Tony Kelly nets hat-trick as Clare crush Dublin
Clare have hammered Dublin in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling quarter-finals
Tony Kelly scored a hat-trick as Clare thumped Dublin 5-26 to 2-17 in today’s All-Ireland Hurling Quarter-Final at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.
Clare were favourites coming into the contest and showed their class by hitting four first-half goals – the first from Tony Kelly after just three minutes – to take a 4-08 1-08 lead into the break.
The only frustration for the Banner was that it could have been more. They struck as many as six wides in the opening ten minutes alone, and Dublin even took the lead when Darragh Power netted against the run of play.
But the Dubs’ joy was not only short-lived, it was transformed to misery.
Clare run riot against Dublin.
Clare corner-forward Mark Rodgers replied with a goal before long, Kelly bagged his second in the 34th minute to extend their lead, and the impressive Shane O’Donnell scored to put the result beyond any doubt before the half-time whistle was even blown.
Kelly’s hat-trick arrived minutes after the restart to add salt to Dublin wounds, but there was at least some respite afforded by a 51st minute goal from Dublin substitute Alex Considine.
Not that it particularly mattered.
Clare ticked away through a lacklustre second half, with Kelly and Rodgers among those nonchalantly adding points to their tallies.
Clare advance to All-Ireland semi-finals.
In the end, Kelly registered a grand total of 3-04, while Rodgers can be more than pleased with his day’s work as he hit 1-11.
David Fitzgerald was another standout for the Banner as he assisted two and scored four points from play on a day when only one team truly showed up.
Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Adam Hogan, Rory Hayes, Seadna Morey; Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, Darragh Lohan; Cathal Malone, David Fitzgerald; Peter Duggan, Tony Kelly, Ryan Taylor; Ian Galvin, Shane O’Donnell, Mark Rodgers.
Subs: Eamonn Foudy, David Reidy, David McInerney, Shane Meehan, Aron Shanagher, Patrick Crotty, Paul Flanagan, Cian Nolan, Cian Galvin, David Conroy, Paddy Donnellan.
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: Eddie Gibbons, Conor Donohoe, John Bellew, Andy Dunphy, Joe Flanagan, Aidan Mellett, Seán Currie, Fergal Whitely, Alex Considine, Dara Purcell, Diarmuid Ó Dúlaing.
