Kilkenny SHC: 'Disappointed' - Hogan give his take on 'nerve wracking' Clara fightback
Full match reports on every senior quarter-final are available in this week's Kilkenny People
O'Loughlin Gaels were given a scare by a defiant Clara in the quarter-finals of the St Canice's Credit Union SHC Quarter-Finals last weekend.
Manager of the city club, Brian Hogan was 'disappointed' with his team's second half showing but paid due credit to a resilient Clara team.
"Second half we'd be disappointed, there's no two ways about it. We could have easily lost that match going into the closing stages" Hogan told CRKC Sport after the match.
"Look, the character is never questioned with the lads, look they're an unbelievable group and they pulled it out of the fire. Credit has to go to Clara as well. They were obviously going to have their period of dominance as well and it is a derby match, we're next door neighbours.
"We told the boys Clara will die with their boots on, they're a proud club and it went down to the wire. It was nerve wracking in the last five minutes or so," Hogan added.
A Dara Glynn goal helped Clara into a 1-4 to 0-6 lead at the end of the first quarter but O’Loughlins bounced back with Conor Kelly getting their opening major just a couple of minutes later.
Owen Wall then gave Clara a stiffer task to deal with when getting a second goal on the back of a storming Mikey Butler run and when Fionan Mackessy added a third before the break, the game looked as good as over with Brian Hogan’s men leading on a 3-10 to 1-6 scoreline.
A Chris Bolger goal in the 37th minute offered Clara a lifeline and when the same player batted in another effort with five minutes remaining, only a point seperated the teams.
A James Bergin free then levelled the game at 3-17 apiece going into stoppage time but O’Loughlin’s got a second wind from here with Fionan Mackessy and Conor Heary both pointing from play before Mackessy landed the insurance free as they won out on a 3-20 to 3-17 final scoreline.