Who is popular today?

Kerry 3-22 Clare 1-11
Kerry set up up a Munster semi-final against champions Tipperary in Semple Stadium in two weeks’ time after they defeated Clare by 17 points in Killarney on Saturday evening.
Peter Keane’s men led by nine points at the break and pushed on from there against the wind in the second half as they took their impressive league form into the championship.
Kerry used the wind advantage in the opening half and with four players hitting the target, they led by 1-11 to 0-5 at the interval.
The Clifford brothers impressed as Seán O’Shea, David Clifford and Micheál Burns supplied the Kerry goals with David Tubridy finding the net in the 63rd minute to make the scoreboard a more comfortable reading for Colm Collins’s side.
Tadhg Morley returned to the Kerry squad after missing the Division One semi-final against Tyrone due to suspension, while David Clifford took the captaincy armband as the returning Paul Murphy started on the bench.
Kerry’s first-choice goalkeeper Shane Ryan also returned to the matchday 26 following a six-week layoff due to injury, but had to make do with a spot on the bench as Kieran Fitzgibbon started between the posts for the fifth match in-a-row.
Meeting for the first time since the 2019 championship when Kerry defeated Clare by 1-15 to 0-12 in Ennis, the Kingdom got off to a flying start and were one point to the good when O’Shea slotted over after just 11 seconds.
From here, Kerry pushed on and strolled into a six-point lead after 20 minutes – 0-8 to 0-2 – with O’Shea recording four of Kerry’s first five scores.
Clare should have got off the mark in the 13th minute but Gavin Cooney struck wide of goal, despite an inch-perfect crossfield ball from Tubridy.

Kerry’s Paudie Clifford plays a pass during the Munster SFC quarter-final against Clare at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho


Substitute Emmet McMahon got The Banner’s first point of the evening – the Kildysart midfielder was just on the field for the injured Cathal O’Connor when he slotted over to make it 0-6 to 0-1 at the first water break.
Inspired by captain Eoin Cleary, whose two well-taken efforts stunned a cruising Kerry side, the visitors brought it back to a four-point game as half-time fast approached.
A wake-up call for Kerry, the Kingdom responded almost immediately to Cleary’s quick-fire double as O’Shea took full advantage of a superb through ball from Paudie Clifford to raise the green flag for the home side.
Clifford punished a mistake and poor hand pass from the former Kerry footballer and Tralee native Conor Jordan to put O’Shea in one-on-one with Stephen Ryan.
The early second half was a more pedestrian affair and the chief enjoyment for the neutrals was a late flurry of goals and points as Clare tired and Kerry pushed forward.
By the second-half water break just David Clifford and David Moran had added scores for Kerry, while Clare added to their five point tally with points from Darragh Bohannan, Tubridy and Cleary.
However, Tubridy found the net with seven minutes remaining, a mere consolation for the visiting side.
Kerry did, however, grab a second and third goal in the dying minutes. Adrian Spillane won possession back before finding David Clifford –the Fossa man blasted into the back of the net to put the result beyond any doubt.
The last kick of the game made it 3-22 to 1-11 as substitute Micheál Burns blasted Kerry into the Munster SFC semi-finals.
KERRY: Kieran Fitzgibbon; Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan; Mike Breen, Gavin Crowley, Gavin White (0-2); David Moran (0-1), Diarmuid O’Connor; Stephen O’Brien, Seán O’Shea (1-7, three frees), Paul Geaney (0-1); David Clifford (capt) (1-7, three frees), Dara Moynihan, Paudie Clifford (0-2).
Subs: Killian Spillane (0-2) for Moynihan, Tadhg Morley for O’Sullivan (both 53 mins); Tommy Walsh for O’Brien (56 mins); Adrian Spillane for Moran (58 mins); Micheál Burns (1-0) for D Clifford (68 mins).
CLARE: Stephen Ryan; Ciarán Russell, Cillian Brennan, Conor Jordan; Cian O’Dea, Seán Collins, Conal Ó hAiniféin; Darren O’Neill, Cathal O’Connor; Pearse Lillis, Eoin Cleary (capt) (0-6, three frees), Darragh Bohannan (0-2); Gavin Cooney, Pádraic Collins (0-1), David Tubridy (1-1, one free).
Subs: Emmet McMahon (0-1) for O’Connor (15 mins, inj); Cillian Rouine for Ó hAiniféin (18 mins); Joe McGann for P Collins (half-time); Daniel Walsh for Jordan (44 mins); Keelan Sexton for Cooney (49 mins).
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo).