced a strong finish to beat Kilkenny’s Clara in a testing Leinster club senior hurling quarter-final at Nowlan Park yesterday.

Six unanswered points in the final quarter saw the men from the Model County come from three points down and turn the game their way.

Things looked grim when James Nolan grabbed Clara’s second goal and pushed his side three clear (2-11 to 0-14) but Garret Sinnott scored one and made another for Des Mythen, before Rory Jacob restored parity. The game was in the balance, but an ice-cool Sinnott posted two late points, with Conor O’Leary adding another, as they drove on into the semi-finals and a meeting with reigning provincial champions Killcormac Killoughey.

Having won the county final a week earlier Clara proved they were still full of running when they dashed into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead after seven minutes thanks to free-taker Keith Hogan, Liam and Lester Ryan.

Oulart’s response was emphatic. By the 27th minute they had caught the early leaders, Nicky Kirwan pointing a free following a foul on Sinnott. They went one better after that, taking a narrow lead in at the break after David Redmond split the posts (0-8 to 0-7). Clara didn’t take long to level matters, doing so through Liam Ryan within a minute of the restart.

Oulart stepped on the gas again after that, pushing four clear as scores from Rory Jacob, Sinnott, Des Mythen and Nicky Kirwan gave them a decisive lead (0-12 to 0-8).

The Kilkenny men hung on in there, Conor Phelan (2) helping the side push through. They looked to have turned the corner when sub Chris Bolger goaled in the 42nd minute, and taken a step towards victory when James Nolan raised the green flag again soon after, but a Sinnott-inspired Oulart dashed their hopes.

“I am absolutely delighted,” said Oulart manager, Martin Storey. “It’s been hard to come back after being beaten three years in a row, but we are going to give it a rattle.”