The black and amber suits him, it does.
For Tony Kelly, it’s the pride of Ballyea, the 2016 Munster club senior hurling champions. For Richie Hogan, it’s the colours of Kilkenny and his eyes lit up watching the maestro that is the Clare man pick off Glen Rovers cruelly and coolly.
Kelly hit five points as Ballyea put their Cork rivals to the sword to clinch the club’s first ever provincial gong and the Banner’s finest, strutting around midfield in the black and amber, took all the plaudits and then some.
It was a heart-warming performance to light up the cold November air and it was enough to convince Richie Hogan that the rampant Cats could do with a man like Kelly. Couldn’t everyone?
https://twitter.com/richiehogan8/status/800357049406259200
Hogan wasn’t alone in admiration for a rival though.
Tony Kelly is on a different planet of hurling on this form. Unbelievable to watch 👏👏 #TheToughest
— Kieran Joyce (@joycek87) November 20, 2016
But the Cats are going to have to get in line.
Tony Kelly wow that's all ye need to say 👏
— AussieGleeson (@AussieGleeson) November 20, 2016
Meanwhile, Con O’Callaghan has only made the Dublin hurlers want him more. The 2016 All-Ireland football champion fired Cuala into the Leinster club hurling final with a personal rampage of 1-3 to take his provincial tally this season to 5-6 in two bloody games.
The capital outfit meet Kilkenny’s O’Loughlin Gaels in the decider after Oulart-The-Ballagh were upset with three goals to spare.
Munster club SHC final
Ballyea (Clare) 1-21 Glen Rovers (Cork) 2-10
Leinster club SHC semi-finals
O’Loughlin Gaels (Kilkenny) 3-17 Oulart-The Ballagh (Wexford) 0-17
Cuala (Dublin) 1-19 St Mullins (Carlow) 1-7
Ulster club IHC final
Cloughmills (Antrim) 1-11 Eoghan Rua (Derry) 2-6
Connacht club IFC final
Westport (Mayo)1-9 Ballinamore (Leitrim) 0-7
Connacht club JFC final
Louisburgh (Mayo)2-9 Creggs (Roscommon) 0-11
Aaron Kernan joins Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour to explain the work he’s doing for the Club Players Association. Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue talks Slaughtneil and a Dublin club advertising for hurlers gets a sore touch. Subscribe here on iTunes.
