Clare–Kilkenny hurling rivalry

The very first meeting of Clare and Kilkenny in the championship took place on 4 September 1932 to decide the destination of the All-Ireland title. Kilkenny were the All-Ireland runners-up the previous year while Clare were appearing inn their first decided since 1914. The coverage that the Irish Press afforded to the three-game sage between Cork and Kilkenny the previous year is credited with turning hurling into a mass spectator sport and, as a partial result of this, a then record crowd of 34,372 packed Croke Park for the 1932 decider. Clare scored the first point of the match from Jack Gleeson while it took Kilkenny thirteen minutes to equalize. At the interval it was Clare who held a narrow 0–3 to 0–2 lead. The second half saw Kilkenny go on numerous goal hunts. Matty Power bagged two while Lory Meagher scored a third to give Kilkenny an eight-point lead. Tull Considine replied with two goals for Clare. The final result hinged on an incident two minutes from the end when Clare's goal-scorer Tull Considine was, according to himself, pushed in the back when shooting for a third goal from little more than ten metres. Kilkenny went on to win by 3–3 to 2–3.

After an absence of sixty-five years, Clare and Kilkenny renewed their rivalry on 10 August 1997 in the All-Ireland semi-final. Ger Loughnane's Clare were at their peak during this time while Kilkenny were going through a period of transition and had worked their way through the new "back door" system. "The Cats" were hit in advance of the match by the withdrawal of Michael Phelan and Liam Simpson. The final quarter showed both teams at their best. Apparently gone, Kilkenny trailed by seven points but a glorious solo goal by D. J. Carey cut the margin. Carey was brought into the game much more after this goal, however, after being switched to mark Frank Lohan the Kilkenny forward's threat was nullified. The finals core of 1–17 to 1-13 saw Clare record their first and only defeat of Kilkenny.

Two years late on 15 August 1999 it was Clare who had worked their way through the "back door" to face Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final. It was a last hurrah for a Clare team who had brought a new level of fitness to the championship over the previous four championship seasons, while for Kilkenny it was the beginning of their own golden era. There was a sense that the Clare team was in decline but it took a powerful display from Kilkenny to prove it. Clare had hauled themselves back into contention after a goal from Stephen McNamara at the start of the final quarter but three minutes later, D. C. Carey effectively closed the book with a fine goal of his own. The final score of 2–14 to 1-13 sent Kilkenny into the All-Ireland final, while it effectively brought the curtain down of Clare's greatest era.

On 9 September 2002 Clare and Kilkenny clashed for the fourth time in all and for the second time in an All-Ireland final. Clare became the first team to face a first-round provincial defeat and maneuver their way through the expanded qualifiers to claim an All-Ireland final berth. Kilkenny, on the other hand, were hoping to claim a second title in three years. All did not go to plan for Clare as they were 1–2 to no score in arrears after just six minutes. Henry Shefflin and D. J. carey fired over 1-6 each from play while they added another 0-7 between them with frees. A final score of 2–20 to 0-19 gave Kilkenny their 27th All-Ireland title.[2]

On 25 July 2004 Clare faced three-in-a-row hopefuls Kilkenny in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Kilkenny's season had been derailed by Wexford in the provincial championship, while Clare looked rejuvenated and a shock result looked likely. An early John Hoyne goal sustained their All-Ireland hopes together with superb defensive play and inspired free-taking from Henry Shefflin. Clare, meanwhile, were continuing to benefit from the strategy of using five forwards and deploying Alan Markham in a sweeper role. Niall Gilligan and Tony Griffin were Clare's star forwards, however, a combination of James McGarry's brilliant goalkeeping and missed chances in the closing minutes resulted in Clare needing a late Jamesie O'Connor free to level the match at 1-13 apiece.[3]

The replay six days later saw Kilkenny explode out of the blocks and go 1–3 to no score ahead after a quarter of an hour courtesy of Eddie Brennan. Clare revived themselves, for a period at least, and prolonged the suspense for the attendance. Helped in large measure by Kilkenny profligacy, they ended the first half strongly, reduced the deficit to four points, and midway through the second half hit two from play in succession to leave only a goal dividing the teams. Kilkenny stepped up a gear in the final ten minutes, scoring 0–4 to Clare's 0–1, two of them from Martin Comerford, and crowned the win with a wonderful score from D. J. Carey, who secured the 1–11 to 0–9 victory.[4]

On 13 August 2006 the seventh championship meeting of Clare and Kilkenny pitted them together in an All-Ireland semi-final. Clare got off to an awful start as Henry Shefflin had goaled from close range and won two frees from Brian Lohan, which he converted himself inside the first five minutes. An Eddie Brennan effort had come back from the woodwork and Derek Lyng had pointed from play. The tide turned eventually with a Niall Gilligan goal for Clare. It was the final curtain call for some of the Clare players who had soldiered since the glory days of 1995 and 1997, as Kilkenny triumphed by 2–21 to 1–16.[5]

• Biggest championship win:
  • For Clare: Clare 1-17 - 1-13 Kilkenny, 1997 All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park, 10 August 1997
  • For Kilkenny: Kilkenny 2-21 - 1-16 Clare, 2006 All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park, 10 August 2006
• Highest aggregate:
  • Kilkenny 2-20 - 0-19 Clare, 2002 All-Ireland final, Croke Park, 8 September 2002

• Top scorer in a single game:
  • For Clare: 1-7
    • Niall Gilligan, Clare 1-13 - 1-13 Kilkenny, All-Ireland quarter-final, Semple Stadium, 25 July 2004
  • For Kilkenny: 1-13
    • Henry Shefflin, Kilkenny 2-21 - 1-16 Clare, 2006 All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park, 13 August 2006

• Highest attendance:
  • 76,254 - Kilkenny 2-20 - 0-19 Clare, All-Ireland final, Croke Park, 8 September 2002
• Lowest attendance:
  • 29,000 - Clare 1-13 - 1-13 Kilkenny, All-Ireland quarter-final, Semple Stadium, 25 July 2004