GAELIC GAMES/ALL IRELAND MHC FINAL/Kilkenny v Clare:CLARE ARE a decent hurling team, having proved as much in Munster and in their defeat of Dublin, but they run headlong into a ferociously talented Kilkenny minor batch in the curtain-raiser at Croke Park.
Kilkenny are chasing history and they are armed with young brothers of great hurlers, so it is a family affair. A large portion of the travelling hoards from the Marble City and its outer reaches will settle into their seats to watch their next wave of magnificent hurlers attempt to atone for last year’s final defeat to Galway.
Really, they already addressed that defeat by overrunning the Tribesmen in their semi-final, where Ger Aylward looked a genuine prospect, as does Kieran Kelly and Cillian Buckley.
And what of the brothers in Richie Mulrooney’s team? Tommy Walsh’s sibling Padraic and John Power of the that famous hurling family are threatening to replicate the excellence of their brothers, at least at this age grade.
Clare have not made this giant leap since reaching the 1997 decider, back when the Banner folk were getting accustomed to the September journey to Croke Park. Those magical days have since passed but last year’s impressive under-21 success and the progress of these kids bodes well for the future.
So long as they are not wiped by the Cats, as Dublin, Offaly and Galway were.
The Clare full-forward line of David O’Halloran, Niall Arthur and Daire Keane caused Dublin plenty of problems, in fact, every player from number eight to 15 registered on the scoreboard. Tony Kelly in midfield must also repeat his long-distance scoring, while Enda Boyce has excelled at wing back.
All these players reaching full potential is the minimum requirement if they are to deny Kilkenny.
Even still, Kilkenny look destined to win this match. They continue to evolve, having ceased with the under-17 development panel two years ago, instead gathering the best 50 teenagers in the county into an enlarged senior squad, allowing Mulrooney to cherry-pick any talent that catches the eye as the season progresses. That was identified as the best way to ensure no one slips through the net.
The current side are evidence that it is working. Clare will hopefully stand up to them and find enough inspiration to make it a contest, but Kilkenny to pull clear when it really matters.
KILKENNY: D Walsh; J Corcoran, W Phelan, B Kennedy; P O’Carroll, L Harney, O McGrath; K Kelly, O Walsh; J Power, P Walsh, C Buckley; M Brennan, G Aylward, T O’Hanrahan.
CLARE: R Taaffe; H Vaughan, P Flanagan, S Morey; E Boyce, K Lynch, S O’Halloran; C Galvin, T Kelly; C Malone, P Collins, J Shanahan; D O’Halloran, N Arthur, D Keane.
Referee: A Stapleton (Laois).
