Kelly stands apart in superb National League Final replay

THOSE pious hurling purists have been put back in the box – temporarily, at least. After much crabbing of systems and sweepers in the wake of the drawn National League Final, Clare and Waterford showed in Sunday’s thrilling replay at Semple Stadium that the sport can still throw up absorbing spectacles in spite of the modern-day obsession with game plans and tactics.

On the surface, the two teams remained loyal to their basic strategy of flooding numbers at the back and hitting on the counter attack, but the exchanges around midfield weren’t so congested this time round while there was a little more off-the-cuff hurling as well . . . not forgetting the timely reminder that the art of goal scoring hasn’t gone completely out of fashion.

The marathon drawn final had failed to produce a solitary green flag, but we had one after only 15 seconds on Sunday with the impressive Patrick Curran rattling the net after skinning Pat O’Connor. It set the tone for a somewhat more fluid and open reply, but Waterford will be bitterly disappointed at not making a successful defence of the league title, especially after a controversial refereeing decision by Diarmuid Kirwan in injury time pulled the rug from under them.

Waterford were hanging onto a one-point lead, but were in possession when tireless midfielder Jamie Barron was clearly fouled. A free then to the champions would surely have settled the issue, but instead it was Clare who were awarded a placed ball and though man of the match Tony Kelly still faced a really difficult opportunity, he promptly drove over the equaliser from inside his own half.

Though time was almost up, Clare secured possession from the puck out and it was Kelly who drove the ultimate dagger through Waterford’s hearts with a terrific winner from underneath the new stand. It was an unlikely victory for the Banner men, particularly as they had been chasing the game since Curran’s early strike. However, they never gave up and, significantly, landed the last four points of the match.

It was Clare’s first league triumph in 38 years and endorsed the changes Davy Fitzgerald made to his management team last winter, notably the leftfield acquisition of former Cork goalkeeper Donal Og Cusack as part of the coaching staff. Fitzgerald was his usual animated self on the sideline, occasionally exploding verbally, but nobody can doubt his great passion for Clare hurling. He has been an integral part of three of the county’s four All-Ireland victories and now has also delivered a long-awaited league title.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.