Ballyea and Kilmaley march on in Clare SHC

Ballyea's Tony Kelly. ©INPHO/Bryan Keane.

Ballyea and Kilmaley are the first two teams through to the 2025 Clare senior hurling championship semi-finals.

The neighbouring clubs came through a high-quality quarter-final double-header at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg on Saturday evening, getting the better of Clonlara and Sixmilebridge respectively.

In the opener, a Ballyea purple patch midway through the second half helped the 2022 champions squeeze past the 2023 winners, Morgan Garry and Man of the Match Tony Kelly with the goals as Ballyea claimed a hard-fought 2-13 to 0-16 success.

It was fitting that Clare legend Kelly arrowed over three successive late long range frees to seal the victory and underline his side's title credentials.

Clonlara led by four points at the three-quarters stage but a quickfire 2-2 blitz inside three minutes turned the quarter-final on its head as Ballyea moved into a 2-9 to 0-11 lead. Kelly’s sensational solo goal in the 45th minute when he tore in from the right to blast to the net from an acute angle was typical of the man.

Beaten finalists last year, Sixmilebridge were no match for Kilmaley, who powered through to the last four with a commanding 13-point triumph, 1-21 to 1-8. The turning point of this one arrived in the 22nd minute when Tom O'Rourke kicked his fourth goal in three games only seconds after full back Colin McGuane had denied the 'Bridge a major at the other end - a significant six-point swing.

Instead of the sides being level, Kilmaley led by 1-7 to 0-4. Even though they were playing into the wind, the winners added four more points before the break, three of those from captain Mikey O'Malley (0-7), to turn around with an unassailable 1-11 to 0-4 advantage.

The third and fourth quarter-finals will be played as another Ennis double-header on Sunday: holders Feakle v Clooney-Quin at 3 followed by the meeting of Éire Óg, Ennis and Inagh-Kilnamona at 5.