Clare champions Clonlara have booked their place in a first ever Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship final, defeating Tipperary's Kiladangan on a 0-23 to 1-19 scoreline after a thrilling contest in Thurles.
The result also caps off a brilliant week for John Conlon, who won a second PwC All-Star award on Friday night before securing man-of-the-match honours after leading his team to success this afternoon.
It was a dramatic game between the pair, one that involved two straight red cards and a late comeback.
Conlara started the better of the two sides, with Clare star Conlon scoring a couple of points inside the opening few minutes.
#GAABEO 8 nóim@KiladanganGAA 0-01@clonlaragaaclub 0-04
"All star dhá oíche ó shin, cúilín anois!" - Cúpla scór deas ó John Conlon anseo!
John Conlon with two points in the space of a minute to increase his side's lead to three!@MunsterGAA
BEO/LIVE ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/DE9wXazfNy— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) November 19, 2023
Having been in the ascendancy for much of the game, Clonlara looked to be on course for victory after a couple of Kiladangan red cards in quick succession in the second half.
Both were given for striking out at opposition players with the hurl, with the Tipp side trailing by a couple of points when they were reduced to 13 men.
Conlon would go on to take another score soon after to extend Conlara's lead to three points.
#GAABEO 55 nóim@KiladanganGAA 1-15@clonlaragaaclub 0-20
"Míorúilteach... Míorúilteach!"
John Conlon le pointe eile i gcomhair Cluain Lára anseo!
Two points between the sids now!@MunsterGAA
BEO/LIVE ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/mK4y1I9P0f— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) November 19, 2023
Surprisingly, Kiladangan would mount an unlikely comeback at that stage. They would tack on a number of scores on the spin to take a three-point lead into injury time.
However, the drama was not over.
Clonlara would then reply with three points of their own, Diarmuid Stritch getting the final one in the dying moments to secure the victory for his side.
#GAABEO 60+6 nóim@KiladanganGAA 1-19@clonlaragaaclub 0-23
Tá sé buaite ag Cluain Lára! - Diarmuid Stritch leis an pointe cinnúineach!
Diarmuid Stritch wins it at the death! @MunsterGAA
BEO/LIVE ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/hOz1BKN6F9— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) November 19, 2023
This result seals Clonlara's first ever Munster final berth, having won the Clare title for the first time since 2008 this year.
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Clare star John Conlon caps off big week with Clonlara win
John Conlon was part of the Clonlara team that won the county title back in 2008, but he would have to wait another 15 years before he was to taste success on that stage once again.
He is now hoping to lead the club to provincial glory, having also won a Munster Intermediate Club title back in 2007.
He was in inspirational form this afternoon. Not only did he tack on a number of scores at crucial stages in the game, but he would also catch a long ball into his own fullback line in the final play of the game to ensure that his team got over the line.
Having also won his second All-Star on Friday night, it caps off an incredible week for the Clare star.
Speaking to TG4 after the game, John Conlon summed up what this result will mean to everyone involved.
#GAABEO Lán Ama
"We've bonded so well together, every day is such great craic"
Comhghairdeas le John Conlon a ainmníodh mar Laoch na hImeartha inniu!@clonlaragaaclub | @MunsterGAA
BEO/LIVE ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/cM7cWETjea— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) November 19, 2023
It's been a super few weeks in our house. We won the camogie for the first time ever and my wife actually captained that team as well, it's been a super few weeks in Clonlara.
We're on the crest of a wave at the moment...
In the second half we really fought it out there. We nearly threw it then with the two (Kiladangan) lads getting sent off, we lost all shape...
At the end with five minutes to go and into injury time, I know we were down a point or two. Everyone said 'push on', so we pushed everyone on.
We then started ending up with extra lads up the field and started going for the game. Sometimes going down a man can be better for certain teams, it certainly wasn't better for us...
I was back out of the half forward line (for the last play). When it was coming down I was like 'I'm going under this and coming out with it'...
If you told me at the start of the year that we would win the championship or be in a Munster final, I would have laughed at you, the way things were going within the club.
We have bonded so well together. Every day we are going out and having such fun, there's such craic in our dressing room.
We just don't want the journey to end.
Some going.
Clonlara are likely to be underdogs heading into that Munster final, but the Clare side have shown that they are capable of upsetting the odds with the likes of John Conlon in their team.
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