Clare have delivered one of the classic Croke Park comebacks to defy the odds and overcome Kilkenny 0-24 to 2-16 to progress to the All-Ireland final.
Despite being ahead for all but a couple of minutes of game-time Kilkenny couldn't deliver in the dying moments of the game, with Donal Óg Cusack and the RTÉ panel convinced they knew why.
It was a game of two halves with Kilkenny's TJ Reid and Eoin Cody delivering a hurling masterclass, with Reid doing TJ Reid things and Cody scoring an easy contender for goal of the season with this Wimbeldon-style strike.
'One handed shot , like we've seen all week in Wimbledon'
Eoin Cody with a smashing goal for Kilkenny
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📱Live updates https://t.co/NCLKDEko0n pic.twitter.com/36sfCgdngZ— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 6, 2024
Despite the Banner's backs mounting a gallant defence, Tony Kelly and co. never got out of the blocks - with the Cats heading in at the break a comfortable five points up, and with one foot in the final.
Today's social media clips are brought to you by Eibhear Quilligan, primarily. The Clare keeper is a busy boy. Great save from an Eoin Cody sideline that snuck through
📺Watch on @RTEOne and @RTEplayer https://t.co/XbYhQNQZZl
📱Live updates https://t.co/NCLKDEko0n pic.twitter.com/vVE1B7qgyA— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 6, 2024
The second half however, belonged to nobody but Clare. Kilkenny were first out of the blocks again, with a 45th-minute goal that advanced their lead to six.
However, against all the odds, a Clare who seemed all but destined to elimination, delivered a sensational final quarter of hurling - keeping Kilkenny scoreless for the final seventeen minutes before putting themselves one, then shortly after, two points ahead in the dying moments of the game to set up an all-Munster All-Ireland final.
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Donal Óg Cusack identifies major advantage Clare had in semi-final comeback.
While it was Clare who showed up when their backs were against the wall, Donal Óg Cusack and the rest of the RTÉ panel had a very good explanation of why that was, with Donal Óg claiming that the Leinster Championship simply wasn't sufficient preparation for the tough moments.
It must be an advantage when it comes down to the wire that Clare had been playing such tough games in Munster, there's definitely something in that.
With all due respect, it's Antrim, Galway, Carlow, Dublin and Dublin again, and Wexford (that Kilkenny have played). That's it you'll never get a black and white answer to that, there'll be no science behind it, but you'd have to say when the intensity was raised in the last ten minutes Kilkenny just couldn't bring it and weren't at the same level that Clare were.
It wasn't only Donal Óg either, with fellow RTÉ pundits Anthony Daly and Jackie Tyrell both seconding the Cork man's theory - with Daly clearly a fan of the battles in Munster:
I think there's a pattern it, I know some people on the outside might say they're killing each other below in Munster and sure we'll qualify, but these battles stand to you I think, there down the stretch there looked to be only one winner.
Regardless of whether Donal Óg is right or not, it will do little for Clare now with the All-Ireland final set to be an All-Munster clash as Clare prepare to face the winner of tomorrow's clash between Limerick and Cork.
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