Kilkenny 1-25 Clare 1-22: Cats hold off Banner men to reach All-Ireland Hurling Final

Kilkenny will face Limerick in the All-Ireland Hurling Final on 23 July after battling past Clare 1-25 to 1-22 in a thrilling semi-final at Croke Park.

The Cats deservedly led 0-15 to 0-10 at half-time but Clare summoned up a huge effort to move 0-19 to 0-17 ahead.

Eoin Cody punished a Clare mistake to restore Kilkenny's lead as he netted only for Shane O'Donnell to level with a superb goal.

But Kilkenny moved three ahead again and held on despite a frantic finish.

• Cats battle past Clare in thriller - as it happened

The Cats were grateful to keeper Eoin Murphy who made a sensational injury-time diving save to divert a goal-bound Peter Duggan shot on to the crossbar as the 36-times champions secured another meeting with four-in-a-row seeking Limerick in what will be a repeat of last year's decider won narrowly by the Treaty County.

TJ Reid finished with 12 points for Kilkenny which all came from placed balls - included a sideline cut - but he was largely contained by Conor Cleary in open play so his fellow forward Cody was named man of the match after notching 1-5.

When trailing 0-17 to 0-14 in the 45th minute, Clare were angered by referee Colm Lyons' decision not to play the advantage as he blew up for a free in centre-field a split second before Ian Galvin hammered the sliotar into the Kilkenny net.

With Mark Rodgers pointing the free, the Bannermen regrouped to fire the next five scores to lead by two but then came probably the key moment of the match in the 55th minute as Clare defender Rory Hayes was dispossessed following a short Eibhear Quilligan puckout, which allowed TJ Reid to set up Cody to net.

To their immense credit, Clare were on terms again by the 63rd minute as O'Donnell brushed past Tommy Walsh before lashing an unstoppable shot past Murphy.

However, Murphy's injury-time acrobatics were to keep Kilkenny in front as they set up another tussle with Limerick, who produced an outstanding display of their own to subdue Galway in Saturday's opening semi-final.

After outclassing Clare 2-20 to 0-20 in last year's semi-final, having led by 1-17 to 0-6 at half-time that day, Kilkenny were not expected to run away with Sunday's contest in similar fashion.

Granted the Cats did control the first half as Reid's eight successful placed balls contributed to their five-point interval lead.

With Mikey Butler again having the better of his duel with star Clare forward Tony Kelly, who could only manage a solitary point in the contest, Kilkenny showed the greater accuracy as they didn't hit a wide until the 28th minute, with the Banner having already racked up five by that stage.

On the scoreboard, the contest was equal early on as the sides went point for point to stand at 0-4 to 0-4 before Kilkenny hit five of the next six scores to lead 0-9 to 0-5 by the 17th minute.

The Cats' advantage could have been even greater at that stage with Clare keeper Quilligan saving a goalbound Reid effort.

At that stage, Kilkenny were dominating in the crucial middle third of the field with Richie Reid excelling in his sweeper role and midfielder Adrian Mullen producing his usual industry.

But trailing 0-11 to 0-7, Clare had a great goal chance of their own in the 23rd minute only for Cats defender Conor Fogarty to produce a sensational block to deny Mark Rodgers.

Kilkenny extended their advantage to 0-15 to 0-9 in first-half injury time before Rodgers reduced the margin seconds before the break.

Clare transformed in the second half

Having withdrawn sweeper Seadna Morey at half-time as they went man to man following Galvin's introduction, Clare were a transformed team as their dramatically raised intensity levels rattled Derek Lyng's side.

With Clare suddenly dominating in the middle third, two Rodgers points were split by a superb David Fitzgerald effort as Kilkenny's lead was cut to just two within three minutes of the restart.

The frantic start to the second half saw goal chances missed at either end with Murphy denying O'Donnell and Quilligan doing the same at the other end to beat away a Cody shot, although the Kilkenny man probably should have passed to the unmarked Mullen.

In spite of the game's big refereeing controversy, Clare maintained their momentum to level by the 51st minute following three straight Rodgers points with Cathal Malone by now besting Mullen.

Clare led for the first time after a point from substitute David Reidy in the 52nd minute and another Rodgers free then doubled their advantage.

However, Paddy Deegan's steadying Kilkenny point was immediately followed by Cody's vital goal after the botched Clare puckout.

Reid's exquisite sideline cut was quickly followed by a point from sub Cian Kenny as the Cats led by three only for O'Donnell to hammer in his levelling goal.

But Kilkenny responded with five of the game's concluding seven scores - including two more Reid frees - but that didn't tell half the story of the late drama as they needed Murphy's incredible save to see the game out.

Kilkenny: E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor (0-1), T Walsh; D Blanchfield, R Reid, P Deegan (0-1); C Fogarty, A Mullen (0-2); T Phelan (0-1), M Keoghan, J Donnelly; B Ryan (0-1), TJ Reid (0-12), E Cody (1-5).

Subs: W Walsh for Keoghan 44 mins, C Kenny (0-1) for Donnelly 54, C Buckley for Fogarty 56, R Hogan for Phelan 61, P Walsh (0-1) for Ryan 68.

Clare: E Quilligan; A Hogan, C Cleary, R Hayes; D Ryan (0-1), J Conlon, D McInerney (0-1); C Malone (0-1), D Fitzgerald (0-3); P Duggan (0-1), T Kelly (0-1), R Taylor (0-1); S Morey, S O'Donnell (1-1), M Rodgers (0-10).

Subs: D Reidy (0-1) for Taylor (33), I Galvin (0-1) for Morey HT, A Shanagher for Reidy (70).

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)