Inter-County Hurling Review of the Year 2024: Tony Kelly’s six seconds of magic light up an unforgettable season for Clare

In all, it took six seconds from start to finish.

With the clock showing 50 minutes and 50 seconds played in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final, Clare’s David Fitzgerald pops a short handpass into the grasp of his captain Tony Kelly, running from midfield. He’s approaching the Cork ‘D’ at the Canal End of Croke Park.

50:51: A gentle swerve to his left shakes off the chasing Ciaran Joyce and takes Mark Coleman, cutting across from the wing, completely out of the play.

50:52: Kelly takes the ball onto his the stick for the first time as he sways back to his right and towards goal. Another Cork man, Rob Downey, coming across to cover has been left flat-footed, powerless to do anything.

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50:53: The Ballyea man is clear and taps the ball back into his hand, but Sean O’Donoghue is coming straight across the goal to meet him and Joyce has caught up. A block from one or a hook from the other looks inevitable.

50:54: But Kelly doesn’t shoot. Instead he taps the ball over O’Donoghue’s head and sends the Cork captain careering somewhere towards the Cusack Stand.

50:55: Another touch with the other side of the stick stuns the sliotar dead leaving it suspended in the Dublin sky like a tiny fluorescent moon, utterly in thrall to Kelly’s gravitational pull. He shoots.

50:56: The ball hits the top corner of the Patrick Collins’ net. Croke Park explodes. Again. And not for the last time.

No-one knew it then but when Kelly scored his remarkable goal to give Clare a 3-15 to 1-18 lead there was still 49 minutes and 27 seconds of playing time left and 30 more points to be scored. But for a wide from Robbie O’Malley with the last puck of the game, hit as Conor Leen secured a hefty fist of his jersey, a foul missed by referee Johnny Murphy, it would have been 31 and another day out after the ultimate day out.

There was Rob Downey’s thundering run and shot to score an early goal for Cork and eventual Hurler of the Year Shane O’Donnell’s key contribution of two points and an assist for an Aidan McCarthy goal Clare badly needed in response.

There was the fact the sides were level at half-time, full-time and at half-time in extra-time, and even for Kelly there were another two spectacular points to add to his goal.

But it is those six seconds out of the 6098 played at Croke Park that July afternoon that provide a time capsule of a match that will stand as the indelible afternoon of the hurling summer. One of the greatest afternoons in the history of the game.

Those six seconds out of the 6098 played at Croke Park that July afternoon provide a time capsule of a match that will stand as the indelible afternoon of the hurling summer. One of the greatest afternoons in the history of the game.

Whenever anyone thinks of 2024 they’ll think of Clare and Cork on July 21.

Heading into 2024 all anyone could think about was Limerick, but their drive for five was stalled by Cork’s blistering semi-final display.

Over the previous couple of seasons Clare had manoeuvred themselves into the position as number one contenders to Limerick’s crown, only to fall to consecutive All-Ireland semi-final defeats to Kilkenny.

A League final win over the Cats was a springtime confidence booster on that front and when they finally got the better of the Cats at the last four stage in 2024 Brian Lohan’s side had less than 24 hours of consideration about just how to take down their Shannonside neighbours. Then Cork turned over Limerick and turned the hurling world on its head. But Clare ended up on top of it for the first time since 2013.

Back then Lohan’s old team-mate Davy Fitzgerald was the Banner manager. In 2025 he’ll be Antrim’s.

The Sixmilebridge man takes over from another All-Ireland winning Munster goalkeeper, with Darren Gleeson departing after seven seasons in charge.

While the reorganisation of the League for 2025 meant Antrim were always likely to slot into the new seven-team Division 1B, it was still a disappointing spring with five defeats from five matches.

But the impending Leinster campaign was given a huge boost with the news Dunloy stars Keelan Molloy, Nigel Elliott, Seaan Elliot and Ryan Elliott were rejoining the panel after previously opting out.

All played key rolls as Antrim bounced back from an opening day hiding in Kilkenny to beat Wexford at Corrigan Park – the landmark win of Gleeson’s time in charge – and then secure their Liam MacCarthy Cup status for 2025 with a home victory over Carlow on the last day.

Fitzgerald will begin his reign at Croke Park against Dublin, with trips to Offaly and Carlow to follow as well as home matches against Westmeath, his former charges Waterford, and Laois.

It’s a decent fixture list to contend with, although come the Championship things have fallen against him with three away matches out of five including one at their most likely competition for the drop, Offaly.

Conal Cunning, who scored two goals in their 2024 relegation decider win over Carlow, will be missing after undergoing surgery for a cruciate knee ligament injury, so Fitzgerald will need to find a high-class forward to replace the Dunloy man. Whether or not he finds that in the form of backroom team member Neil McManus, a year removed from inter-county retirement but still as good as there is in Antrim, remains to be seen.

Three counties brought inter-county silverware back to Ulster in 2024, with Fermanagh beating Longford to claim their third Lory Meagher Cup title at Croke Park the same day Donegal pushed further clear at the top of the Nickey Rackard Cup roll of honour with their win over Mayo.

Derry were the only Ulster county to pick up League silverware, beating Tyrone in the Division 2B final, but lost their second consecutive Christy Ring Cup final, and third in four seasons, with defeat to Kildare added to previous losses to Meath and Offaly.

Down reached the Division 2A semi-final where they lost to Laois, and retained their Joe McDonagh Cup status for the fourth consecutive season. Offaly, who won the county’s first ever U20/U21 title the previous weekend, added the McDonagh title with a final win over Laois to return to the Leinster Championship for the first time since 2018.

That was the year of Limerick’s breakthrough under Kiely and the beginning of one of the most dominant runs in hurling history. When they lost to Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final the following season they proved it was just a blimp by winning the next four in-a-row.

In the same 2025 summer that will see Oasis bring their comeback story to Croke Park, all hurling eyes will return to Kiely and his men as they plot a triumphant return of their own.

Whatever happens, they – and the Gallaghers – will have to go some to match what the game’s greatest stage witnessed in 2024. And those six seconds that will live forever.