All-Ireland SHC Quarter-Final

Clare 5-26 Dublin 2-17

By Tom Clancy at TUS Gaelic Grounds

Clare progressed to the All-Ireland semi-final, and set up a rematch with Leinster champions, Kilkenny, when seeing off Dublin. Four first half goals helped the Banner ease to victory, with Mark Rodgers and hat-trick hero, Tony Kelly, shooting big totals for the winners.

This was a return to the field of play for Clare, following their agonisingly frustrating one-point loss in the Munster final, two weeks ago. Dublin were aiming to kick on after a preliminary quarter-final victory over Carlow, though they never hit the level required against a battle hardened Clare.

Brian Lohan's Clare needed little time to find a first goal, Kelly racing through the middle to find the net inside three minutes. They were quickly 1-2 to 0-0 ahead, when Rodgers landed a free.

Dublin lost marksman Donal Burke to an early hamstring issue, which saw Cian O’Sullivan assume placed ball duties. The St. Brigid’s forward got the boys in blue off the mark with a ‘65’ after eight minutes.  

From here, Dublin grew into the contest, hitting five of six points, including Fergal Whitely’s sideline effort, their first score from play. This had them to within one, 0-5 to 1-3. Shane O’Donnell tidied up a loose ball, to point, after Seán Brennan had saved from Ian Galvin.

Micheál Donoghue’s charged led for the first time, when Darragh Power goaled, rifling to the corner from a tight angle, but Dublin couldn’t build on this. Clare’s second green flag arrived from Mark Rodgers, off a David Fitzgerald pass.

Clare led 4-8 to 1-8 by half-time, with a late spurt pushing them clear of the Leinster opponents. A run of 2-3 without reply in just three minutes helped ease any stress caused by nine first half wides. Kelly needed their third, again, Fitzgerald involved, before Shane O’Donnell pounced for a quickfire 1-1.

Any hope of a Dublin revival was quickly extinguished after half-time with a fifth Clare major – as Kelly completed his hat-trick. The Ballyea man would finish with 3-4, while Mark Rodgers contributed 1-11.

Dublin had their leading scoring contribution from Cian O’Sullivan, while their second half-goal came from sub Alex Considine. They struggled without Burke and were unable to stop a highly tuned Clare side, who are looking to go at least one step further than they did in 2023.

Clare will reset and rest ahead of a clash with the Cats, but Lohan will be hopeful injuries picked up by John Conlon, Adam Hogan and Shane O’Donnell are not too serious.

Scorers for Clare: Tony Kelly 3-4, Mark Rodgers 1-11 (5fs), Shane O’Donnell 1-2, David Fitzgerald 0-4, Aron Shanagher, Ian Galvin 0-2 each, Cathal Malone 0-1.

Scorers for Dublin: Cian O’Sullivan 0-11 (9fs, 165), Darragh Power, Alex Considine 1-0 each, Paul Crummey 0-3, Fergal Whitley, Danny Sutcliffe, Daire Gray 0-1 each.

Clare: Eibhear Qulligan; Adam Hogan, Rory Hayes, Seadna Morey; Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, Darragh Lohan; Cathal Malone, David Fitzgerald; Peter Duggan, Tony Kelly (C), Ryan Taylor; Ian Galvin, Shane O’Donnell, Mark Rodgers.

Subs: Paul Flanagan for Conlon (inj – 24), Aron Shanagher for O’Donnell (inj – 40), David Reidy for Galvin (46), Cian Nolan for Hogan (58), Patrick Crotty for Duggan (63), Cian Galvin for Taylor (65), Shane Meehan for Kelly (69).

Dublin: Seán Brennan; James Madden, Eoghan O’Donnell, Paddy Smyth; Paddy Doyle, Conor Burke, Daire Gray; Mark Grogan, Chris O’Leary; Danny Sutcliffe, Donal Burke, Cian Boland; Paul Crummey, Cian O’Sullivan Darragh Power.

Subs: Fergal Whitley for D Burke (inj – 8), Conor Donohue for Madden (35+1), Alex Considine for O’Leary (half-time), Seán Currie for Boland (47), Darragh Purcell for Power (60).

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).