Cuala progress to Leinster Club SHC decider

CUALA 3-12 CLARA (Kilkenny) 0-17

Cuala progressed to the AIB Leinster Club SHC final following this superb semi-final victory over Kilkenny champions, Clara, in Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Dalkey side played more of the better hurling over the course of the hour but more importantly got the only three goals of the match as they ability to create and take their goal chances keeps on paying huge dividends.

There was little between the sides in the opening quarter with Clara freetaker Keith Hogan accounting for the majority of their scores with fine scores from Colm Cronin and Darragh O'Connell from play had Cuala very much in the hunt as the Kilkenny men led 0-6 to 0-5 after 15 minutes.

Then Cuala struck for their first goal when O'Connell's diagonal ball found Mark Schutte who in turn showed great vision to pick out Cronin who fired low to the net.

Points from Hogan (free) and Liam Ryan brought the side level before Cian Waldron found the target after his wing-forward team-mate Colum Sheanon's initial attempt had been blocked.

Two minutes before the interval Cuala grabbed their second goal when O'Connell broke from midfield before finding Mark Schutte who powered past his marker before unleashing a shot on goal, his effort was parried by Clara keeper Killian Phelan but Seán Treacy was in the right place at the right time to apply the finishing touch to help his side into a 2-8 to 0-10 lead.

The added to this momentum right on the restart when a point effort from Cronin was brilliantly batted one-handed to the net by Mark Schutte to give his side a seven-point advantage.

Clara were far from finished with inside forwards Chris Bolger and Ciaran Prendergast doing their best to haul their side back into contention.

By the 40th minute the Kilkenny side had cut the deficit to 3-9 to 0-14 before they squandered a gilt-edged goal-scoring opportunity when Conor O'Shea fumbled the sliotar with the goal at his mercy.

Five minutes from time Clara were reduced to 14 men when O'Shea was dismissed on a second yellow card and Cuala took advantage to win in style with a David Treacy free following a foul on Con O'Callaghan and a fine Cronin score after being cleverly picked out by David Treacy.

Cuala will face Wexford champions, Oulart-The Ballagh, in the provincial final after they overcame Westmeath's Clonkill in the other semi-final.

SCORERS - Cuala: D Treacy 0-6 (0-5f), C Cronin 1-2, S Treacy, M Schutte 1-0 each, J Malone 0-2, D O’Connell, C Waldron 0-1 each. Clara: K Hogan 0-12 (0-12f), C Bolger 0-2, Lester Ryan, Liam Ryan, J Langton 0-1 each.

CUALA: S Brennan; R Tierney, Cian O'Callaghan, S Timlin; S Moran, O Gough, J Sheanon; J Malone, D O'Connell; C Sheanon, C Cronin, C Waldron; S Treacy, M Schutte, D Treacy. Subs: Con O'Callaghan for C Sheanon (40), N Kenny for Waldron (59).

CLARA: K Phelan; D Nolan, S O'Shea, T Ryan; N Prendergast, S Prendergast, D Langton; Lester Ryan, J Langton; Liam Ryan, C O'Shea, J Byrne; C Bolger, K Hogan, C Prendergast.Subs: J Murphy for Hogan (59).

REF: G McGrath (Wexford).