Munster SFC Final: Kerry 0-23 Clare 1-13
Kerry retained their Munster SFC crown but not without a huge test from Clare in Cusack Park.
It was a game that saw the Kingdom lead from pillar to post, but an Ikem Igweru goal on the 63rd minute saw Clare trail by 0-20 to 1-12.
Three of the final five scores of the game came the way of Jack O’Connor’s side through Sean O’Shea as they steadied the ship to regain control.
Clare will rue missed goal chances, with Dermot Coughlan and Brian McNamara forcing Kerry custodian Shane Murphy into pulling off some brilliant stops either side of half time.
Kerry led 0-11 to 0-7 at the break, and Murphy denied Brian McNamara a green flag that would have cut it to the minimum within minutes of the restart.
The third quarter saw the Kingdom double that advantage to lead 0-19 to 0-11 by the 55th minute.
A brilliant run through the heart of the defence resulted in Ikem Igweru slotting past Murphy to cut the gap to five points, and set up a grandstand finish.
GOAL!! Ikem Ugweru runs through the heart of the Kerry defence and hits the net for @GaaClare #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/ooYROaJNwu
— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 5, 2024
Kerry’s response was immediate, and led by O’Shea, they closed the game out to clinch a fourth consecutive crown and 85th overall.
Up next for Clare will be home game in the opening round of the All Ireland series against Cork on Saturday May 18th.
