All-Ireland SHC Semi-final/Kilkenny 2-21 Clare 1-16: The sinking feeling among Clare supporters and neutrals in the opening minutes of yesterday's Guinness All-Ireland hurling semi-final at Croke Park eased as a terrific contest unfolded before a crowd of 70,978. All credit to Clare for forcing a way back into a match that looked like sprinting out of their sight from the throw-in but ultimately they weren't able to cope with Kilkenny's greater options and another towering performance from Henry Shefflin.

When the teams last met in competition they were also level at the break before Kilkenny laid waste their opponents in the second half. This was different in that there was still only a score between the teams as late as the 68th minute but with the dam well breached, another five points - including a penalty safely converted - sailed over before the final whistle.

With Frank Lohan dismissed for a second yellow card shortly before the end Clare finished the match in some disarray, which was an unfair representation of the strength of their challenge for so long. Anthony Daly played all of his cards, sending on five replacements but although they supplemented the team's flagging energy levels they didn't help recreate the menace of the first half.

The first half held the key to the match because whereas Clare had momentum and a run on Kilkenny, they kept conceding crafty points that kept the match even. That was partly due to their lack of precision in front of goal and they could have had another two in the first half, which would have given them a cushion for the backlash that was bound to come.

Clare were unfortunate on occasion but needed to help themselves a bit more; Niall Gilligan's missed free in the 59th minute with the gap between the teams at just two had the feel of one of those swing moments in a big match. Kilkenny's superiority meant they had the luxury of some spectacular inaccuracy and ended the day with 18 wides.

Clare also lost influential wing back Gerry Quinn in the 43rd minute to injury but against that their opponents lost their centre back John Tennyson with a shoulder injury after only a quarter of an hour.

Then there was Kilkenny's 50th-minute penalty that referee Séamus Roche turned into a throw-in after a scuffle broke out. Nothing inconvenienced, they simply recycled possession from the restart and replacement Eoin McCormack scored the goal to give them a five-point lead.

McCormack would make way later on to give Richie Power a run on his return from injury and that was one welcome boost for Kilkenny, who in the eyes of most people ended the day still behind final opponents Cork in the All-Ireland betting.

If there was a sense of inevitability for much of the second half with Clare hanging on more than threatening to win, it was as nothing to the mood within a few minutes of the match starting. In the second minute a long ball bounced through some mix-ups in the Clare defence and bounced up helpfully for Shefflin, who started at full forward, and he lashed in a goal for the first score of his 1-13 total, 1-6 from play.

By the sixth minute with Kilkenny scoring at will the score had moved on to 1-3 to 0-1. Clare's response was admirable. They began to steady the ship and the stirrings of what would be memorable displays from veterans Seán McMahon and Frank Lohan were visible.

After early difficulty Brian Lohan, in what is likely to have been his last match for Clare, re-established his composure and as the ball began to fly up the other end it was the turn of Kilkenny's full-back line to experience some pressure.

In the ninth minute a high ball from Seán McMahon was broken down by Tony Griffin past James McGarry in the Kilkenny goal and as it trickled towards the goal line, Gilligan hurtled in to get the final touch for the goal that was one of the foundations of Clare's challenge. Another was Seán McMahon's rediscovery of one of the team's great assets during the glory years - his ability to hit accurate, long-range frees. He ended the day with five of them, which together with a fine overall display marked this as his best day of the season.

Colin Lynch was another veteran whose stamina and commitment didn't waver. Clare were slow to switch him on to Cha Fitzpatrick despite the latter's accomplished display amid the furious helter-skelter of centrefield and suffered accordingly.

Clare could have had more goals but Griffin was hooked on the way in and Gilligan took the ball too wide having broken the defensive cover. During all of this Kilkenny had to make changes and switched Shefflin out to the half forwards where they were winning virtually no ball by the end of the first quarter.

Kilkenny managed to nick scores and ensure the match remained neck-and-neck up to half-time and indeed it was Tony Carmody who had to equalise before the break with a massive, sweeping point at 1-10 each.

At half-time Kilkenny manager Brian Cody made changes. Jackie Tyrell was released from the Gethsemane of marking Griffin to the wing where he had an improved second half and Tommy Walsh was sent back to sort out the full-back line. McCormack came in for Michael Rice, who had looked uncomfortable at corner forward, a starting switch that allowed Eddie Brennan stay on the wing where in the second half he maintained his good form.

But it was Shefflin who time and again kept Clare at bay. Any time he received the ball in even a fraction of space the score was on and four times from play in the second half he delivered. On his shoulders largely rest the hopes that Kilkenny will bring into a much-anticipated final.

KILKENNY: 1 J McGarry; 2 J Tyrell (capt), 4 JJ Delaney, 3 N Hickey; 5 J Ryall, 6 J Tennyson, 7 T Walsh; 8 J Fitzpatrick (0-1), 9 D Lyng (0-1); 13 E Brennan (0-1), 14 M Comerford (0-2), 12 E Larkin (0-2); 10 M Rice, 11 H Shefflin (1-13, five points frees, one point a penalty and one point a 65), A Fogarty. Subs: 18 B Hogan for Tennyson (15 mins), 25 E McCormack (1-0) for Rice (half-time), 26 W O'Dwyer for Fogarty (57 mins), 30 R Power (0-1) for Brennan (65 mins).

CLARE: 1 D Fitzgerald; 2 G O'Grady, 3 B Lohan, 4 F Lohan; 8 B O'Connell, 6 S McMahon (capt; 0-5, all frees), 7 G Quinn; 8 J Clancy, 9 C Lynch; 10 D McMahon (0-1), 11 T Carmody (0-2), 12 N Gilligan (1-3, two points frees); 15 D Quinn (0-1), 14 A Markham, 13 T Griffin (0-4). Subs: 21 D Hoey for G Quinn (49 mins), 24 J McInerney for D Quinn (49 mins), 27 D O'Rourke for D McMahon (54 mins), 30 P Vaughan for Clancy (54 mins), 18 D O'Connell (0-1) for Markham (62 mins).

Referee: S Roche (Tipperary).