Long grass just fine for Kilkenny's big cats

GAELIC GAMES: Anthony Daly rubbed his hand over that part of his head which was until a few years ago thatched with hair. The trouble in his eyes told you where the hair had gone. If you love Clare hurling it's a cruel life with many torments.

"I was a lucky player maybe," said Daly. "As Clare's standards go I was anyway. Maybe I'm an unlucky manager. You can't put it down to that though. Kilkenny were the better team."

Indisputably. Kilkenny weren't at their best yesterday but enough of them were at their best for enough of the time to make this a memorable victory. So for the third time in four years the All-Ireland final will be contested by Cork and Kilkenny.

The eight points which separated Clare from September was but one of the barbs left in their flesh by an entertaining game which offered all sorts of possibilities. Having recovered twice from serious deficits, Clare found that in the last 10 minutes Kilkenny were just too cold and clinical. The sending off of Frank Lohan nailed the coffin lid down. The last seven scores of the game went to Kilkenny, a tough stat to swallow for a Clare team who had seen a huge score from Seánie MacMahon draw them to within a point with just eight minutes left.

Clare had been pushing up the hill from the start. Kilkenny scored an unlikely goal almost straight from the throw-in when a long free dropped into the Clare square. Brian Lohan did the textbook full-back thing and got out in front of his man. The ball played tricks on him though and scooted past on the greasy surface. Of all the men to be waiting to receive it: Henry Shefflin. No need to stay and watch, just bend over the page and write "goal".

Shefflin was sublime yesterday. He scored another two points in quick succession to put Clare five points down before they started to hurl. Clare came back strongly, but Shefflin finished with a goal and 13. No other Kilkenny player needed to score more than a point or two. Unbeatable form.

Kilkenny's second goal was as heartbreaking for Clare as the first. A penalty awarded to Kilkenny was taken back by the referee amid rancour and dissent. He opted to throw the ball in on the 21 instead. With the joy of the let-off Clare's concentration snapped. Eoin McCormack drove it to the Clare net, stretching the margin from two points to five with 20 minutes left. Clare had to begin again.

The pleasure in this win for Kilkenny was not just measurable in terms of where it leaves them or where they have come from. It was important because they grew as a team. They fixed their full-back line. They sorted out the forwards and got game time for Richie Power. They got a look at who is ready for the cauldron and who isn't.

"Clare came back very strong," said Brian Cody. "It's hard to understand how we won by eight points. Clare were excellent last year in the semi-final and they were excellent this year. It's no consolation or anything - I'm not trying to pretend it is - but this was a massive game for us to win."

Things are beginning to click for Kilkenny and the only fly in the ointment yesterday was the failure of a couple of young forwards and the first-half injury to centre back John Tennyson. The young Carrickshock player had been one of the more important components to come rolling off the conveyor belt this season, but a suspected dislocated shoulder puts him out of next week's All-Ireland under-21 semi-final with Galway and probably the senior All-Ireland final too.

If that will stretch resources at the back, Kilkenny have at least the consolation that James Cha Fitzpatrick is a midfielder who will serve them for some time to come. All has been quiet with the Ballyhale club for a few years since the last generation of Fennellys went, but with Shefflin and Fitzpatrick in their pomp and a new wave of Fennellys coming through we'll be hearing about the Shamrocks again soon.

Yesterday Fitzpatrick was the most influential midfielder on show. His marker, Jonathan Clancy, was called ashore, but the switch didn't alter the tide. Fitzpatrick's ability to make space in which to use the ball is astonishing, especially in a game like yesterday's when bodies thundered around the place like stampeding horses.

"I think for us in Ballyhale it's not a surprise," said Shefflin. "I've seen Cha since he was 10 years of age doing those kinds of sidesteps and that. Out there it's not about individuals, it's about the team. He was great though."

Three weeks then to the final, and if Cork's team seems to virtually pick itself, Kilkenny are still juggling with the options. Tennyson's loss will be immense. Richie Power's return to full health would be a blessing.

"History shows," said Cody, "that All-Ireland finals between Cork and Kilkenny can go any way, but they are entitled to be serious favourites."

Cork heading for the three-in-a-row will know the weight of favouritism is unavoidable. Kilkenny will enjoy approaching from the long grass.

It mightn't be the most novel final pairing, but it has enough of the unknown about it to keep us interested.