Clare fans worried by the sight of John Conlon hobbling off injured will have been calmed when they saw his replacement.
Tony Kelly made an instant impact on his return from injury, popping over two points before those in the Semple Stadium stands had a chance to mark the 2013 hurler of the year’s arrival in their programmes.
The quick salvo owed a lot to his team-mates’ eagerness to get him back into the groove, but class like Kelly’s is permanent. They need not have worried as he finished with three points for his 19-minute cameo.
Colin Ryan was another second half substitute, as the Banner displayed a depth that Davy Fitzgerald has spent this Allianz League campaign nurturing.
In response Brian Cody could introduce Liam Blanchfield and Chris Bolger as he tried to get something from a match Kilkenny never looked like winning. Granted, the Leinster side have quite a crowded treatment room themselves at the moment, but this 4-22 to 2-19 chasing was the Cats’ heaviest league semi-final defeat in 15 years.
Kilkenny's biggest defeat in a league semi-final since 2001 – when Clare beat them by 10 points. #GAA
— Pat Nolan (@pat_nolan) April 17, 2016
Getting the likes of 2013 heroes Kelly and Podge Collins back on the field, with Shane O’Donnell held in reserve, will have delighted Fitzgerald but better still was the way that his team went about their business.
Speaking to TG4 afterwards, Fitzgerald noted how many more blocks, tackles and turnovers his team were managing than last year and, it was true, they harassed the life out of Kilkenny.
They outworked the All-Ireland champions but also displayed a cutting edge that had been missing from some of their earlier outings in the Division 1B.
COMMENT: Kilkenny may be functional but at least their forwards actually want to score https://t.co/8YiwWOw6Ph
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) April 15, 2016
Fitzgerald admitted himself that his wonderfully talented Clare side have lacked hunger since their stunning Liam McCarthy triumph two years ago.
Following three Under-21 titles and that senior glory this group fell into some sort of existential slump, which saw them flop two summers in a row and suffer relegation to Division 1B in 2015.
They have arrested that slide, gained promotion back to the top deck and will face defending champions Waterford in a league final, five weeks before Munster’s vibrant young guns meet again in the provincial championship.
On RTÉ Radio 1 John Mullane described David Reidy and the returning Collins as “two bumble bees” but that could have been said of most anyone in saffron and blue.
Man of the match Aaron Cunningham scored 2-3 from play, Colm Galvin was a powerhouse in midfield and Brendan Bugler brilliantly led a defence that limited Kilkenny to 1-13 from play. Discount TJ Reid’s frees and Kelly’s two successors as hurlers of the year, the Ballyhale man and Richie Hogan, were held to a point each.
No wonder the Cats are spooked#GAA pic.twitter.com/mJDwE9pVdI
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) April 17, 2016
The short passing being developed by Fitzgerald and Donal Óg Cusack was largely abandoned in Thurles for a more direct game, with Cunningham benefiting from the chaos that ensued in the Kilkenny full-back line under the high ball.
Jackie Tyrrell being withdrawn after just 22 minutes spoke volumes for the impact Clare’s forwards were having.
Ger Loughnane’s description of Cody’s three-in-a-row chasing side as “functional” was more a slight on the chasing pack than Kilkenny.
Maybe the Clare legend has just seen his own county emerge from their slumber to emerge from the pack.
