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Special day for Clare Minors
ALL-IRELAND MINOR HURLING SEMI-FINAL
Clare 0-23 Kilkenny 0-15
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Venue: FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles
Compiled by Derek Dormer
Story Of The Game
CLARE: Frees for: 18 (6/12)
Wides: 12 (7/5)
Scores from play: 0-15
Spread of scorers: 13
Top scorer: James Hegarty (0-6 4f 1’65)
Bookings: None
Own puckouts won: 10 from 16 (63%)
HERE FOR MATCH REPORT
KILKENNY Frees for: 14 (5/9)
Wides: 1 (0/1)
Scores from play: 0-8
Spread of scorers: 6
Top scorer: Conor Doyle (0-5 4f), Greg Kelly (0-5 3f)
Bookings: Conor Doyle (12), Greg Kelly (54) Red Card: Ed McDermott (8)
Own puckouts won: 17 from 35 (49%)
REFEREE: Kevin Jordan (Tipperary)
MANAGER COMMENT “
Brian O'Connell, Clare:
“It’s a really special day. We had the heartbreak last year with the munster final defeat on penalties and losing the All-Ireland semi-final to Offaly but now we can look forward to the biggest day in underage hurling.
“We made hard work of it for whatever reason if I'm being totally honest. It was a real humid day and it felt hot on the sideline so I can't imagine how the boys felt on the field.
“We are absolutely delighted. It's a reward for all the hard work. I suppose the sending off had a big part to play in the game but I thought when we got control of the game in that second half we pushed on.
“We knew they'd throw everything at us. Sometimes when you lose a game the first thing you want to do is go out and play straight away again. Losing that Leinster final gave them a hunger and desire to go at us. They posed a lot of questions of us in that first thirty and everything they hit was going over but we still managed to have a lead at the interval. Our defence has been rock solid and we have the utmost faith in them to do their job. They were magnificent again today and hopefully they can be magnificent one more time on June 4.
“Our forwards didn't hit their usual heights but twenty three points is still great scoring. Yes we had to grind it out at times but we stuck with it and that's the important thing.
“It’s incredible, absolutely incredible. Just to say we are into an All-Ireland final is magical.”
