Kerry 2-16 Clare 0-11
For a second time in this championship, Kerry prevailed against Clare.
It was an assured performance from the Munster champions as they picked this Clare team apart throughout the game and hit goals either side of half-time to ensure that there would be no disputing the eventual victors.
Clare had chances to eat into the lead but scuppered goal opportunities, partially due to the intervention of the woodwork, were punished by a more experienced Kerry side who pocketed two goals of their own and leaked just 11 points today.
The impressive Donnchadh Walsh was the first goalscorer for Kerry. He was on hand to poke home a shot teed up by Paul Murphy who used some basketball style wizardry to put the ball bouncing invitingly towards goal. Further points from James O'Donoghue and Darren O'Sullivan left Kerry sitting on a 1-08 to 0-04 lead at half-time with Clare unable to pierce through the Kerry cover.
O'Sullivan's goal shortly after the restart took the contest out of the fixture but Clare relented against the dying of the light. They hit back with two unreplied points to leave the scoreline reading 2-08 to 0-07 and a black card sentence for Kerry defender Tadgh Morley offered them some hope of a resurgence.
Gary Brennan broke through at speed with a goal chance at Clare's mercy but some interchange play was interrupted by a Kerry paw which killed off the attack with the game drifting towards the final stages. Another goal bound shot was kept out by the crossbar which summed up the absence of luck they needed to stage an upset.
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