Clare have reached the knockout stages of the Allianz League after they drew with Kilkenny at Nowlan Park. Brian Lohan’s charges have yet to be beaten in the league and will now have a league quarter-final at the very least.

Clare in truth probably should have won the game given the 17 wides they amassed. Billy Ryan and Colin Guilfoyle traded early scores. Kilkenny took the lead when young hurler of the year Adrian Mullen pointe on 3 minutes. However, Clare had a goal at the other end in a matter of minute. Tony Kelly sent a long delivery from way inside his own half down to Shane O’Donnell, the Eire Og man gathered and finished past Darren Brennan.  Kilkenny were back on level terms after John Donnelly and Mullen floated over points. Alan Murphy had the Cats ahead 0-8 to 1-3 with 18 minutes played. Clare knocked over five scores in the next 15 minutes. One of these scores was a goal courtesy of Ryan Taylor on 23 minutes. Clare ahead 2-05 to 0-08. Richie Leahy and Alan Murphy (free) left the scores 2-07 to 0-10 at the break.

Ger Aylward had a Kilkenny goal on 48 minutes. That same player registered a point to go with scores from Donnelly and Alan Murphy. Kilkenny led by 1-16 to 2-09 with an hour played. Tony Kelly and Diarmuid Ryan scored sublime points, before O’Donnell popped up with his second goal on 69 minutes. The score was 3-12 to 1-17. Walter Walsh pointed to level matters. However, Clare then took the lead once more when substitute Aaron Cunningham pointed , however Alan Murphy ensured that Kilkenny would come out of the game with a share of the spoils.

Kilkenny – D Brennan; Conor Browne, H Lawlor, C Wallace; C Delaney, P Deegan, D Mullen (0-1); C Buckley, A Murphy (0-7f); A Mullen (0-2), J Donnelly (0-2), R Leahy (0-1); B Ryan (0-1), R Hogan (0-1), W Walsh (0-2). Subs: G Aylward (1-1) for A Mullen, T Walsh for C Browne, B Sheehan for R Hogan, E Cody (0-1) for B Ryan.

Clare – D Tuohy; L Corry, P O’Connor, J Browne; S O’Halloran, C Cleary A McCarthy; D McInerney, T Kelly (0-7, 4f); D Reidy (0-1), J Conlon (0-1), D McMahon; R Taylor (1-0), S O’Donnell (2-1), C Guilfoyle (0-1). Subs: A Shanahan for J Conlon, D Ryan (0-1) for C Guilfoyle, A Cunningham (0-1) for D Reidy, P Collins for R Taylor, S Morey for D McMahon.

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Laois will play in Division 1 in 2021 after a hard fought win over Carlow in dreadful conditions in O’Moore Park on Saturday. The relegation fears now eased, Eddie Brennan’s side will be looking forward to their remaining games in the division.

Ross King knocked over 12 points for Eddie Brennan’s charges, nine of those coming from play. Laois played with the aid of the wind in the opening half. However, they made work of it and failed to pull away. That man King was the thorn in the side knocking over 8 first half points., three of these came from play. Willie and Aaron Dunphy also added points, while Marty Kavanagh knocked over all of Carlow’s points in the opening half. It was 0-10 to 0-05 at the break.

The gap was down to two when Marty Kavanagh and Chris Nolan pointed. However, Ross King knocked over a free and then a point from play. Ciaran McEvoy settled Laois nerves from a tight angle on 50 minutes. Chris Nolan and Marty Kavanagh kept Carlow in touch but it was Ross King who kept the O’Moore men in front with his accuracy from placed balls. John Nolan thought he had rescued a draw for Carlow with 69 minutes played but it was left to Ross King to fire over the winning point in injury time. Marty Kavanagh did have one final free to tie up the game but it went wide.

Scorers – Laois: Ross King 0-12 (nine frees), Aaron Dunphy 0-1, Willie Dunphy 0-1, Ciaran McEvoy 0-1 Carlow: Marty Kavanagh 0-11 (eight frees), Chris Nolan 0-2, John Nolan 0-1

Laois: Enda Rowland; Liam Senior, Matthew Whelan, Donncha Hartnett; Ciaran McEvoy, Padraig Delaney, Jack Kelly; John Lennon, Fiachra C Fennell; Paddy Purcell, James Ryan, Aaron Dunphy; Ross King, Willie Dunphy, Eoin Gaughan.

Subs: Cian Taylor for A Dunphy (56), Ronan Broderick for Kelly (57), Ciaran Comerford for Fennell (65)

Carlow: Damien Jordan; Michael Doyle, Paul Doyle, Ross Smithers; Alan Corcoran, David English, Gary Bennett; Aaron Amond, Kevin McDonald; Diarmuid Byrne, John Michael Nolan, Jack Kavanagh; Ted Joyce, Martin Kavanagh, Paul Coady.

Subs: Chris Nolan for Coady (ht), John Nolan for Amond (54), Sean Whelan for Joyce (56), Edward Byrne for D Byrne (64), Michael Malone for JM Nolan (67)

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