2013 All-Ireland Final Goes To A Replay - Clare (0-25) 25-25 (3-16) Cork | |
12 September 2013 The All-Ireland Hurling Final will go to a replay for the second successive year after Clare and Cork drew (0-25) 25-25 (3-16) following a wonderful match at Croke Park on Sunday 8 September 2013. Davy Fitzgerald's Clare side dominated large parts of the game but Cork's goal-scoring ability kept them in touch throughout although the Rebels almost snatched victory at the death. Three times in the second half, Clare pressed their point scoring advantage and left their opponents trailing, but each time Cork found the back of the net to keep themselves in the game. Indeed Clare led by four points with only 8 minutes of regulation time remaining but Cork never gave up. When an opportunist effort from Patrick Horgan went over the bar in the first minute of two minutes injury time, Cork had the lead and one hand on the famous trophy. However Domhnail O'Donovan struck twenty seconds after two minutes of injury time had passed to tie the final and ensure that the teams will have to do it all over again. Both sides, understandably, made a nervous start in front of the 81,651 supporters who packed out Croke Park on hurling’s biggest day of the season. Clare were first to get scores on the board and Darrach Honan and a Colin Ryan free left them two points to the good. However Cork responded through Seamus Harnedy only for John Conlon to restore Clare’s two point advantage. Patrick Horgan got his opening point for Cork but Tony Kelly countered for Clare. The names Patrick Horgan and Tony Kelly should be familiar to Scotland shinty supporters who will recall that Patrick Horgan starred when Ireland beat Scotland in the Shinty / Hurling international first test last year, scoring 22 points in Ireland’s 25-19 victory at the Bught Park, Inverness. His weekend performance confirmed his status as one of Ireland’s top hurlers. Tony Kelly was the star of the show when the Ireland U21s narrowly defeated the Scotland U21s in their meeting in Clare and the youngster seems to be well on the way fulfilling his great potential. Glen Rovers ace Patrick Horgan counted two more times for Cork to leave the sides tied at Clare (0-4) 4-4 (0-4) Cork with 15 minutes played. Colin Ryan put Clare back in front before referee Brian Gavin was called into action when he booked Clare’s Darrach Honan and Cork’s Shane O’Neill following a scuffle in the Cork goal area. Cork were awarded a 20 metre free and keeper Anthony Nash made one of several trips forward. However Clare keeper Patrick Kelly got his body in the way to thwart Nash’s attempt. Podge Collins and efforts from Colin Ryan and Conor McGrath increased Clare’s lead to Clare (0-8) 8-4 (0-4) Cork with 22 minutes played. Patrick Horgan pulled a point back before Colin Ryan restored Clare’s four point advantage to make it Clare (0-9) 9-5 (0-5) Cork. A brilliant Anthony Nash save from a low Darrach Honlan shot prevented Clare from increasing their lead further. Patrick Horgan and Podge Collins traded points before the clinical Colin Ryan made it Clare (0-11) 11-6 (0-6) Cork with only 5 first half minutes remaining. The Rebels could see their opponents getting away from them and Patrick Horgan pulled a point back. Daniel Kearney reduced the deficit further and although Tony Kelly bagged his second point, Brian Murphy and a Patrick Horgan effort from distance made it Clare (0-12) 12-10 (0-10) Cork at the interval. Clare deservedly led at half time but their two point margin should have been greater and they missed opportunities to put themselves out of sight. It was first blood to Clare at the start of the second half when young Tony Kelly notched his third point of what was proving to be a pulsating afternoon. Colin Ryan added another to make it Clare (0-14) 14-10 (0-10) Cork. The first Cork goal came 5 minutes into the second half when Conor Lehane scored a wonderful individual effort when he made a lung-bursting run at the heart of the Clare defence before slotting a brilliant shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net to eat into Clare’s lead and make it Clare (0-14) 14-13 (1-10) Cork. Colin Ryan and Patrick Horgan were clearly key me and they each notched points to make it Clare (0-15) 15-14 (1-11) Cork. Clare’s Podge Collins and Cork’s Daniel Kearney added a point apiece to make it Clare (0-16) 16-15 (1-12) Cork. Clare responded in the best way possible and points from Conor McGrath, John Conlon and Colin Ryan restored their four point lead to Clare (0-19) 19-15 (1-12) Cork heading into the final quarter of this pulsating final. Seamus Harnedy pulled a point back for Cork before Colin Ryan added two more Clare points to make it Clare (0-21) 20-16 (1-13) Cork with 58 minutes played. The game was flowing from end to end and the tension from the stands was evident. Again Cork fought back and keeper Anthony Nash was handed another chance to score from a 20 metre free. Nash didn’t allow himself to be distracted by some of the Cork players as he made his way forward and his shot almost burst the net to make it Clare (0-2) 21-19 (2-13) Cork. Cork were awarded a penalty just a minute later when Seamus Harnedy was impeded and Anthony Nash left his goal again. However Patrick Donnellan's hurl deflected his effort onto the bar and the Clare defence cleared their lines. Clare went back on the ascendency and two quick-fire points from Colin Ryan and Conor Ryan in the space of a minute made it Clare (0-23) 23-19 (2-13) Cork with 62 minutes played. Cork responded for a third time and a Conor Lehane point and Patrick Cronin’s powerfully struck goal on 66 minutes squared the final at Clare (0-23) 23-23 (3-14). The goal emphasised the narrow margin between success and failure as Clare substitute Cathal McInerney hit the Cork crossbar at one end of the park and Stephen McDonnell’s massive clearance turned defence into attack and he found Stephen Moylan surged forward before releasing the ball to Cork captain Patrick Cronin who finished in style. Patrick Horgan and Colin Ryan bagged a free apiece to make it Clare (0-24) 24-24 (3-15) Clare missed two single point opportunities and they were made to pay when Christopher Joyce found Patrick Horgan and Horgan beat his man before shooting over to make it Clare (0-24) 24-25 (3-16) Cork and the Rebels were in front for the first time in the final with just seconds remaining. However defeat would have been harsh on Clare and substitute Nicky O’Connell was the provider as he set up corner back Domhnail O’Donovan who burst forward and slotted a last-gasp leveller over the bar to make it Clare (0-25) 25-25 (3-16) Cork. It was a final that both sides could have won and lost and the respective manager must now keep their players ticking over for three weeks as, following consultation with the Garda, the replay will take place at Croke Park on Saturday 28 September 2013 with a 5pm throw-in. Clare Scorers: Colin Ryan 0-12 (11f), Tony Kelly 0-3, Podge Collins 0-3, Conor McGrath 0-2, John Conlon 0-2, Darrach Honan 0-1, Conor Ryan 0-1, Domhnail O'Donovan 0-1. Cork Scorers: Patrick Horgan 0-10 (8f), Conor Lehane 1-1, Anthony Nash 1-0 (1-0 f), Patrick Cronin 1-0, Daniel Kearney 0-2, Seamus Harnedy 0-2, Brian Murphy 0-1. Clare from: Patrick Kelly; Domhnail O’Donovan, D McInerney, C Dillon; B Bugler, Patrick Donnellan, P O’Connor; C Ryan, C Galvin; John Conlon (F Lynch 64), T Kelly C Ryan; Podge Collins, Darrach Honan (C McInerney 62), Conor McGrath (Nicky O’Connell); Cork from: Anthony Nash; S McDonnell, Shane O'Neill, C O'Sullivan; Brian Murphy, Christopher Joyce, W Egan (T Kenny 64); L McLoughlin (C McCarthy 42), (C Naughton 50), Daniel Kearney (S White 67); Seamus Harnedy, Patrick Cronin (captain), Conor Lehane; L O'Farrell, Patrick Horgan, J Coughlan (S Moylan 36); Attendance: 81,651 Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly) |