Tony Kelly almost rose the roof of Croke Park with his rip-roaring speech after the All-Ireland senior hurling final.
The Ballyea maestro inspired Clare to glory with a phenomenal display in their 3-29 to 1-34 victory over Cork after extra-time.
Kelly scored one of the greatest goals an All-Ireland senior hurling final has ever seen in the second half of the game and then he drove Clare to glory with a phenomenal point in extra-time.
Cork had got off to a flying start in the game but Clare steadied the ship and they could have won in normal time. Kelly looked to have won it with a stunning score off the back foot over the shoulder in injury time but then Patrick Horgan levelled it all up with a free.
Onto extra-time we went. Clare powered on through the likes of Fitzgerald and Kelly and McCarthy but Cork almost snatched a draw at the death. In the end Clare hung on and Kelly was an All-Ireland winning captain.
‘In Clare, hurling is like a religion and Brian Lohan is like our God,” he said in a brilliant speech on the steps of the Hogan Stand.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Brian Lohan and all players feel the same. A tough exterior, but he’d do anything for you inside our camp.
“He’s a legend of the game from his playing days and now he’s added another string to his bow as our manager.
President of the GAA raised a big cheer presenting Kelly with the cup.
“A proud son of the Ballyea club, tugann sé an pleasure corn Liam Mac Carthaigh a bhronnadh ar captaen an Clár anois, Tony Kelly,” he said.
“This Clare team has been maligned for three or four years for being nearly there and for knocking on the door, well today we kicked that door down.”
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